Research

Developing a Simplified Pharmacopoeia

Nature’s Laboratory has tabled a collaboration with the University of East London to establish a simplified Herbal Pharmacopoeia.

The proposal will be based on a research model which combines evidence from traditional use and manufacture, practical experience, biochemical evaluation, and with reference to relevant clinical trials. We are working with the DTi R&D fund to raise a total budget of around £120,000, and UEL will carry out much of the work over 2 years.

We are working with UEL to review production methods for many of our products, looking at traditional and evidence based criteria for manufacture and quality management. The project will be overseen by Dr. Barbara Pendry, Programme Leader Herbal Medicine, and Dr. Olivia Corcoran, Director of the Medicines Research Group.

DEVELOPING NEW PRESERVATIVES

We are developing a full range of organic medicinal and cosmetic creams and lotions that are parabens free. Our research is focused on using purely natural plant derived compounds to preserve and emulsify our cream products.

MILK THISTLE EXTRACTION

We are very keen to work with academic research and to keep abreast with current developments. At UEL researchers have been using HPLC to profile the presence of various compounds at different ratios of ethanolic extraction. In one particular piece of work it was conclusively demonstrated that silymarin is minimally present in a 25% ethanol extraction, and is more readily extracted at 60% ethanol. Acting on this information our new organic Milk Thistle tincture has been extracted in 60% alcohol.