subject: Why Japanese Knotweed Is Preferred By Manufacturers As A Source Of Resveratrol [print this page] In certain plants when pathogens such as bacteria and fungi attack, a chemical compound known as trans resveratrol is produced. Trans resveratrol, which is more commonly known as simply resveratrol, is an antimicrobial substance synthesized by some plants in order to combat the invasion of pathogens and harmful elements.
Resveratrol has become a widely publicized phenomenon because of its health benefits. Resveratrol is known to be good antioxidant, and studies have attested to the chemical compounds anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, blood-sugar-lowering and other beneficial cardiovascular effects.
Recently, it has been found that the Japanese knotweed is a major source of resveratrol. In fact, manufacturers of resveratrol supplements obtain the chemical compound mainly from knotweed, despite the common belief that resveratrol only comes from grapes. There are many reasons manufacturers choose knotweed over grapes as a viable source of resveratrol, but the main reason is obviously the significantly larger amounts of resveratrol in knotweed.
Acquiring pure resveratrol from the Japanese knotweed used to be a problem because of the high demand for resveratrol and the low supply of Japanese knotweed. However, with the discovery of the high resveratrol content in knotweed, the plant has bee allowed to proliferate and provide a larger supply of the coveted chemical compound with the aid of machinery and modern cultivation methods.
Another factor that contributed to the success of the Japanese knotweed over grapes as a conventional source of pure resveratrol is its robustness. Japanese knotweed has been known to survive some of the harshest weather conditions, and can grow all year round. It can be found in 39 out of the 50 United States, although it is considered to be an invasive species of weed in eight of them. Japanese knotweed is also resilient to cutting, vigorously re-sprouting from the roots.
Many large supplement manufacturers use Japanese knotweed and use its scientific name in the supplement labels. Aside from being a source of pure resveratrol, Japanese knotweed is also a concentrated source of emodin, which is a nutritional supplement to regulate bowel motility. Traditional Chinese and Japanese herbal medicines make use of the roots of Japanese knotweed as a natural laxative.
