SmartSeed™ (Celastrus paniculatus seed extract)

Celastrus paniculatus is native to India, where it’s used by local healers primarily as a brain tonic for reasons that are consistent with one of its common names, “the intellect tree.” Today we’d recognize these uses as offering nootropic support. These uses include “...mental acuity, support memory and intellect as well as retention and recalling power; and to alleviate mental fatigue, stress...”[1] It was believed that people using this plant would be able to learn new information more quickly, and more accurately and efficiently recall it later [1]. Celastrus paniculatus seeds (and their oil) are what is used for cognitive support. One of the other traditional uses was as a tonic to help strengthen digestion or cleanse the digestive tract [2,3].* The seeds contain a variety of active compounds, including sesquiterpenes such as celastrine, celapanine, celapanigine, celapagin, malkangunin and paniculatine. Celastrus paniculatus extracts have, in experimental research, positively influenced cognitive function and neuroprotective functions.*

TOP BENEFITS OF CELASTRUS PANICULATUS

Supports cognitive performance*

Supports mood*

Supports stress response*

QUALIA’S CELASTRUS PANICULATUS SOURCING

SmartSeed™ is a water extract of the seeds from Celastrus paniculatus, standardized to ≥15% Saponins and ≥2% tannins.

SmartSeed™ is a proprietary extract made specially for us and is non-GMO, gluten-free, and vegan ingredient.

SmartSeed™ is a registered trademark of Qualia Life Sciences LLC.

CELASTRUS PANICULATUS FORMULATING PRINCIPLES AND RATIONALE

One way Celastrus paniculatus was traditionally used was to have a person start by eating one seed a day in the diet, and then gradually increase by one seed a day, up to a maximum of 100 seeds daily [1]. This suggests to Qualia that the best way to approach formulation would be to consider Celastrus paniculatus as an adaptogenic herb; following hormetic dosing principles (see Qualia Dosing Principles) with a high likelihood of having a hormetic range (i.e., a dosing range below and above which results could be poorer). We include Celastrus paniculatus seed extracts in a few products (Qualia Mind, Qualia Focus, Qualia Synbiotic, as examples). The amount included is based on our experience using the extract in product development and testing.*

CELASTRUS PANICULATUS KEY MECHANISMS 

Supports healthy brain function*

Supports memory and learning (in animals)* [4–10]

Supports healthy levels of monoamine neurotransmitters (noradrenaline, dopamine, and serotonin) and their metabolites in the brain* [4]

Supports healthy acetylcholinesterase activity in the brain* [5]

Supports healthy brain content of total lipids and phospholipids* [11]

Supports neuroprotective functions* [7–10,12–14]

Supports a healthy mood and stress response*

Supports positive behavioral responses to stress* [7,15,16]

Supports antioxidant defenses*

Supports antioxidant defenses* [6,10,13,14,17–19]

Combats oxidative stress* [6,10,13,14,17–19]

Supports free radical scavenging activity* [14,18,20]

Other actions*

Supports gastroprotective functions* [19]

Supports healthy immune/cytokine signaling* [19,21,22]

Supports relief of minor physical discomfort* [21,22]

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.