Two Health Canada natural product licenses have been achieved by DolCas Biotech LLC and have been found safe, effective and high quality.
The products are its concentrated turmeric extract, Curcugen, and the other for Ginfort, a powerful ginger extract in powdered format.
Produced by Olene Life Sciences, the two ingredient brands are research-backed for clinical efficacy and safety, and are solely distributed by DolCas Biotech.
Products with such licenses have been assessed by Health Canada and found to be safe, effective, and of high quality under their recommended conditions of use. You can identify licensed natural health products by an eight-digit Natural Product Number (NPN) or Homeopathic Medicine Number (DIN-HM) on the label.
Surge in demand
According to a Mordor market intelligence report, the Canadian nutraceuticals market is expected to witness a CAGR of 5.62% from 2022-2027.
Statistics Canada recently reported that vitamin and supplement sales in the country increased from some C$740mllion in the last quarter of 2019 to nearly C$800 million in the first quarter of 2020. The surge in demand for different supplements also led to an upsurge in demand for nutraceuticals in the Canadian market.
The Mordor report also noted that, “personal nutrition” is a current trend of interest for consumers and that “the biggest issue faced by nutraceutical companies operating in Canada is complying with the stringent health regulations in Canada. Unlike many countries throughout the world, Canada has very stringent regulations governing the sale of dietary supplements.”
Antioxidant curcuminoids
The first license supports the well-known health benefits of antioxidant curcuminoids in Curcugen, a 50% concentrated, water-dispersible formula. Curcugen’s patent-pending composition of curcuminoids is natively complexed to other naturally-occurring turmeric constituents in a turmeric oleoresin matrix that provides proven bioavailability enhancement. The extract also is uniquely suitable for diverse applications across and has high palatability for easy flavoring.
Curcugen turmeric extract has been the subject of three published clinical studies that support its beneficial actions in aiding in exercise recovery, promoting healthy digestion and mood, and relieving joint discomfort.
It also is in an actively progressing clinical study investigating its effects on fatigue, cognitive performance, and mood. Results of that study are expected to lead DolCas Biotech to submit a request to Health Canada to expand the license to include a diversity of claims and doses.
Digestive health
Earlier this year, Curcugen was recognized as a food supplement in several European countries, allowing regulated use of the brand in its most common clinical dose of 500 mg/day.
Ginfort, the market’s highest-concentrated, powder-formatted ginger extract, as a digestive health support ingredient. Ginfort delivers 26% gingeroid compounds, including gingerols and shogoals.
The innovation behind the potent bioactive stabilizes the volatile gingerols, to maintain the ratio between the bioactives over time. The powdered oleoresin base material provides a slow, sustained release of the gingeroids from its matrix, enhancing their solubility.
Nausea and vomiting
Ginfort’s efficacy is backed by two clinical studies, one published to support and further qualify the traditional use claims in promoting digestive health; and the second (currently in review) for its ability to relieve menstrual discomfort in healthy, reproductive-age women.
The Health Canada approved claims include: Ginfort help(s) prevent nausea and vomiting associated with motion sickness and/or seasickness while also allowing broader digestive support claims informed by traditional medicine use.
The monograph for ginger permits the added claims language to parallel, and is traditionally used in herbal medicine to help relieve digestive upset/disturbances including lack of appetite, nausea, digestive spasms, indigestion, dyspepsia and flatulent colic (carminative).
Respiratory support
Other approved claims state it is good for use as a digestive support active and, for its role in respiratory support. It is traditionally used in Herbal Medicine as an expectorant and cough suppressant (antitussive) to help relieve bronchitis as well as coughs and colds.”
“DolCas already is in discussion with several finished product makers and private label companies interested in these brands,” adds Shavon Jackson-Michel, director of medical and scientific affairs for DolCas Biotech.
“We already have an office and sales support team in Canada to help companies seeking to include powerful antioxidant and digestive-support ingredients such as these in their product line.”