Is griffonia seed extract safe
Griffonia simplicifolia powder
What is griffonia simplicifolia used for.
Common names in English:
Griffonia
Other common names:
Atooto, gbogbotri, kajya, kanya, kwakuo-aboto (Brenderl et al., 2010).
Parts of the plant used:
The root, seeds, and leaves
Where is it found?
This shrub or liana is native to West Africa, especially Sierra Leone, Ghana, and the Congo.
How is it used?
Some companies commercialize the plant in capsules, purportedly as an antidepressant, aphrodisiac, and also as a weight loss supplement.
What is it used for?
Due to its content of 5-HTP, a precursor of the neurotransmitter serotonin, this plant has been touted as an alternative for the treatment of insomnia.
Supplements containing this plant, alone or in combination with other herbs, are also touted as being useful for appetite suppression, weight loss, fibromyalgia, as well as to treat motion sickness (Rondanelli, et al., 2011).
The seeds contain compounds known as “lectins”, which are proteins that bind to carbohydrates and play an important role in cell p