GlobeNewswire: American Botanical Council Contains the last 10 of 60 releaseshttp://www.globenewswire.com/External?Length=42024-03-29T08:38:28ZGlobeNewswirehttp://www.globenewswire.com/External?Length=4newsdesk@globenewswire.com (NewsDesk)https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2023/03/03/2620480/0/en/ABC-s-Sustainable-Herbs-Program-Launches-Updated-Sustainability-and-Regenerative-Practices-Toolkit-2-0.html?f=22&fvtc=4&fvtv=45785ABC's Sustainable Herbs Program Launches Updated Sustainability and Regenerative Practices Toolkit 2.02023-03-03T18:13:39Z<![CDATA[Resource-rich toolkit offers opportunities for herb businesses to enhance and successfully implement their commitment operating more sustainably Resource-rich toolkit offers opportunities for herb businesses to enhance and successfully implement their commitment operating more sustainably]]>https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2023/03/02/2619578/0/en/Dr-Joe-Betz-Joins-ABC-Board-of-Trustees.html?f=22&fvtc=4&fvtv=45785Dr. Joe Betz Joins ABC Board of Trustees2023-03-02T15:56:42Z<![CDATA[Internationally respected pharmacognosist and former FDA and NIH official becomes part of leading herbal medicine nonprofit board Internationally respected pharmacognosist and former FDA and NIH official becomes part of leading herbal medicine nonprofit board]]>https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2022/10/04/2527722/0/en/New-Bulletin-on-Nigella-Seed-and-Seed-Oil-Adulteration-Published-by-ABC-AHP-NCNPR-Botanical-Adulterants-Prevention-Program.html?f=22&fvtc=4&fvtv=45785New Bulletin on Nigella Seed and Seed Oil Adulteration Published by ABC-AHP-NCNPR Botanical Adulterants Prevention Program2022-10-04T12:00:00Z<![CDATA[Bulletin documenting evidence of nigella seed oil adulteration with lower-cost vegetable oils marks BAPP’s 75th peer-reviewed document Bulletin documenting evidence of nigella seed oil adulteration with lower-cost vegetable oils marks BAPP’s 75th peer-reviewed document]]>https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2022/08/09/2495143/0/en/ABC-AHP-NCNPR-Botanical-Adulterants-Prevention-Program-Publishes-Laboratory-Guidance-Document-on-Indian-Frankincense-Boswellia-Oleogum-Resin-and-Boswellia-Extracts.html?f=22&fvtc=4&fvtv=45785ABC-AHP-NCNPR Botanical Adulterants Prevention Program Publishes Laboratory Guidance Document on Indian Frankincense / Boswellia Oleogum Resin and Boswellia Extracts2022-08-09T15:54:20Z<![CDATA[Bulletin focuses on adulteration and substitution of Indian frankincense with resins from related species Bulletin focuses on adulteration and substitution of Indian frankincense with resins from related species]]>https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2022/05/10/2440029/0/en/Botanical-Adulterants-Prevention-Program-Publishes-Ginkgo-Leaf-Extract-Laboratory-Guidance-Document.html?f=22&fvtc=4&fvtv=45785Botanical Adulterants Prevention Program Publishes Ginkgo Leaf Extract Laboratory Guidance Document2022-05-10T15:38:43Z<![CDATA[New publication provides in-depth assessment of analytical methods to authenticate ginkgo leaf extracts New publication provides in-depth assessment of analytical methods to authenticate ginkgo leaf extracts]]>https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2022/04/20/2425756/0/en/ABC-Announces-Election-of-Herb-Experts-Low-Dog-Brinckmann-and-Hobbs-to-Board-of-Trustees.html?f=22&fvtc=4&fvtv=45785ABC Announces Election of Herb Experts Low Dog, Brinckmann, and Hobbs to Board of Trustees2022-04-20T15:22:28Z<![CDATA[AUSTIN, Texas, April 20, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The nonprofit American Botanical Council (ABC) announces the election of widely respected medicinal plant experts Tieraona Low Dog, MD, Josef Brinckmann, and Christopher Hobbs, PhD, LAc, to the ABC Board of Trustees.“We are thrilled and deeply honored that these revered, knowledgeable, and experienced professionals are joining the Board of Trustees of ABC,” said ABC Founder and Executive Director Mark Blumenthal. “I have known each of them for over 35 years, and I have always marveled at their depth of knowledge of herbs and medicinal plants and their profound passion for herbal medicine, ethnobotany, pharmacognosy, phytotherapy, mycology, and related disciplines associated with beneficial herbs and fungi. Each of them are long-time members of the ABC Advisory Board and have contributed significantly to ABC in a variety of ways, including authorship and expert peer review of numerous ABC publications. In recognition of their respective achievements in the world of medicinal plants, ABC has honored each of them with one of ABC’s botanical excellence awards. The ABC leadership team and I look forward to working with them in the coming months and years.”Tieraona Low DogTieraona Low Dog, MD, is a well-known physician, author, and educator with more than 40 years of experience and one of the foremost experts in the United States on the safe and appropriate use of botanical remedies and dietary supplements in selfcare and in clinical practice. She practiced herbal medicine, midwifery, massage therapy, and martial arts before earning her medical degree from the University of New Mexico School of Medicine.Low Dog has overseen the evaluation panel for supplement/botanical safety at the United States Pharmacopeia (USP), including joint reviews with the US Department of Defense, for the past 20 years. Celebrated integrative physician Andrew Weil, MD chose Low Dog to run the Fellowship Training Program for Physicians at the University of Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine, where she served as the director of education and then fellowship director from 2004 to 2014. She is also a founding member of the American Board of Integrative Medicine and the Academy for Women’s Health.“I am deeply honored to be invited to serve on the Board of Trustees for the American Botanical Council,” said Low Dog. “As a physician, educator, and herbalist, I feel a shared alignment with the values and mission of ABC. Given the misinformation in the media, the organization’s commitment to providing the public with the most current scientific advances in botanical research, while honoring the rich herbal traditions of the world, is unique.”A prolific scholar, Low Dog has published 50 research articles in medical and scientific journals, written 20 chapters for medical textbooks, and has been invited to speak at more than 600 conferences. She has authored five books, including four with National Geographic, Fortify Your Life (2016), Healthy at Home (2015), Life is Your Best Medicine (2014), and Guide to Medicinal Herbs (2010), and was the co-editor of Integrative Women’s Health (Oxford University Press, 2016).“As an avid lover of Nature and the green world, I honor ABC’s long tradition of promoting the sustainability of medicinal plants around the globe,” Low Dog added. “It is my deepest hope that I may bring my knowledge and experience to support and further the mission of this amazing organization.”Low Dog was the recipient of the inaugural ABC Fredi Kronenberg Excellence in Research and Education in Botanicals for Women’s Health Award for 2017.Josef BrinckmannJosef Brinckmann has worked in the medicinal plant sector since 1979. He presently serves as the Research Fellow of Medicinal Plants and Botanical Supply Chain for Traditional Medicinals, Inc. in Sebastopol, California, a leading manufacturer of herbal teas and other herbal medicinal products. Brinckmann also serves as contributing editor of ABC’s HerbalGram journal and as an Advisory Group Member of the ABC Sustainable Herbs Program. In addition, he was the recipient of the ABC Champion Award for 2016 in recognition of his extensive volunteer services to ABC.“The importance and value of ABC’s work has been obvious to me since the very inception of ABC,” said Brinckmann. “The quality of my research has benefited from access to ABC publications and in recent decades I have been honored to also participate in the research and co-writing of ABC educational materials. It seems only natural at this point to participate with ABC at a deeper level. I did not hesitate to accept this invitation.”Since 2005, Brinckmann has been an elected member of the USP Botanical Dietary Supplements and Herbal Medicines (DSHM) Expert Committee and the USP DSHM Nomenclature Joint Sub-Committee. Since 2006, he has served the American Herbal Pharmacopoeia (AHP) as an advisor on commercial sources and handling, as contributing writer of international regulatory status sections of the AHP monographs, and editorial board member of the AHP Herbal Quality, Research, and Safety Bulletin.“The perspective I will bring to the board is informed by more than 42 years of experience in the sustainable production, quality assurance, and global trade of medicinal and aromatic plant raw materials, valued added processed botanical ingredients, and finished herbal medicinal products,” Brinckmann said.Christopher HobbsChristopher Hobbs, PhD, LAc, is a fourth generation, internationally renowned herbalist and mycologist, licensed acupuncturist, herbal clinician, research scientist, consultant to the dietary supplement industry, expert witness, botanist, and public speaker, with more than 35 years of experience. He also is a co-founder of the American Herbalists Guild (AHG), the only national professional herbal practitioner’s organization in the United States.“I’m very excited to join the ABC Board of Trustees for many reasons. First and most importantly, to be a part of the community of the highly dedicated and experienced people who have created an organization whose work I can really relate to,” Hobbs said. “ABC’s focus on research, testing, and delving into published studies on herb quality, purity, identity, and efficacy is unique in this important and rapidly growing community and industry that serves so many millions. ABC is really the gatekeeper for these important issues.“I’m honored to join Dr. Low Dog and Josef Brinckmann as the other new members to the board,” Hobbs added. “Their dedication, knowledge, and experience are unsurpassed in our community. Herbal medicine and product quality is in their DNA and is their life’s work.”Hobbs has lectured on herbal medicine worldwide and is the author or co-author of numerous articles and more than 20 books, including Christopher Hobbs’s Medicinal Mushrooms: The Essential Guide (Storey Publishing, 2021), which received the ABC James A. Duke Excellence in Botanical Literature Award for 2020. He earned his doctorate at the University of California, Berkeley, with research and publications in evolutionary biology, biogeography, phylogenetics, plant chemistry, and ethnobotany. He is currently a member of the faculty at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.“Like ABC, I am dedicated to honoring the traditions of herbalism while embracing rigorous scientific research which advances our knowledge of how the herbs work, the efficacy and safety of herbs with a special emphasis on herb quality,” Hobbs said. “This encapsulates my journey of many decades of involvement with the herb community and industry as a consultant on herb efficacy, safety and product quality as a formulator, research scientist, and licensed traditional Chinese practitioner. I also seek to always combine the best of traditional herbalism with the best science.”ABC Chief Science Officer Stefan Gafner, PhD, praised the new Board of Trustees members’ accomplishments and experience. “Each of the three new members of the Board of Trustees brings a unique expertise to that will help guide ABCs nonprofit mission for the next years to come,” he said. “It will be a privilege for ABC have such a level of expertise within our Board of Trustees and to work with such talented, knowledgeable, generous, and wonderful human beings.”About the American Botanical Council]]>https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2022/04/11/2420245/0/en/Gail-Mahady-Receives-ABC-Fredi-Kronenberg-Excellence-in-Research-and-Education-in-Botanicals-for-Women-s-Health-Award.html?f=22&fvtc=4&fvtv=45785Gail Mahady Receives ABC Fredi Kronenberg Excellence in Research and Education in Botanicals for Women’s Health Award2022-04-11T14:05:13Z<![CDATA[AUSTIN, Texas, April 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The American Botanical Council (ABC) has presented its 2022 Fredi Kronenberg Excellence in Research and Education in Botanicals for Women’s Health Award to Gail Mahady, PhD, an associate professor and director of the Clinical Pharmacognosy Laboratories in the College of Pharmacy at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) and an expert in botanical dietary supplements and phytomedicines for women’s health and other conditions.The ABC Fredi Kronenberg Award was created in 2018 and named in honor of distinguished researcher, educator, and longtime ABC Board of Trustees member Fredi Kronenberg, PhD, who died in April 2017. Kronenberg dedicated her professional life to the study of medicinal plants and phytomedicines for women’s health conditions. She particularly was interested in botanicals such as black cohosh (Actaea racemosa) for the treatment of menopausal symptoms.Kronenberg was a champion of integrative medicine and co-founded the Richard and Hinda Rosenthal Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine at Columbia University — the first CAM program at an Ivy League school and the first government-funded CAM research and educational center. For 10 years, she also co-directed an onsite five-day continuing education course for physicians and other health care providers interested in botanical medicine.Mahady earned a bachelor’s degree in pharmaceutical chemistry from Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and a doctorate in pharmacognosy at UIC. At UIC, she is on the faculty of the Department of Pharmacy Practice in the College of Pharmacy. Previously, she was co-investigator at the UIC Center for Botanical Dietary Supplements Research, a US National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded center that investigates the safety and mechanisms of action of botanical dietary supplements used by menopausal women as alternatives to hormone therapy.Mahady focuses on the chemistry and pharmacology of natural products, dietary supplements, and traditional medicines and their applications for women’s reproductive health conditions (including premenstrual syndrome [PMS]), infectious diseases (including Chlamydia and Helicobacter pylori infections), cancer, and menopausal symptoms. Like Kronenberg, she has conducted research on black cohosh. She also studies the association between vitamin deficiencies, especially vitamins A and D, and the development and metastasis of epithelial cancers. Her current interests include transcriptomics (the study of the RNA molecules in a cell or tissue) and proteomics (the large-scale study of proteins) of natural products in cancer, sarcopenia (muscle loss due to aging), and osteoporosis. Much of her research has been funded by the World Health Organization (WHO), NIH, the Regenstein Foundation, the First Analysis Institute, the Wrigley Foundation, and other funding sources.Mahady is a member of several organizations, including the American Society of Pharmacognosy, and served on the United States Pharmacopeia’s Botanical Dietary Supplements and Herbal Medicines Expert Committee. She has consulted for the WHO’s Traditional Medicine Programme and US Federal Trade Commission. She is, or has been, an associate editor of UIC’s NAPRALERT database (which includes data from thousands of scientific papers on natural products), associate editor of Pharmaceutical Biology, contributing editor of Nutrition Reviews, and on the editorial board of Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences. Mahady also has co-authored four editions of WHO Monographs on Selected Medicinal Plants (which include extensive reviews of widely used medicinal plants), as well as more than 100 abstracts, book chapters, and journal articles, and has given many presentations.“I deeply appreciate and am honored to receive the ABC Fredi Kronenberg Award for 2022,” Mahady wrote (email, March 23, 2022). “Fredi was a dear friend and colleague, and I always appreciated her passion for the work and her joie de vivre, as she was great fun to be around. I am still saddened that she is no longer with us.“I would like to thank all of my graduate students and postdocs who worked on all of the projects over the years, as well as my collaborators Dr. Alice Perez at the University of Costa Rica in San José, Dr. Armando Caceres at the University of San Carlos of Guatemala in Guatemala City, and Dr. Daniel Liu in China, and all the other people who have helped with the research,” Mahady added. “I also would like to thank Dr. Harry Fong and the late Dr. Norman Farnsworth, my mentors and advisors for many years.“Finally, hundreds of millions of women worldwide still rely daily on traditional medicine and medicinal plants for their basic health care needs,” Mahady continued. “Medicinal plants are used to treat everything from anxiety and depression, to PMS, pregnancy, menopausal symptoms, and much more. Still, only a fraction of these plants have been investigated scientifically, so plenty of work still is left to be done in the field.”Tieraona Low Dog, MD, who received the inaugural ABC Kronenberg Award for 2017, endorsed Mahady for the award. “Dr. Mahady’s work in the field of natural products and botanical medicine is extensive and distinguished,” Low Dog wrote. “From her research on the use of mushrooms for cancer to the use of medicinal plants during pregnancy by Indigenous women in Central America and the evidence for botanicals during the menopause transition, Dr. Mahady brings rigor and real-world experience to all that she does. She is a beloved educator at UIC and lectures to audiences around the world about the potential for medicinal plants to improve health. She is a role model for many, and I am delighted that she is being honored with this award. It is so well deserved.”Mary Hardy, MD, who received the ABC Kronenberg Award for 2019, also expressed approval that Mahady was selected. “It is wonderful that botanical scientist Dr. Gail Mahady is being honored with the 2022 ABC Kronenberg Award,” Hardy wrote. “Her scholarship and research represent outstanding contributions to the fields of women’s health and botanical medicine in the best tradition of the award’s namesake, Dr. Fredi Kronenberg. Dr. Mahady’s collegial spirit and can-do attitude make her a leader in the field of botanical research.”ABC Chief Science Officer Stefan Gafner, PhD, wrote: “I see a lot of parallels between Dr. Mahady’s career and Dr. Kronenberg’s career, both with regards to their contributions to scientific knowledge of herbs for women’s conditions and their educational efforts to bring rational herbal medicine closer to health care professionals. She was involved early on in UIC’s Center for Botanical Dietary Supplements Research, which may be the most successful academic program ever initiated that focuses on the benefits of herbs for women’s health. She has made exceptional and exceptionally practical contributions in this field. I congratulate her for receiving ABC’s award, and I salute the entirety of her academic work.”Previous recipients of the ABC Fredi Kronenberg Award are Tori Hudson, ND (2021), Mary Hardy, MD (2019), Aviva Romm, MD (2018), and Tieraona Low Dog, MD (2017).The 2022 ABC Fredi Kronenberg Excellence in Research and Education in Botanicals for Women’s Health Award was presented at the 17th Annual ABC Celebration and Botanical Excellence Awards Ceremony on March 9, 2022, in Anaheim, California, during Natural Products Expo West. The ABC awards process and ceremony were underwritten by these ABC Sponsor Members in the United States and international herb industry: Alkemist Labs, Amin Talati Wasserman LLP, Applied Food Sciences, Brassica Protection Products, ChromaDex, Euromed, EuroPharma, Herbalife, Horphag Research, Indena USA, Informa, MegaFood, Natural Factors, New Chapter, NOW Foods, PlusPharma Inc., RFI, RT Specialty, United Natural Products Alliance, and Verdure Sciences.About the American Botanical Council]]>https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2022/04/05/2416984/0/en/ABC-Presents-2022-Mark-Blumenthal-Herbal-Community-Builder-Award-to-Emily-Ruff.html?f=22&fvtc=4&fvtv=45785ABC Presents 2022 Mark Blumenthal Herbal Community Builder Award to Emily Ruff2022-04-05T16:30:37Z<![CDATA[AUSTIN, Texas, April 05, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The American Botanical Council (ABC) has presented its 2022 Mark Blumenthal Herbal Community Builder Award to Emily Ruff, a community herbalist, director of Sage Mountain Botanical Sanctuary in Vermont, and founder and CEO of the Florida School of Holistic Living. This annual award is given to individuals who have played a significant role in creating a sense of community among herbalists, botanical researchers, members of the herb and natural products communities and industries, and others who work in the area of medicinal and aromatic plants.Ruff has practiced herbalism for more than two decades and is involved with many plant-related organizations and programs that engage the community. At an early age, her passion for gardening and botany grew while wandering the wilderness and digging in the soils of Florida with her grandfather, who was a tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) farmer and urban gardener, and her father, a botany and astronomy professor. She later learned from healers in Guatemala, from herbalist and author Rosemary Gladstar in the mountains of Vermont, and from herbalists Carolyn Whitford and George D’Arcy at the Florida apothecary Leaves & Roots. She studied ethnobotany at the University of Central Florida and curanderismo (Latin American folk medicine) at the University of New Mexico.Ruff has served on the board of the United Plant Savers (UpS), a nonprofit plant conservation organization that recently received ABC’s inaugural Steven Foster Botanical Conservation and Sustainability Award. She founded the popular annual Florida Herbal Conference in 2012 and has served multiple terms as president of the Florida Herb Society. After the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida, in 2016, Ruff founded the Orlando Grief Care Project, which distributed hundreds of herbal remedies to the traumatized community. Ruff also has served on the board of the Mni Wiconi Clinic and Farm of the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation in North and South Dakota. In addition to her passion for plants, she enjoys cooking, yoga, writing, photography, and music.In 2018, Ruff founded a nonprofit organization to purchase the Sage Mountain Botanical Sanctuary in Orange, Vermont, from Gladstar, who founded it in 1987. The sanctuary, which covers about 600 acres and abuts more than 100,000 acres of contiguous forest, contains multiple biodiverse ecosystems and hundreds of uncommon plant and animal species. It is “one of New England’s foremost conservation education centers,” according to its website. The sanctuary welcomes people to learn how to be better stewards of nature and offers online classes, self-guided day visits, guided tours, and private overnight retreats. Ruff and her work at Sage Mountain were the subjects of a 2019 article on the cover of the Business section of The Boston Globe.“I am humbled to be the 2022 recipient of the ABC Mark Blumenthal Herbal Community Builder Award,” Ruff wrote (email, March 16, 2022). “I stand on the shoulders of a long line of herbal community builders (especially Rosemary Gladstar, Steven Foster, and also the award’s namesake, Mark Blumenthal) and follow the pioneering paths that these trailblazers have carved out for future generations, including me, to walk along in our own herbal work. In a time when we are faced with so much personal and collective darkness, the plants are shining a bright light to illuminate our hearts and our paths forward. It is my sincere hope that herbal endeavors such as the Florida Herbal Conference, the Orlando Grief Care Project, and the continuation of the legacy at Sage Mountain Botanical Sanctuary can provide platforms for other herbalists to cultivate connection and open opportunities for service to their local and global communities.”Gladstar endorsed Ruff for the award. “I was delighted to hear that Emily Ruff has been awarded the ABC Herbal Community Builder Award,” Gladstar wrote (email, March 17, 2022). “Having been the first recipient of this honorary award, I must admit, I have a certain affection for and attachment to it. I really can’t imagine a more fitting candidate than Emily. Though she is somewhat quiet and shy, and seldom calls attention to herself, Emily is an amazing organizer and networker. And she has worked overtime the past few years to build awareness of herbs and herbalism, not just within the herbal community, but in the broader community as well.“As founder of The Florida School of Holistic Living and founder of the Florida Herbal Conference, Emily has helped create a sense of herbal community in the southeastern United States,” Gladstar added. “She also co-founded the Homegrown Local Food Cooperative in Orlando. Emily also served on the Medic and Healer Council [at Standing Rock] during the pipeline demonstrations [in 2016] and helped raise thousands of dollars that funded the community health clinic at Standing Rock during and after the demonstrations. An avid and dedicated plant conservationist, Emily has been an active member of UpS since its early days and also served as treasurer on the UpS Board of Directors. Currently, along with her herbal work, Emily devotes her time to wildlife and wilderness conservation.”Mark Blumenthal, ABC founder and executive director, wrote: “I am pleased to choose Emily as the recipient of this year’s ABC Mark Blumenthal Herbal Community Builder Award. She was highly recommended by some of the previous recipients of this award, and after the opportunity of getting to know her a bit during the past few years, I understand their enthusiasm for their nomination, and I agree with their strong advocacy of her. Emily’s passion for herbs, people, and the plant-people interaction and her seemingly boundless energy are evident in her numerous herbal activities. She represents a younger generation of herbalists and their commitment to the idea of improved health via botanical medicine.”Previous recipients of the ABC Mark Blumenthal Herbal Community Builder Award are Michael McGuffin (2020), president of the American Herbal Products Association; Mary Blue, Katheryn Langelier, and Nicole Telkes (2019), “The Fire Cider Three,” who successfully battled in court to keep “fire cider” a generic term; Linnea and Larry Wardwell (2018), organizers of the Medicines from the Earth and Southwest Conference on Botanical Medicine symposia; Jon Benninger (2017), director of the annual SupplySide East and SupplySide West trade shows; Ikhlas Khan, PhD (2016), director of the University of Mississippi’s National Center for Natural Products Research; Michael Tierra (2015), herbalist, author, teacher, and co-founder of the American Herbalists Guild; Loren Israelsen (2014), founder and president of the United Natural Products Alliance (UNPA); Sara Katz (2013), co-founder of Herb Pharm and past president of UpS; and Rosemary Gladstar (2012).The 2022 ABC Mark Blumenthal Herbal Community Builder Award was presented at the 17th Annual ABC Celebration and Botanical Excellence Awards Ceremony on March 9, 2022, in Anaheim, California, during Natural Products Expo West.The ABC awards process and ceremony were underwritten by these ABC Sponsor Members in the United States and international herb industry: Alkemist Labs, Amin Talati Wasserman LLP, Applied Food Sciences, Brassica Protection Products, ChromaDex, Euromed, EuroPharma, Herbalife, Horphag Research, Indena USA, Informa, MegaFood, Natural Factors, New Chapter, NOW Foods, PlusPharma Inc., RFI, RT Specialty, United Natural Products Alliance, and Verdure Sciences.About the American Botanical Council]]>https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2022/03/29/2412234/0/en/Professor-Guido-Pauli-Receives-ABC-Norman-R-Farnsworth-Excellence-in-Botanical-Research-Award.html?f=22&fvtc=4&fvtv=45785Professor Guido Pauli Receives ABC Norman R. Farnsworth Excellence in Botanical Research Award2022-03-29T16:51:50Z<![CDATA[AUSTIN, Texas, March 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The American Botanical Council (ABC) recently presented the 2022 ABC Norman R. Farnsworth Excellence in Botanical Research Award to Guido F. Pauli, PhD, a Distinguished Professor at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) and the Norman R. Farnsworth Professor of Pharmacognosy at the UIC College of Pharmacy.ABC presents the annual award, named in honor of the internationally respected professor Norman R. Farnsworth, PhD (1930–2011), to an individual who has made significant research contributions in the fields of pharmacognosy (the study of drugs of natural origin, usually from plants), ethnobotany, ethnopharmacology, or other scientific disciplines related to medicinal plants. Farnsworth was a widely published and internationally renowned research professor of pharmacognosy, a senior university scholar in the UIC College of Pharmacy, and one of the founding members of ABC’s Board of Trustees.Pauli expressed his appreciation for receiving the award. “Receiving the ABC Farnsworth research award is particularly special, as ABC and its community share the same passion for plants that has driven and continues to drive my research,” he said. “The joint goal of enhancing the quality of botanicals for the benefit of human health is another connection that makes this award special for me.” He added: “Having worked closely and developed a very friendly personal relationship with Norman Farnsworth during my first decade at UIC, being connected to him and his legacy through this award is just wonderful.”Pauli has belonged to the UIC College of Pharmacy since 2001, when he joined the faculty as a Research Associate Professor in the Institute for Tuberculosis Research (ITR). He became an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy in 2002 and advanced to the rank of Professor in 2012. Pauli was named the Norman R. Farnsworth Professor of Pharmacognosy in 2017 and became a UIC Distinguished Professor in 2019. He is also the Associate Director of ITR and the Director of the UIC Pharmacognosy Institute, which evolved from the former Program for Collaborative Research in the Pharmaceutical Sciences (PCRPS), an internationally renowned research center for the study of biologically active natural products.Pauli explained that his research focuses on innovating methodology for botanical quality control and enhancing collaborative botanical research. “I think that such contributions can be significant for advancing botanicals in general,” he said.“In my experience, the best products in daily life are created by the combination of two things: inquisitive minds and sense for quality,” Pauli continued. “This highlights the importance of doing botanical research and driving innovation for the future — and explains why I find this ABC research award truly encouraging.”Among Pauli’s most impactful research activities are investigations into the usefulness of quantitative nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), a laboratory method used to analyze natural products such as botanical extracts. He also has assessed the residual complexity of plant extracts and isolated compounds by chemical and biological methods, as well as the usefulness of centrifugal partition chromatography (CPC) as a separation technique for natural products. As Co-director and later Director of the UIC Center for Botanical Dietary Supplements Research, he was instrumental in the identification of the constituents responsible for the estrogenic (and other) activities of hops (Humulus lupulus), red clover (Trifolium pratense), and licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra, G. uralensis). His most recent publication, co-authored with a group of fellow researchers from UIC and the University of Chicago, investigated the effects of cannabidiol (CBD) on SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in human lung cells and mice and found that CBD had a significant negative effect on the virus’s replication. The results of this widely reported research collaboration were published in the reputable scientific journal Science Advances.“There is no question in my mind that, if Prof. Farnsworth were still alive today, he would wholeheartedly support ABC’s decision to grant this eponymous award to Prof. Pauli,” said Mark Blumenthal, founder and executive director of ABC.Stefan Gafner, PhD, ABC’s chief science officer, said: “I have always been impressed by the high quality of Guido Pauli’s scientific research. His hard work, passion for medicinal plants, and commitment to scientific excellence have made him one of the most prominent natural products researchers in North America at this time.”Past recipients of the ABC Farnsworth award include Paula N. Brown, PhD (2020); Rachel Mata, PhD (2019); Otto Sticher, PhD (2018), Raphael Mechoulam, PhD (2017); Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, PhD (2016); John T. Arnason, PhD (2015); Harry Fong, PhD (2014); Gordon Cragg, PhD (2013); De-An Guo, PhD (2012); Doel Djaja Soejarto, PhD (2011); A. Douglas Kinghorn, PhD (2010); Rudolf Bauer, PhD (2009); Ikhlas Khan, PhD (2008); Hildebert Wagner, PhD (2007); Edzard Ernst, MD, PhD (2006); and Joseph Betz, PhD (2005).The award was presented at the 17th annual ABC Celebration and Botanical Excellence Awards ceremony on March 9, 2022, in Anaheim, California. The event, for ABC Sponsor Members, occurred during Natural Products Expo West.The ABC Celebration was underwritten by the generous support of the following ABC Sponsor Members in the United States and international botanical market: Alkemist Labs, Amin Talati Wasserman LLP, Applied Food Sciences, Brassica Protection Products, ChromaDex, Euromed, EuroPharma, Herbalife, Horphag Research, Indena USA, Informa, MegaFood, Natural Factors, New Chapter, NOW Foods, PlusPharma, RFI, RT Specialty, UNPA, and Verdure Sciences.About the American Botanical Council]]>https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2022/03/24/2409524/0/en/ABC-Presents-Inaugural-Steven-Foster-Botanical-Conservation-and-Sustainability-Award-to-United-Plant-Savers.html?f=22&fvtc=4&fvtv=45785ABC Presents Inaugural Steven Foster Botanical Conservation and Sustainability Award to United Plant Savers2022-03-24T13:04:20Z<![CDATA[AUSTIN, Texas, March 24, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The American Botanical Council (ABC) has presented its inaugural ABC Steven Foster Botanical Conservation and Sustainability Award to the United Plant Savers (UpS), a nonprofit, grassroots plant conservation organization. The award recognizes excellence in conservation, sustainability, and regenerative farming efforts related to medicinal and aromatic plants. It is named in honor of botanist, author, and photographer Steven Foster, who died on January 15, 2022, and commemorates his professional interest, writing, and advocacy work in this field.Each year, the ABC Foster Award will recognize an individual, nonprofit organization, or commercial herb company that is committed to sustainable and regenerative practices in the botanical industry or wider community in the United States or internationally. Recipients will be taking action to address botanical sustainability issues and contributing to a broader understanding of cultural and biological diversity, soil health, climate change, economic justice, and more. They will also demonstrate appreciation for the beauty of the natural world.Foster had more than 40 years of experience with sustainability and conservation in the world of herbs and medicinal plants. He served on ABC’s Board of Trustees for more than two decades, was a key consultant and content contributor for ABC’s Sustainable Herbs Program (SHP), advocated for industry trade resolutions to protect threatened botanicals, and was a founding member of the UpS advisory board.UpS was founded in 1994. Its mission is “to protect native medicinal plants, fungi, and their habitats while ensuring renewable populations for use by generations to come,” according to the UpS website. The organization owns a 379-acre botanical and wildlife sanctuary in Rutland, Ohio, in the northern foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. The sanctuary is home to hundreds of plant species, many of which are native Appalachian plants, including a large population of goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis).In 2019, during UpS’ 25th anniversary, the organization opened its Center for Medicinal Plant Conservation. This facility, at the entrance of the sanctuary, is open to the public and dedicated to renowned ethnobotanist and ABC co-founder James “Jim” Duke, PhD, and his wife, Peggy, a botanical artist. The building includes a classroom for the organization’s wide variety of educational programs, a commercial kitchen for use as a teaching apothecary, a library of books about medicinal plants, a museum, an herbarium cabinet, and more. The venue is meant to engage and educate the community and serve as a model to hopefully inspire other botanical sanctuaries to establish similar centers that celebrate and help conserve the medicinal plant diversity of their respective regions.UpS’ sanctuary is the center of its Botanical Sanctuary Network, in which UpS members designate private land to be used for the conservation of medicinal and other plants. This network includes sanctuaries throughout the United States and Canada. UpS provides certain benefits for members of the network. The organization’s Medicinal Plant Conservation Certificate Program, in which students learn about medicinal plant identification, how to sustainably harvest and prepare the plants for use, and more, has attracted people from around the world. UpS also publishes an annual journal, Journal of Medicinal Plant Conservation, and other educational content. Its Species At-Risk List tracks native species it considers to be threatened or otherwise at risk. The organization also hosts events and workshops, offers grants and awards, and more.“It is such a special and fitting honor for UpS to be selected as the first recipient of the ABC Steven Foster Award,” Rosemary Gladstar, noted herbalist, author, and founder of UpS, wrote (email, March 19, 2022). “I know Steven would be pleased. He was an avid supporter of UpS and served on the UpS Board of Directors from 2000 to 2003. Steven brought his many skills and talents, and also his wit and wonderful sense of humor, to the board meetings. I remember thinking how much more fun, and productive, those long board meetings were when Steven was present.“Steven was incredibly generous in sharing his many skills and talents with UpS,” Gladstar added. “He not only contributed his time and expertise to the board meetings, but also taught at several UpS events and conferences. He was a contributing author of the UpS book Planting the Future: Saving Our Medicinal Herbs [Inner Traditions, 2000], wrote several articles for the Journal of Medicinal Plant Conservation, and contributed many of his beautiful plant photographs for UpS’ At-Risk and To-Watch lists. These are lasting gifts to UpS.“His crowning contribution, however, was at UpS’ 25th Anniversary Celebration and grand opening of its Center for Medicinal Plant Conservation,” Gladstar continued. “Steven, who was a close friend of the Dukes, gave a stunning keynote presentation that highlighted the life and work of [Jim and Peggy]. It seems a fitting legacy that we are now honoring Steven Foster for his numerous contributions to herbalism, his long-term love affair with the plants, his work with UpS and other plant conservation organizations, and the many gifts he shared with the herbal community over the past several decades.”Susan Leopold, PhD, the executive director of UpS, also expressed gratitude for the award. “We are honored to be the recipient of the inaugural ABC Steven Foster Botanical Conservation and Sustainability Award,” Leopold wrote (email, March 11, 2022). “A huge thanks to our members, Board of Directors, and staff for their dedication to the plants. We couldn’t do what we do without them.“Steven leaves a legacy for us all to carry on, as we advocate for the beauty and wisdom medicinal herbs provide,” Leopold added. “Steven was incredibly supportive of UpS’ most recent project: the Duke Ethnobotanical Archives. Jim and Steven were both mentors to so many. The conservation and sustainability of medicinal herbs depend on the continued mentorship of the next generation. ABC’s Steven Foster Award will elevate the work of those who carry on his spirit of mentorship, research, and advocacy.”“While there are many organizations, companies, and individuals that are doing excellent work in the areas of medicinal and aromatic plant conservation, sustainability development, and regenerative farming, in the United States and internationally, it was clear to all of us involved with the inaugural ABC Steven Foster award that Steven would have wanted us to recognize UpS for its laudable mission and vital work,” said Mark Blumenthal, ABC founder and executive director, and a close personal friend and colleague of Foster’s. “UpS is really deserving of this recognition and is the obvious organization to receive it.”The first annual ABC Steven Foster Botanical Conservation and Sustainability Award was presented to Susan Leopold by Ann Armbrecht, PhD, Director of the ABC Sustainable Herbs Program, at the 17th Annual ABC Celebration and Botanical Excellence Awards Ceremony on March 9, 2022, in Anaheim, California, as part of Natural Products Expo West. This is the seventh award created by ABC to recognize outstanding work in the medicinal and aromatic plant communities.The ABC awards process and ceremony were underwritten by these ABC Sponsor Members in the United States and international botanical industry: Alkemist Labs, Amin Talati Wasserman LLP, Applied Food Sciences, Brassica Protection Products, ChromaDex, Euromed, EuroPharma, Herbalife, Horphag Research, Indena USA, Informa, MegaFood, Natural Factors, New Chapter, NOW Foods, PlusPharma Inc., RFI, RT Specialty, United Natural Products Alliance, and Verdure Sciences.]]>