Sea Buckthorn

In animal studies, sea buckthorn extracts have been shown to speed the healing of skin injuries, including burns. In a controlled trial, people treated for burns with dressings containing sea buckthorn oil had greater pain relief and faster healing than those treated with a standard burn dressing.

Sea buckthorn berries, their oil, or flavonoid-rich extracts of the fruit have lowered biochemical indicators of increased cardiovascular risk in some, though not all,preliminary and double-blind human studies. In a preliminary trial, people with heart disease who took 10 mg three times daily of a flavonoid extract of sea buckthorn for six weeks had less chest pain, lower blood cholesterol, and improved heart function. Double-blind research is needed to confirm these findings.

Sea buckthorn oil contains large amounts of essential fatty acids that are thought to be helpful for both preventing dry eye syndrome and reducing its severity. In a double-blind trial, people who took 2 grams per day of sea buckthorn oil for three months had reduced abnormalities in tear composition and some improvement in symptoms of redness and burning.

Sea buckthorn has been shown to protect the liver from damage in animal studies, and to reduce blood indicators of liver damage in preliminary human studies.. In a controlled trial, 80% of people with cirrhosis who took 15 grams three times daily of sea buckthorn extract (potency or standardization not stated) had blood indicators of liver damage return to normal within six months, compared to 56% of a group taking a B-complex vitamin.

Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) is a source of antioxidant polyphenols, and laboratory and animal studies suggest extracts from sea buckthorn have a positive impact on carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. In one study, a sea buckthorn extract was found to lower the rise in blood glucose that occurs after a meal in healthy men. In a preliminary trial, children with type 1 diabetes who consumed a concentrated mixture of sea buckthorn berries and blueberries (concentration and relative proportions not stated) for two months had improved blood measures of glucose control. Double-blind research using sea buckthorn alone is needed to confirm these findings and to determine an effective per day amount of sea buckthorn.

Sea buckthorn has been shown in animal studies to have immune system-enhancing and anti-inflammatory properties that might help prevent or relieve the common cold. However, in a double-blind trial, healthy people who consumed 28 grams per day of pureed sea buckthorn berries for three months had the same number and duration of common cold episodes as a group consuming a placebo puree. Sea buckthorn does not appear to be effective for preventing or relieving the common cold.

Sea buckthorn oil contains large amounts of essential fatty acids that are important to skin health and control of inflammation, and has constituents that, according to test tube and animal research, could influence the immune system abnormalities underlying skin conditions such as eczema. Double-blind studies have investigated a sea buckthorn extract taken by mouth and a topical application of sea buckthorn. In one study, people with eczema who took 5 grams per day of sea buckthorn pulp oil for four months had reduced symptoms of eczema, but their improvement was no better than in those taking a placebo. In another study, people with eczema applied daily to the affected area either a 10% sea buckthorn cream, a 20% sea buckthorn cream, or a placebo cream. After four weeks all groups had small reductions in the severity of eczema symptoms, but the sea buckthorn creams were no more helpful than the placebo cream.

(Hippophae rhamnoides) contains flavonoids and essential fatty acids that may have cardiovascular benefits. However, clinical trials examining the cholesterol-lowering effect of sea buckthorn preparations have yielded mixed results. An uncontrolled trial in 111 people with high cholesterol levels found taking 90 ml of sea buckthorn berry puree daily for 90 days had no impact on lipid levels. In a placebo-controlled trial, people with normal blood cholesterol levels who consumed 28 grams per day of pureed sea buckthorn berries for three months experienced no change in their blood cholesterol. Sea buckthorn berry juice was found to increase HDL-cholesterol levels by 20% after eight weeks, though this effect was not statistically significant, in a placebo-controlled trial in 20 healthy men. In 80 overweight women participating in a crossover trial, sea buckthorn oil, but not other sea buckthorn preparations, reduced total and LDL-cholesterol levels after 30 days, but the effect was not statistically significant. On the other hand, a placebo-controlled trial in 106 adults found 0.75 ml of sea buckthorn oil daily for 30 days reduced total cholesterol levels in those with high cholesterol and high blood pressure, but had a smaller effect in those with normal lipid levels and blood pressures.

Preclinical research shows sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) has several properties that may benefit cardiovascular health, including anti-hypertensive, anticoagulant, lipid-lowering, and antioxidant. A controlled trial in which 111 participants with high cholesterol levels were given 90 ml of sea buckthorn puree or placebo for 90 days found sea buckthorn lowered diastolic blood pressure, though it did not change lipid levels. Another placebo-controlled trial with 74 hypertensive participants found 0.75 ml of sea buckthorn seed oil normalized high blood pressure as well as high cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

Sea buckthorn contains flavonoids and other constituents that promote healing, and sea buckthorn oil has been shown to both prevent and heal peptic ulcers in animal studies. Direct application of sea buckthorn oil to ulcers during medical treatment with endoscopy has been reported to improve results, but no studies of treating peptic ulcers with sea buckthorn oil supplements have been done.