Abstract Ornithine α-ketoglutarate (OKG) is a salt composed of two molecules of the amino acid L-ornithine and one molecule of α-ketoglutarate (AKG). It has been studied for decades in clinical nutrition for its roles in nitrogen handling, wound healing, and recovery from catabolic stress. Because ornithine participates in the urea cycle and serves as a
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Overview Ornithine α-ketoglutarate (OKG) is a salt formed from the amino acid L-ornithine and α-ketoglutarate (AKG), a key intermediate in the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. OKG has been investigated for its roles in protein metabolism, ammonia detoxification, wound healing, and recovery from catabolic stress (e.g., surgery, trauma, infection). While L-ornithine and AKG each have independent biological actions, the OKG
Read moreL-ornithine is a non-proteinogenic amino acid central to the urea cycle, the liver’s pathway for detoxifying ammonia by converting it to urea for urinary excretion. In clinical settings, ornithine is often administered as L-ornithine-L-aspartate (LOLA) to lower ammonia in patients with hepatic encephalopathy. Outside liver disease, ornithine appears in sports and “anti-fatigue” supplements. Its direct role in prostate or lower urinary
Read moreAbstract Ornithine (specifically L-ornithine) is a non-proteinogenic amino acid central to the urea cycle—the body’s primary system for detoxifying ammonia. Through its interconversions with arginine, citrulline, glutamate, and polyamines, ornithine influences nitrogen handling, hepatic function, metabolic recovery, and cellular growth pathways. Clinical and translational research suggests potential benefits for fatigue mitigation, sleep quality under stress, adjunctive
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Abstract Oriental Arborvitae—botanically Platycladus orientalis (syn. Thuja orientalis, Biota orientalis)—is a Cupressaceae conifer used in East Asian medicine. Traditional uses center on bleeding disorders (leafy twig, Ce Bai Ye) and calming/constipation relief (seed, Bai Zi Ren). Contemporary pharmacology shows anti-inflammatory and hair-biology effects and, importantly, 5-α-reductase inhibition in a skin model—mechanistically relevant to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), which is DHT-mediated. However, there are no
Read moreOriental Arborvitae (Platycladus orientalis, formerly Thuja orientalis) is an evergreen conifer native to East Asia. Deeply rooted in traditional medicine, especially in Chinese, Korean, and Japanese herbal systems, this tree has been prized for its versatile therapeutic potential. Today, researchers and herbalists alike are exploring its properties in the context of modern wellness needs—particularly those related
Read moreAbstract Oregon grape is the common name for several closely related barberry species (historically Mahonia, now often treated as Berberis), most notably Mahonia/ Berberis aquifolium. The bright-yellow root bark contains protoberberine alkaloids—primarily berberine, with palmatine, jatrorrhizine, magnoflorine, and others—that account for its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory actions. The most consistent clinical evidence supports topical use for psoriasis. Internal (oral) use remains largely traditional,
Read moreAbstract Oregon grape (Mahonia/Berberis aquifolium) is a North American evergreen whose root and root bark contain protoberberine alkaloids—most notably berberine—with antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activity. Evidence directly linking whole-plant Oregon grape to improved prostate outcomes in humans is absent. However, preclinical studies of berberine (a principal Oregon-grape alkaloid) suggest plausible mechanisms relevant to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) (anti-proliferative, anti-inflammatory signaling) and prostate cancer (apoptosis,
Read moreAbstract Oregon fir balsam is the resin/oleoresin collected from the trunk of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii). Despite traditional and commercial interest, there is no clinical evidence that Oregon fir balsam—or Douglas-fir teas or oils—improves benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), prostatitis, urinary symptoms, or prostate cancer in humans. Potential mechanisms are speculative and largely inferred from the tree’s monoterpenes (e.g., α-pinene,
Read moreBottom line up front: “Oregon fir balsam” is the sticky oleoresin from Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), not the “balsam fir” (Abies balsamea) used for “Canada balsam.” Evidence for any direct benefits on men’s health, the prostate, or urinary symptoms is limited to traditional use and preclinical (lab/animal) datafrom its aromatic constituents (e.g., α-pinene, limonene, bornyl acetate). There are no clinical trials showing
Read moreOverview and Botany Oregano (Origanum vulgare L.) is a perennial culinary and medicinal herb in the Lamiaceae (mint) family. Its leaves and essential oil are rich in phenolic monoterpenes—chiefly carvacrol and thymol—along with p-cymene, γ-terpinene, and a spectrum of flavonoids. These constituents underpin oregano’s antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory activities documented in laboratory and preclinical models. Chemistry and Mechanisms
Read moreAbstract Orchic extract—usually marketed as a desiccated bovine testicular (glandular) ingredient—appears in some men’s-health supplements with claims about testosterone, vitality, and even prostate support. A critical review of clinical and regulatory literature finds no high-quality human evidence that orchic extract benefits the prostate or urinary symptoms. Available information consists of product marketing, historical “organotherapy,” and limited animal or mechanistic
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