Seabuckthorn

North American & Eurasia (Northern Hemisphere)

Description 

Hippophae rhamnoides is a perennial, deciduous, multi-branched shrub that is a member of the Elaeagnaceae (Oleaster) family (Fritz-Weiss 1988). Sea buckthorn possesses silvery white leaves and colorful orange berries that persist through much of the winter (Small 1980). The plant typically grows to a height of 6.5 to 13 feet tall (Hatton 1960).

History  

The name, sea buckthorn, developed from its habit of growing near the sea and its possession of many spines or thorns (Small 1980). The time of oldest cultivation or consumption of this plant is unknown, however, it was used medicinally in China for at least 12 centuries for a variety of ailments (Kiple 2000; Small 1980).

Current Medicinal Uses 

No human trials support the use of sea buckthorn as a medicinal herb (Larmon 2008; Bruneton 1999). In general, extracts from the whole fruit, fruit pulp, pulp oil, and seed oil contain large amounts of vitamins (A, C, E, & K), carotenoids, flavonoids, and an assortment of organic acids that are thought to contribute to possible human anticarcinogenic properties (Zeb 2006). However, composition has been found to vary with the origin, climate, and method of extraction (Saggu 2007). In vitro extracts show an effect against cancer cells, including cell lines for gastric carcinoma and lymphatic leukemia. Extracts also may have an effect in preventing or treating liver fibrosis (Zeb 2006).

A hexane extract of sea buckthorn seed has been found to be help prevent or treat gastric injuries or ulcers, and is often utilized in underdeveloped countries in which these ailments are prevalent (Zeb 2004).

Bioactive oil has been obtained from young branches and leaves and incorporated into ointments for treating a wide variety of skin damage including burns, bedsores, eczema, damaging effects of the sun, and radiation injury (Zeb 2006). The leaves of sea buckthorn are rich in flavonoids, tannins, and triterpenes (Saggu 2007). The berries are relatively high in essential fatty acids, which contribute to the maintenance of healthy skin, and can often be found as an ingredient in various cosmetic products (Small 1980).

Adverse effects

There are no well-documented adverse events associated with sea buckthorn. The fruit appears to be well tolerated in animals and safe when consumed by humans (Saggu 2007; Kallio 2002). During a dose-dependent study in rats neither deaths nor changes in biochemical nor organ parameters were observed (Saggu 2007).

Some clinical research suggests that sea buckthorn fruit can be safely consumed for at least 90 days (Larmo 2008).

Comments

Sea buckthorn leaves contain a large quantity of protein and are used in livestock and pet food.

In 1988, China designated sea buckthorn sports drinks as the official beverage for its athletes at the Seoul Olympic Games. Russian cosmonauts were also supplied with sea buckthorn beverages to enhance their health and resistance to stress while in space (Small 1980).

The fruit is often eaten with milk and cheese or made into sauces, marmalade, syrup or jelly. The juice can be preserved as honey or used as an addition to fruit preservatives, as a sweetener for herbal teas, or as a basis for liqueurs (Facciola 1998).

References

Bruneton, Jean. Pharmacognosy Phytochemistry, Medicinal Plants. 2nd ed. New York: Intercept Ltd; 1999.

Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia II A Source Book of Edible Plants. California: Kampong Publications; 1998.

Fritz-Weiss, Rudolf. Herbal Medicine. 6th ed. United Kingdom: Beaconsfield Publishers Ltd; 1988.

Hatton, Richard. Sea Buckthorn. In: Handbook of Plant and Floral Ornament from Early Herbals. New York: Dover Publications Incoporation; 1960.

Johansson AK, Korte H, Yang B, Stanley JC, Kallio HP. Sea buckthorn berry oil inhibits platelet aggregation. J Nutr Biochem. 2000 Oct;11(10): 491-5.

Kallio H, Yang B, Peippo P. Effects of different origins and harvesting time on vitamin C, tocopherols, and tocotrienols in sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) berries. Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry 2002; 50: 6136-42.

Kiple, Kenneth F. The Cambridge World History of Food Volume 2. New York: Cambridge University Press; 2000.

Larmo P, Alin K, Salminen E, Kallio H, Tahvonen R. Effects of sea buckthorn berries on infections and inflammation: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. September 2008: 62(9): 1123-1130.

Saggu S, Divekar HM, Gupta V, Sawhney RC, Banerjee PK, Kumar R. Adaptogenic and safety evaluation of seabuckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) leaf extract: A dose dependent study. Food and Chemical Toxicology 2007; 45(4): 609-617.

Small E, Catling PM, Li TSC. Sea Buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) – an ancient crop with modern virtues. Biodiversity 1980; 3(2): 25-27.

Zeb, Alam. Important Therapeutic Uses of Sea Buckthorn (Hippophae): A Review. Journal of Biological Sciences 2004; 4(5):687-693.

Zeb, Alam. Anticarcinogenic Potential of Lipids from Hippophae – Evidence from Recent Literature. Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2006; 7(1): 32-35.

Disclaimer 

Information on this website is for educational purposes only. Many herbs historically used for medicine are considered too toxic to use today; some of these herbs have caused deaths. Do not ingest these herbs based on information on this website. We have not provided sufficient information for the safe medicinal use of any of these herbs, nor sufficient information for treatment of poisoning. All recreational use of these herbs is dangerous.