Pantescal™ 300 mg

Pantescal™, an extract of Capparis spinosa (caper), is rich in flavonoids including quercetin and kaempferol derivatives as well as hydroxycinnamic acids (cafeic acid, ferulic acid, p-cumaric acid and cinnamic acid) – all powerful antioxidants. Capparis spinosa’s components also have anti-inflammatory activity.
The symptoms of an allergic reaction (in the case of a respiratory allergy - sneezing, runny or blocked nose … watery, red eyes) are unleashed when the immune system comes into contact with an allergen (pollen, animal hair, dust mite or food protein) sparking off a host of events which culminate in the release of histamine by immune cells called mastocytes. A number of medications which provide relief from allergy symptom are termed anti-histamines as they inhibit the release of histamine, but they often cause side-effects, such as drowsiness.

Studies have shown that Pantescal™ has anti-histamine-like properties.
In a study on guinea pigs, oral administration of Pantescal™ protected the animals against histamine-induced bronchospasms.
This effect was replicated in volunteers : when a gel containing Capparis spinosa extract was applied to the skin one hour before application of histamine, it inhibited the histamine-induced skin erythema.
When compared with cetirizine – an anti-histamine medication widely used for treating allergy symptoms – Pantescal™ had similar efficacy in the case of respiratory allergies, and was more effective against food allergies. Both inhibited the release of histamine and its associated symptoms. This study, conducted on 40 people, showed 75 to 80 % efficacy against pollen allergies (with a 75 % fall in histamine release) and 75 to 90 % efficacy against food allergies (again, histamine release fell by 75 %).
Research has also highlighted other effects for Capparis spinosa linked to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, in particular :

• that it protects chondrocytes from the harmful effects of the inflammatory molecules IL-1beta, suggesting it may be of benefit in managing cartilage damage during inflammatory processes ;
• that it protects phospholipids in cell membranes from peroxidation induced by UV exposure and provides significant protection against skin erythema ;
• that it may be useful in the treatment of type II Herpes simplex infections in immuno-deprived patients ;
• that it helps lower lipid levels in both diabetic and normal rats ; it also has a powerful antihyperglycemic effect.