Stiriti Ingredients LLC, a botanical ingredient supplier headquartered in India with U.S. warehousing and distribution, announced its official entry into the North American dietary supplements and functional foods and beverages markets with its Spilanthes acmella ingredient SA3X. The extract has standardized concentrations of the active ingredient Spilanthol, which, according to Prabhu Ramachandran, managing director of the company, has applications to provide men’s health benefits.
 
Spilanthes acmella, also known as Paracress, has been used in traditional folk medicine, and studies have demonstrated potential diuretic, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory activities.
 
“After extensive investigation, we discovered that the herb also significantly benefits men’s health and performance,” Ramachandran said.
 
Stiriti collaborated with researchers to test the herb on humans with a quartet of study authors: Dr. Nihar Ranjan Pradhan, Department of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad, Telangana, India; Dr. Kumar Guru Mishra, Department of Community Medicine and Family Medicine, AIIMS Bibinagar, Hyderabad, Telangana, India; Dr. Nabnita Patnaik, Obstetrics and Gynecology, AIIMS Bibinagar, Hyderabad, Telangana, India; and Dr. Ranjeeta Nayak, Department of Community Medicine and Family Medicine, AIIMS Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India.
 
“SA3X has a compelling scientific journey,” said Ramachandran. “A few detailed population-based studies were a stepping stone for randomized, triple-blinded, placebo-controlled studies. One research study led to another, and we unlocked the potential of the herb.
 
In the first clinical study the researchers sought to determine whether supplementation with SA3X would increase sexual frequency and muscle mass over a period of three weeks as well as two months compared to placebo. The intervention group took 500 mg capsules of SA3X standardized to 3.5% spilanthol. 240 male participants consumed the capsules for a period of two months and were assessed three times during the course, evaluated for both muscle gain and sexual activity, measured by a change in frequency of sexual activity and duration of penile erection.
 
After two months, the intervention group had a significant increase in mid-upper-arm circumference, chest and thigh circumference, frequency of sexual intercourse, and duration of penile erection compared to placebo. This difference was evident by week three of the intervention. “The study suggests that Spilanthes acmella is a potent muscle gainer and aphrodisiac,” the authors concluded.
 
A newer randomized controlled trial evaluated the effect of SA3X capsules containing 500 mg of S. acmella on sexual function domain scores in 448 sexually active men with symptoms of erectile dysfunction (ED) using the Men’s Sexual Health Questionnaire (MSHQ).
 
The men were randomized 1:1 to SA3X supplements or placebo for one month along with an observational cohort. The researchers assessed the change of MSHQ score and its subdomains from baseline to month one and then post-treatment. They also measured the difference in the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) and duration of penile erection.
 
A significant increase was observed in the SA3X group versus placebo on the total MSHQ score along with the sub-domains at the end of one-month. At one-month post-treatment, the increase in MSHQ score with SA3X supplementation was still significant. The IIEF scores and duration of penile erection also increased significantly in the SA3X group.  The authors concluded that the ingredient was safe and effective as a potential treatment for erectile dysfunction.
 
 
“SA3X is one of those rare herbs that provide two highly desirable benefits to healthy men – muscle mass gain and sexual performance,” said Ramachandran. “It can be used singularly and as a key part of blends to address men’s health and sports nutrition.”
 
Stiriti Ingredients LLC is a producer of supplement ingredients with a focus on herbs for men’s and women’s health, immune support, and joint health. The company exports ingredients for sports supplements and manufactures supplement capsules, powders, and liquids, and owns a seven acre campus in India with three business entities, one of which is a laboratory business unit for quality and research, a contract manufacturing unit for capsules, powders, and liquids, and an extraction unit for herbs, extracts, and blending.