Sea Buckthorn Research Finder
The main trials and papers behind our claims in one filterable table: the doses, the verdicts, and the null results we publish anyway.
The studies
| Study | Topic | Design | Dose and size | Verdict | Evidence | Read more |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea buckthorn fruit extract for chronic idiopathic constipation Nutrients, 2026. Spontaneous complete bowel movements rose from about 1.5 to 2.6 a week and Bristol stool score from 1.4 to 3.5, both p below 0.001, with placebo unchanged. Flatulence rose in both groups with no significant difference between them, and SF-12 quality of life showed no significant change. The sponsor EPO S.r.l. supplied the extract free of charge, it ran 28 days at one center, and it tested a concentrated fruit extract rather than the oil. | Gut | Human RCT | 500 mg/day fruit extract, 28 days n: 90 | Positive | ●●●○ | Deep dive PMID 41829976 |
| Is sea buckthorn berry a sustainable intervention for the modulation of cardiometabolic risk factors? An updated, critical synthesis of randomized controlled trials with meta-analysis, trial sequential analysis, and GRADE certainty assessment Trends Food Sci Technol, 2026. No significant pooled effect on total cholesterol, LDL-C, HDL-C, triglycerides, systolic blood pressure or BMI. Fasting blood glucose and diastolic blood pressure fell significantly, by amounts the abstract calls clinically negligible. Every outcome rated very low certainty (GRADE). We could read only the abstract. Trial sequential analysis did not reach the required information size, and the abstract cites risk of bias, heterogeneity and imprecision. | Heart and cholesterol | Meta-analysis | varies: whole berries, purees, powders, extracts and oils n: 12 RCTs pooled, 901 analyzed | Null | ●●●○ |
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| Compound sea-buckthorn oil vaginal suppository before colposcopy (TOPICAL, not oral) Scientific Reports, 2025. Open-label three-arm trial in postmenopausal women attending colposcopy. The suppository and a vaginal estrogen ointment both made the exam readable where no pretreatment did not, and the two did not differ significantly from each other. The trial set no non-inferiority margin, so it detected no difference rather than proving equivalence. Estrogen caused breast discomfort in 5.6% and dizziness or headache in 4% against none on the suppository, while local vaginal discomfort was reported by 10 women on the suppository and 5 on estrogen, a difference that was not statistically significant. Topical route only, and it says nothing about swallowing capsules. | Women's health | Human RCT | Vaginal suppository, 2 weeks (topical, not swallowed) n: 368 of 377 | Positive | ●●●○ | Deep dive PMID 40133564 |
| Effects of seabuckthorn juice consumption on erythropoietin production, fatigue, and quality of life in women: a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, parallel-group study Functional Foods in Health and Disease, 2025. Mood scale (POMS2) total mood disturbance was lower and vitality higher with the juice. Ferritin, hemoglobin and erythropoietin were higher than on the control at 4 and 8 weeks, and fatigue after a task load, rated on a visual scale, was lower. A juice, not an oil, in premenopausal women with temporary fatigue. We could read only the abstract and nobody independent has repeated it. | Fatigue | Human RCT | Sea buckthorn juice or a control juice. The amount is not in the abstract n: 60 | Positive | ●●●○ |
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| Effects of a Novel Hippophae rhamnoides L. Seed Lipid Extract Formulation Obtained via Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Extraction on Reducing Residual Cardiovascular Risk in High-Risk Patients: A Pilot Study J Cardiovasc Dev Dis, 2025. Systolic blood pressure fell 2.9 mmHg (p=0.012), LDL-C fell 0.3 mmol/l (p=0.005) and CRP fell 1.0 mg/l (p=0.032). A single-arm pilot with no comparator, in people already taking a statin or ezetimibe. A seed extract, not the berry oil. We could read only the abstract. | Heart and cholesterol | Small human trial | Seed lipid extract capsules, 1000 mg twice a day, added to standard therapy n: 86 enrolled | Positive | ●●○○ | Deep dive PMID 41440857 |
| Oral sea buckthorn oil on skin, blood markers, ocular, and vaginal health Journal of Functional Foods, 2024. Placebo-controlled: texture improved 14% and hydration 8% against placebo (the hydration significance was added by a June 2024 corrigendum). Collagen density (+10%) and pore count (-15%) changed from baseline but not against placebo, and TNF-alpha (-23%) did not reach significance. Blood catalase rose 82.8%. Funded by the oil maker Puredia with a small sample, so pair it with Yang 2009. | Skin | Human RCT | 500 mg/day oil (Omegia, one softgel), 12 weeks n: 40 | Positive | ●●●○ |
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| Sea buckthorn fruit oil supplementation in active rheumatoid arthritis: a focus on composite disease activity indices and EULAR response Rev Med Chir Soc Med Nat Iasi, 2024. Disease activity scores (DAS28, SDAI, CDAI) fell more than in the control group (P below 0.001), and more patients had a good or moderate EULAR response. The abstract says patients were divided at random 1:1 and names no placebo, so the control group took nothing extra. Small, from one research group, and we could read only the abstract. | Joints | Human RCT | 1,800 mg a day of sea buckthorn fruit oil added to methotrexate 15 mg a week and diclofenac 50 mg a day, against the two drugs alone n: 80 | Positive | ●●●○ |
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| BENEFITS OF SEA BUCKTHORN FRUIT OIL AS ADJUVANT THERAPY IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS Farmacia, 2024. Serum malondialdehyde fell more than in the control group. Inflammatory markers did not differ significantly. Pain, physical disability, general condition, disease activity and fatigue were better than in the control group. The same dose, drugs and length as the Pop row, so it is probably a second report of one trial and counts with it. The abstract does not say how patients were assigned. We could read only the abstract. | Joints | Small human trial | 1,800 mg a day of sea buckthorn fruit oil added to methotrexate and diclofenac, against a control group on the two drugs n: Not in the abstract | Mixed | ●●○○ |
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| Benefits of sea buckthorn juice consumption in women of productive age with hypercholesterolemia Rocz Panstw Zakl Hig, 2023. LDL-C, CRP, body weight, body fat and visceral fat fell and HDL-C rose. Triglycerides did not change significantly. A single group measured before and after with no control group, so the changes cannot be credited to the juice. We could read only the abstract. | Heart and cholesterol | Small human trial | 50 mL of 100% sea buckthorn juice a day n: 19 women | Positive | ●●○○ | Deep dive PMID 37309905 |
| Sea buckthorn and metabolic-syndrome factors: systematic review and meta-analysis Phytotherapy Research, 2022. Significant reductions in triglycerides, total cholesterol, and LDL, with HDL raised, in the pooled trials; the subgroup analysis found the lipid reductions only in people with abnormal lipid metabolism. No significant effect on blood glucose, blood pressure, or BMI. | Heart and cholesterol | Meta-analysis | Sea buckthorn supplementation pooled from 15 RCTs; the abstract names no dose or form n: 15 trials pooled | Mixed | ●●●○ | Deep dive PMID 36043374 |
| Effects of sea buckthorn puree on risk factors of cardiovascular disease in hypercholesterolemia population: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial Anim Biotechnol, 2022. No effect on total cholesterol, LDL-C or triglycerides. HDL-C fell over the first 6 weeks and rose over the last 6. Diastolic blood pressure was lower than on placebo with p above 0.05, and hsCRP was moderately lower. A null result for lipids, as its authors state. A puree rather than an oil. We could read only the abstract and nobody independent has repeated it. | Heart and cholesterol | Human RCT | 90 ml of sea buckthorn puree a day, or placebo n: 111 | Null | ●●●○ | Deep dive PMID 33302802 |
| Dietary Supplementation with Sea Buckthorn Berry Puree Alters Plasma Metabolomic Profile and Gut Microbiota Composition in Hypercholesterolemia Population Foods, 2022. The plasma metabolic profile changed by day 45 and moved back toward baseline by day 90. Glucose, lactate and creatine were lower at day 90 than at baseline. Butyrate-producing bacteria and some other gut microbes rose and Parasutterella fell. One group measured before and after, with no control group, and a puree rather than the oil. The abstract does not say whether these people also took part in the 2022 randomized puree trial above. We could read only the abstract. | Heart and cholesterol | Small human trial | 90 g of sea buckthorn berry puree a day n: 56 | Mixed | ●●○○ | Deep dive PMID 36010480 |
| To compare the effect of sea buckthorn and silver sulfadiazine dressing on period of wound healing in patients with second-degree burns: A randomized triple-blind clinical trial Wound Repair Regen, 2021. Second-degree burns healed in a shorter period with the sea buckthorn cream than with 1% silver sulfadiazine (p below 0.001). Compared with an active dressing, not a placebo. A convenience sample from one hospital in Iran. We could read only the abstract and nobody independent has repeated it. | Burns and wounds | Human RCT | Sea buckthorn cream against 1% silver sulfadiazine dressings, topical n: 55 | Positive | ●●●○ | Deep dive PMID 33792111 |
| Efficacy and safety of a new vaginal gel for the treatment of symptoms associated with vulvovaginal atrophy in postmenopausal women: A double-blind randomized placebo-controlled study Maturitas, 2021. Vaginal Health Index and sexual function scores better than placebo over 12 weeks (Vaginal Health Index significant at day 90), with less vaginal pain and dyspareunia and a lower vaginal pH. Five active ingredients, so the result cannot be credited to sea buckthorn alone. We could read only the abstract. | Women's health | Human RCT | Branded gel (Meclon Idra) of sea buckthorn oil, aloe vera, glycyrrhetic acid, hyaluronic acid and glycogen, topical n: 60 | Positive | ●●●○ | Deep dive PMID 33832645 |
| Effect of Sea Buckthorn on Plasma Glucose in Individuals with Impaired Glucose Regulation: A Two-Stage Randomized Crossover Intervention Study Foods, 2021. Fasting plasma glucose fell by a median 0.14 mmol/L on the puree and rose by a median 0.07 on placebo (p=0.045). The 2-hour post-meal glucose area stayed stable. Small, from one research group, and a puree rather than an oil. We could read only the abstract and nobody independent has repeated it. | Blood sugar | Human RCT | 90 mL a day of sea buckthorn fruit puree, or placebo n: 38 completed | Positive | ●●●○ | Deep dive PMID 33917994 |
| Genotoxicity and teratogenicity of sea buckthorn berry oil Drug and Chemical Toxicology, 2020. No treatment-related maternal or embryo toxicity in pregnant rats and no genotoxicity in three assays. It is the only pregnancy data we found, it is in rats, dosing stopped at gestation day 16, and it does not license a human dose or say anything about breastfeeding. | Safety | Animal and lab study | 1.17, 2.34 and 4.68 g/kg in pregnant rats, gestation days 7 to 16 n: Rats and mice, no human subjects | Null | ●●○○ | Deep dive PMID 30081653 |
| Supplementation with Seabuckthorn Oil Augmented in 16:1n-7t Increases Serum Trans-Palmitoleic Acid in Metabolically Healthy Adults: A Randomized Crossover Dose-Escalation Study J Nutr, 2020. Serum trans-palmitoleic acid rose 26.6% at the top dose of the augmented oil. No significant effects on glucose, insulin, lipids or other clinical measures. A dosing study, not powered to detect clinical effects. The abstract reports no carryover or adverse effects. We could read only the abstract and nobody independent has repeated it. | Heart and cholesterol | Human RCT | Sea buckthorn oils high in cis-palmitoleic acid (380, 760 and 1520 mg a day) or augmented in the trans isomer (120, 240 and 480 mg a day). Grams of oil not given in the abstract n: 13 | Null | ●●●○ | Deep dive PMID 32140719 |
| Effects of a sea buckthorn oil spray emulsion on dry eye Cont Lens Anterior Eye, 2019. In the 40-person part, the Ocular Surface Disease Index fell more in the eye given the spray than in the untreated eye (P=0.0007). We could read only the abstract. The spray also contains sodium hyaluronate, so it cannot be credited to the oil alone. Same research group as the 2010 trial, so not an independent replication. Funded by Tekes. | Eyes | Human RCT | Oil and sodium hyaluronate eyelid spray (topical, not oral) n: 2, 10 and 40 (three parts) | Positive | ●●●○ | Deep dive PMID 30497904 |
| Sea buckthorn extract in the treatment of psoriasis Exp Ther Med, 2019. Psoriasis Area and Severity Index and Dermatology Life Quality Index scores improved from baseline at 4 and 8 weeks on the treated lesions. The placebo lesions did not change at 4 weeks and were worse by the end. Ten patients, single-blind so the observer could be biased, as its authors note, with a short follow-up. An extract in corn oil, not the oil on its own. Nobody independent has repeated it. | Skin | Small human trial | Sea buckthorn extract suspended in corn oil, against pure corn oil on the lesion on the other side of the body, applied twice a day n: 10 | Positive | ●●○○ | Deep dive PMID 30679968 |
| Sea buckthorn and the insulin response to a sucrose-containing berry meal European Journal of Nutrition, 2018. A single-blinded, three-way crossover in overweight and obese men. Blood glucose after the meal did not differ from the control meal, while insulin at 30 minutes was 39.6% lower, the maximal insulin rise 23.6% lower and the glycaemic profile index 44.7% better. One acute meal, not a treatment trial. | Blood sugar | Human RCT | Single sucrose-containing meal with sea buckthorn puree, crossover n: 18 | Mixed | ●●●○ | Deep dive PMID 29022100 |
| Sea buckthorn and blood lipid profiles: systematic review and meta-analysis Trends in Food Science & Technology, 2017. Total cholesterol fell 0.63 mmol/L, triglycerides 0.46 and LDL 0.62, and HDL rose 0.27, in subjects with cardiovascular risks but not in healthy subjects. Heterogeneity was high for total cholesterol (I-squared 84.8%) and LDL (75.5%). These are lab markers, not events, and the abstract gives no follow-up length. | Heart and cholesterol | Meta-analysis | Berries and extracts pooled from 11 RCTs, no dose named in the abstract n: 11 trials pooled | Mixed | ●●●○ |
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| Retracted Seabuckthorn seed oil in hypertensive subjects Clinical Nutrition, 2017. Reported that blood pressure normalized in hypertensive subjects, and that cholesterol, oxy-LDL and triglycerides fell in hypercholesterolemic subjects. The paper has been withdrawn, so none of those results stand. RETRACTED 2026, not usable as evidence. Clinical Nutrition retracted this paper in February 2026. Retraction notice: Clin Nutr. 2026;59:106600. | Heart and cholesterol | Human RCT | 0.75 ml/day seed oil, 30 days n: 106 | Retracted | ●○○○ | Deep dive PMID 27522605 (retracted) |
| Abundance of active ingredients in sea-buckthorn oil Lipids in Health and Disease, 2017. A general review of what sea buckthorn oil contains: fatty acids, carotenoids, tocopherols and phytosterols. Its fatty-acid table adds up to more than 100 percent, so we cite it for which compound classes the oil holds, not for any percentage. | Composition | Narrative review (composition) | Not an intervention n: Reference review | Context | ●○○○ |
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| Management of traumatic tympanic membrane perforation: a comparative study Ther Clin Risk Manag, 2017. The overall healing rate was significantly higher with the oil patch, and for middle and large perforations the oil raised the healing rate significantly. At 2 months healing generally took less time (P below 0.05). Patients were randomly assigned to the two groups. A dressing for an injury, not a supplement. We could read only the abstract and nobody independent has repeated it. | Burns and wounds | Human RCT | A sterile cotton patch with sea buckthorn oil over the perforation, against a sterile cotton patch alone n: 370 patients in a treatment and a control group | Positive | ●●●○ | Deep dive PMID 28769569 |
| Phytochemical composition of sea buckthorn by cultivar J Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2015. Cultivar-level vitamin C and carotenoid ranges, and an average flavonol content, for eight cultivars. One of the two primary sources for the 53 to 400 mg per 100 g fresh-berry range we publish. | Composition | Compositional analysis | Not an intervention n: Cultivars compared | Context | ●○○○ |
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| Comparative study of the clinical observation on traumatic perforation of tympanic membrane Lin Chuang Er Bi Yan Hou Tou Jing Wai Ke Za Zhi, 2015. Healing at 1 and 2 months was 62.4% and 79.2% with the oil against 29.6% and 57.1% without (P below 0.05). The gain was significant for middle and large perforations and not for small ones, and healing time at 2 months was shorter. Randomized in the abstract's words, with no placebo: the control group got no treatment and was only checked. A Chinese-language journal with an English abstract. We could read only the abstract and nobody independent has repeated it. | Burns and wounds | Human RCT | Sea buckthorn oil applied to the perforation once a week, against letting it heal by itself with a weekly check n: 199 outpatients: 101 treated, 98 controls | Positive | ●●●○ | Deep dive PMID 26790259 |
| Sea buckthorn oil for vaginal atrophy in postmenopausal women Maturitas, 2014. About three times the odds of improved vaginal epithelial integrity vs placebo (OR 3.1, 95% CI 1.11-8.95); the vaginal health index trended (P=0.08). The abstract does not report the pH result or any hormone. A support option, not a hormone replacement. | Women's health | Human RCT | 3 g/day oil, 3 months n: 116 | Positive | ●●●○ | Deep dive PMID 25104582 |
| Эффективность гипорамина (Эребра) в лечении и профилактике вирусных заболеваний у детей CHILD`S HEALTH, 2014. The short abstract, in Russian, says the preparation was effective in children with various viral infections. A leaf extract, not the berry or the oil. The abstract gives no numbers, no control group and no design, so nothing can be weighed. We could read only the abstract. | Immunity | Small human trial | Hyporamin (Erebra), a dry purified extract of sea buckthorn leaves. The dose is not in the abstract n: Not in the abstract | Positive | ●●○○ |
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| Cutaneous Effects of Sea Buckthorn Oil Emulsion Serbian Journal of Experimental and Clinical Research, 2014. Skin hydration rose significantly and skin pH did not change significantly in healthy volunteers. A rabbit skin test showed no irritation. The abstract gives no number of volunteers and describes no control group. We could read only the abstract and nobody independent has repeated it. | Skin | Small human trial | Emulsion with about 40% sea buckthorn oil, topical n: Not in the abstract | Positive | ●●○○ |
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| Clinical and sebumetric evaluation of topical emulsions in the treatment of acne vulgaris Postepy Dermatol Alergol, 2014. Skin sebum content fell on the treated side in both extract groups (p up to 0.05), and the abstract calls the formulations effective against the placebo on sebum measurement and on clinical evaluation. A single-blind split-face study of two plant extracts together, so the result cannot be credited to sea buckthorn alone. The measure is sebum, not a count of acne lesions. We could read only the abstract and nobody independent has repeated it. | Skin | Human RCT | Emulsions with 5% plant extracts (sea buckthorn and Cassia fistula), against a placebo emulsion on the other cheek, twice a day n: 50 patients, two groups of 25 | Positive | ●●●○ | Deep dive PMID 25254008 |
| Management of cognitive determinants in senile dementia of Alzheimer's type: therapeutic potential of a novel polyherbal drug product Clin Drug Investig, 2014. In the patients, the formulation scored better than donepezil on digit symbol substitution (38.98 vs 35.85, P=0.0001), immediate word recall and attention span, and on the functional activity and depression scales. A three-plant formulation, so nothing can be credited to sea buckthorn alone, and the comparator in patients was a drug, not a placebo. We could read only the abstract. | Brain | Human RCT | 500 mg twice a day of a formulation of Bacopa, sea buckthorn (leaves and fruits) and Dioscorea bulbifera extracts. Patients were compared with donepezil 10 mg twice a day, healthy elderly with placebo n: 109 healthy elderly and 123 patients enrolled, 97 and 104 completed | Positive | ●●●○ | Deep dive PMID 25316430 |
| Hippophae rhamnoides oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion improves barrier function in healthy human subjects Pak J Pharm Sci, 2014. Skin hydration (p=0.0003) and transepidermal water loss (p=0.0087) better than with the base. A fruit extract emulsion, not the oil, in healthy volunteers. We could read only the abstract and nobody independent has repeated it. | Skin | Small human trial | 5% fruit extract in an oil-in-water emulsion, against its base n: 13 healthy men | Positive | ●●○○ | Deep dive PMID 25362595 |
| Sea buckthorn and bilberry on serum metabolites in overweight women American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2013. A randomized crossover study in overweight women. Each diet changed the overall serum metabolic profile, and the effects depended on each woman's baseline metabolic profile. Most single-metabolite changes were not significant after correction for multiple testing, there was no placebo diet, and bilberries were a fourth diet, not a control. Part-funded by Aromtech, which supplied the oil. | Heart and cholesterol | Human RCT | Four diets, one per period: 20 g dried berries, 4 g oil, 14.6 g phenolic extract with maltodextrin, or 100 g frozen bilberries, about a month each n: 80 | Mixed | ●●●○ | Deep dive PMID 23945716 |
| Immunomodulating and antiproteinuric effect of Hippophae rhamnoides (Badriphal) in idiopathic nephrotic syndrome Journal of the Association of Physicians of India, 2013. In the extract group, urine protein fell, serum albumin rose and inflammatory cytokines fell. The control group had standard treatment only, with no placebo. A pilot in an Indian journal that tested an extract rather than the oil, never replicated, and we could read only the abstract. | Kidney | Small human trial | Hydroalcoholic extract (Badriphal) 350 mg twice a day, added to standard treatment, 3 months n: 56 (28 per group) | Positive | ●●○○ | Deep dive PMID 24640205 |
| Sea Buckthorn Pulp Oil Treatment Prevents Atherosclerosis in Obese Children ISRN Oxidative Medicine, 2013. Total cholesterol, triglycerides, leptin, ceruloplasmin, fasting C peptide, blood pressure and carotid intima-media thickness fell after treatment (all P below 0.05). A before-and-after design with no placebo group. We could read only the abstract and nobody has repeated it. | Children | Small human trial | 800 mg a day of sea buckthorn pulp oil n: 41 obese children, 30 lean controls | Positive | ●●○○ |
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| Anti-Aging Effects of Hippophae rhamnoides Emulsion on Human Skin Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research, 2013. Most skin biomechanical parameters on the cutometer were better than with the base (P below 0.05). Extensibility and firmness did not differ. A fruit extract emulsion, not the oil. We could read only the abstract and nobody independent has repeated it. | Skin | Small human trial | 1% hydro-alcoholic fruit extract in a water-in-oil emulsion, against its base n: 11 healthy men | Mixed | ●●○○ |
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| The effect of sea buckthorn supplement on oral health, inflammation, and DNA damage in hemodialysis patients: a double-blinded, randomized crossover study J Ren Nutr, 2013. No significant change in DNA breaks, oxidative DNA lesions, salivary flow or inflammation markers. Plasma phosphate and sodium rose and iron fell. A null result in people on hemodialysis at one hospital. We could read only the abstract and nobody independent has repeated it. | Kidney | Human RCT | 4 capsules a day of 500 mg sea buckthorn oil extract (2 g), or placebo n: 45 | Null | ●●●○ | Deep dive PMID 23131570 |
| Influence of hippophae rhamnoides on two appetite factors, gastric emptying and metabolic parameters, in children with functional dyspepsia Hell J Nucl Med, 2013. Plasma leptin and neuropeptide Y were higher after treatment in the two Hippophae groups than in the domperidone group, and postprandial gastric antrum residue fell. Compared with domperidone, not a placebo. The preparation and dose are not described in the abstract. We could read only the abstract and nobody has repeated it. | Gut | Human RCT | A Hippophae rhamnoides preparation, domperidone, or both n: 120 children, three groups | Positive | ●●●○ | Deep dive PMID 23529392 |
| Whitening efficacy of plant extracts including Hippophae rhamnoides and Cassia fistula extracts on the skin of Asian patients with melasma Postepy Dermatol Alergol, 2013. Skin melanin, measured with a Mexameter, fell in the patients who used the plant-extract emulsions (p up to 0.05), and the abstract calls the formulations effective on melasma against the placebo. Two plant extracts together, and the abstract credits extracts containing catechin without separating the sea buckthorn one, so the result cannot be credited to sea buckthorn alone. We could read only the abstract and nobody independent has repeated it. | Skin | Small human trial | Emulsions with plant extracts that include sea buckthorn and Cassia fistula, against a placebo emulsion on the other cheek n: 50 patients, two groups of 25 | Positive | ●●○○ | Deep dive PMID 24278079 |
| Fatty acids in berry lipids of six sea buckthorn cultivars Chemistry Central Journal, 2012. Fatty-acid measurements of six ssp. carpatica cultivars from one Romanian orchard, showing how far berry and seed oil profiles differ from each other and how they swing between cultivars, the lab basis for our berry-vs-seed oil distinction. | Composition | Compositional analysis | Not an intervention n: 6 cultivars | Context | ●○○○ |
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| Oral sea buckthorn oil and tear-film fatty acids in people with dry eye Cornea, 2011. A mechanism follow-up to the dry-eye trial. The proportions of branched-chain, saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated tear-film fatty acids did not differ between the oil and placebo groups, so the abstract concludes that any effect of the oil on dry eye does not run through direct changes in tear-film fatty acids. The mechanism stays open. | Eyes | Human RCT | 2 g/day oil, 3 months n: 100 randomized, 86 completed | Null | ●●●○ | Deep dive PMID 21832964 |
| Different berries and berry fractions have various but slightly positive effects on the associated variables of metabolic diseases on overweight and obese women Eur J Clin Nutr, 2011. Waist circumference fell after the bilberry period (-1.2 cm, P=0.041) and after the sea buckthorn period (-1.1 cm, P=0.008). Vascular cell adhesion molecule fell after bilberries and after the oil, and intercellular adhesion molecule after the extract. The same four diets and 80 completers as the 2013 metabolomics row, so it appears to be a second report of one crossover and counts with it. No placebo diet. We could read only the abstract, which calls the effects slightly positive. | Heart and cholesterol | Human RCT | Four diets in random order: bilberries, sea buckthorn berries, a sea buckthorn phenolic extract or sea buckthorn oil. Amounts are not in the abstract n: 110 recruited, 80 completed | Mixed | ●●●○ | Deep dive PMID 21224867 |
| Oral sea buckthorn oil attenuates tear-film osmolarity and dry-eye symptoms Journal of Nutrition, 2010. The seasonal rise in tear-film osmolarity was significantly smaller than placebo in the covariate-adjusted model, not without adjustment. The worst redness score reached severe in 6% vs 36% (all participants, P=0.04, not significant among compliers, P=0.11), and the worst burning score in 12% vs 32% of compliers (P=0.04, P=0.05 counting everyone). Among contact-lens wearers, eye-symptom days were 65 ± 29% vs 81 ± 26% (all participants, P=0.049) and 65% vs 77% among compliers (P=0.19). The other diary symptoms, TBUT, Schirmer and the mOSDI questionnaire did not differ. Part-funded by Aromtech, the oil's maker. | Eyes | Human RCT | 2 g/day oil (1 g twice daily), 3 months n: 100 | Positive | ●●●○ | Deep dive PMID 20554904 |
| Prebiotic effect of fruit and vegetable shots containing Jerusalem artichoke inulin: a human intervention study Br J Nutr, 2010. Bifidobacteria were higher on both shots than on placebo (P below 0.0001) and the Lactobacillus and Enterococcus group rose slightly (P=0.042). Other bacterial groups and faecal short-chain fatty acids did not change. Flatulence was slightly higher but mild. The active ingredient is the inulin and sea buckthorn is one fruit in one of the two shots, so nothing here can be credited to sea buckthorn. We could read only the abstract. | Gut | Human RCT | Two shots, pear-carrot-sea buckthorn or plum-pear-beetroot, each with 5 g a day of Jerusalem artichoke inulin, against a placebo n: 66 healthy volunteers, 22 per group | Positive | ●●●○ | Deep dive PMID 20187995 |
| Postprandial hyperglycemia and insulin response are affected by sea buckthorn (Hippophaë rhamnoides ssp. turkestanica) berry and its ethanol-soluble metabolites Eur J Clin Nutr, 2010. Whole berries lowered the 30-minute insulin peak by 21.8 mU/l (P=0.039). Oil-free berries also gave a more stable insulin response than the control meal. A single-meal crossover in normal-weight men, not a treatment trial. We could read only the abstract and nobody independent has repeated it. | Blood sugar | Small human trial | Dried crushed berries, or extraction residues, in a breakfast with 50 g of glucose n: 10 healthy men | Positive | ●●○○ | Deep dive PMID 20823898 |
| Formulation and evaluation of antisebum secretion effects of sea buckthorn w/o emulsion J Pharm Bioallied Sci, 2010. Skin sebum secretion lower with the extract cream than with the base (P below 0.05). A fruit extract cream, not the oil, in healthy volunteers. We could read only the abstract and nobody independent has repeated it. | Skin | Small human trial | 1% concentrated fruit extract in a water-in-oil cream, against its base n: 10 healthy volunteers | Positive | ●●○○ | Deep dive PMID 21814424 |
| Oral and topical CO2-extracted sea buckthorn oil on skin ageing J Appl Cosmetol, 2009 (not PubMed-indexed). Skin hydration +33.6% at one month and +48.6% at three; elasticity +25.8%. Caveats: the oral arm was compared against topical, not placebo, and the oil was a branded, industry-linked product. | Skin | Small human trial | 2 g/day oral oil, 3 months, vs topical arm n: 60 | Positive | ●●○○ | Deep dive Hosted PDF |
| Sea buckthorn berries and circulating cholesterol, triacylglycerols and flavonols in healthy adults European Journal of Nutrition, 2009. A second report from the 2008 infection trial, in healthy normolipidemic adults on healthy diets. Total, HDL and LDL cholesterol and triglycerides did not change against placebo. Plasma quercetin and isorhamnetin rose, and the flavonol changes did not correlate with the CRP changes. Not a separate trial. | Heart and cholesterol | Human RCT | 28 g/day berry puree, 3 months n: 229 with lipid data | Mixed | ●●●○ | Deep dive PMID 19288149 |
| Sea buckthorn berries on infections and inflammation European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2008. No effect on common-cold or digestive-infection rates in 254 healthy volunteers. C-reactive protein did decrease, a mild anti-inflammatory signal. The honesty anchor for immunity claims. | Immunity | Human RCT | 28 g/day berry puree, 3 months n: 254 | Null | ●●●○ | Deep dive PMID 17593932 |
| Vitamin C in sea buckthorn berries and products: processing and storage losses Journal of Food Science, 2008. About 400 mg per 100 g in berries of the rhamnoides subspecies (one analysis). Industrial juice production lost about 5 to 11 percent of the vitamin C, making concentrate cost about half, and juice kept at 6 C lost about 11 to 12 percent after seven days. The vitamin C page prints these figures. | Composition | Compositional analysis | Not an intervention n: Products tested | Context | ●○○○ | Deep dive PMID 19021790 |
| Effect of a dietary supplement containing blueberry and sea buckthorn concentrate on antioxidant capacity in type 1 diabetic children Acta Physiol Hung, 2008. Erythrocyte superoxide dismutase activity and C peptide were higher and glycated hemoglobin was lower after treatment (all p below 0.05). A two-ingredient product, so the result cannot be credited to sea buckthorn alone. The abstract describes no control group. We could read only the abstract. | Children | Small human trial | Blueberry and sea buckthorn concentrate n: 30 | Positive | ●●○○ | Deep dive PMID 19009913 |
| Management of burn wounds with Hippophae rhamnoides oil Nan Fang Yi Ke Da Xue Xue Bao, 2006. Less exudate and pain, and faster epithelial growth and wound healing, than vaseline gauze controls (statistically significant). A Chinese-language report with an English abstract, which does not say how patients were allocated or give the number of controls. We could read only the abstract and nobody has repeated it. | Burns and wounds | Small human trial | Sea buckthorn oil dressing, changed every other day until healed n: 151 treated, plus controls | Positive | ●●○○ | Deep dive PMID 16495193 |
| Absorption of flavonols derived from sea buckthorn (Hippophaë rhamnoides L.) and their effect on emerging risk factors for cardiovascular disease in humans J Agric Food Chem, 2006. No significant effect on oxidized LDL, C-reactive protein, homocysteine, plasma antioxidant potential or paraoxonase activity. The flavonols were rapidly absorbed. Isolated flavonols, not the oil or the berry. We could read only the abstract and nobody independent has repeated it. | Heart and cholesterol | Human RCT | Sea buckthorn flavonol aglycones in oatmeal porridge at two doses, with or without a small amount of oil n: Not in the abstract | Null | ●●●○ | Deep dive PMID 16968106 |
| Effect of sea buckthorn on liver fibrosis: a clinical study World Journal of Gastroenterology, 2003. In people with cirrhosis, serum fibrosis markers and total bile acid fell and liver enzymes normalized sooner. The abstract's comparison with the control group is unclear. A brief report with vitamin B controls rather than placebo and unequal groups, never replicated, and we could read only the abstract. | Liver | Small human trial | Sea buckthorn extract 15 g three times a day against vitamin B complex, 6 months n: 50 randomized, groups of 30 and 18 analysed | Positive | ●●○○ | Deep dive PMID 12854177 |
| Effects of an antioxidant-rich juice (sea buckthorn) on risk factors for coronary heart disease in humans J Nutr Biochem, 2002. No significant change in total cholesterol, LDL-C, platelet aggregation or ICAM-1. HDL-C and triglycerides rose without reaching significance. LDL oxidation susceptibility was moderately lower. A juice in healthy men, not an oil. We could read only the abstract and nobody independent has repeated it. | Heart and cholesterol | Small human trial | Sea buckthorn juice, or placebo n: 20 healthy men | Null | ●●○○ | Deep dive PMID 12088800 |
| Sea buckthorn berry oil inhibits platelet aggregation J Nutr Biochem, 2000. Clear decrease in ADP-induced platelet aggregation vs coconut-oil control in 12 healthy men. A small signal, not proof, and the basis for our anticoagulant and pre-surgery cautions. | Safety | Small human trial | 5 g/day berry oil, 4 weeks, crossover n: 12 | Positive | ●●○○ | Deep dive PMID 11120446 |
| Effect of dietary supplementation with sea buckthorn (Hippophaë rhamnoides) seed and pulp oils on the fatty acid composition of skin glycerophospholipids of patients with atopic dermatitis J Nutr Biochem, 2000. Skin glycerophospholipid fatty acids stayed largely stable. Seed oil slightly raised docosapentaenoic acid and lowered palmitic acid, without reaching significance. A second report from the 1999 trial, counted with it. Fatty-acid measures rather than symptoms. We could read only the abstract. | Skin | Small human trial | 5 g a day of seed oil, pulp oil or paraffin oil n: 16 | Null | ●●○○ | Deep dive PMID 11002130 |
| Effects of dietary supplementation with sea buckthorn (Hippophaë rhamnoides) seed and pulp oils on atopic dermatitis J Nutr Biochem, 1999. Dermatitis improved significantly in the pulp-oil group (P below 0.01) and the paraffin-oil placebo group (P below 0.001), and not significantly in the seed-oil group (P=0.11). HDL cholesterol rose in the pulp-oil group. The abstract reports no comparison between groups, and the placebo group improved too. We could read only the abstract and nobody has repeated it. | Skin | Small human trial | 5 g (10 capsules) a day of seed oil, pulp oil or paraffin oil (the placebo) n: 49 | Mixed | ●●○○ | Deep dive PMID 15539258 |
58 studies listed. Null results sit alongside positive ones, a Context verdict marks composition papers that inform our ranges without testing outcomes in people, and a Retracted verdict marks a paper that has been withdrawn and cannot support any claim. Each row grades the study's design, not its result: 3 for a randomized controlled trial or a meta-analysis, 2 for a small human trial or an animal and lab study, 1 for a composition paper or a retracted one. The Verdict column carries the result, so a trial that found no effect can still sit at 3. The grades on our pages weigh a whole claim and can differ.
How we grade and why we publish nulls: how to read a study and the research hub.