Nomination Summary for Saw palmetto extract (N97009)
Nominated Substances: Saw palmetto extract, Saw palmetto and beta-sitosterol mixture, beta-Sitosterol
Nomination Date: 05/12/1997
Nominator: Private Individual
Rationale: Saw palmetto is an herbal dietary supplement being widely promoted as a prostate hypertrophy preventative agent, and as a therapy for this condition. Some clinical data show beneficial effects greater than those from prescription medications, with very good tolerance. The use of saw palmetto continues to grow based on favorable press stories. It is not known whether long term or carcinogenicity testing has been performed in animals; no data were found.