LIVE NATURES WAY - Go Gumby!
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Vitamin B12: Found only in trace amounts (less than 5 micrograms per 100 grams of dry weight).

  • Other Vitamins: The plant contains higher levels of other nutrients, with vitamin B3 showing the highest concentration among the B vitamins, alongside vitamins B1, B7, and vitamin C.

Folate B9 in Gumby Gumby has been found in notable, moderate levels.

  • Scientific Findings: Peer-reviewed nutritional analysis shows that gumby gumby contains between 222 and 597 micrograms (µg) of folate per 100 grams of dry weight.

  • The Active Form: The research notes that 5-CH3-H4folate, which is the highly bioavailable and biologically active form of folate, is the primary folate type found in the plant.

  • Dietary Context: Per gram, these levels make gumby gumby quite comparable to popular dietary folate sources like strawberries.

Quercetin Profile in Gumby Gumby

  • The Compound Form: Phytochemical studies show the plant contains quercetin glycosides and 3'-OMe quercetin in its leaves. This places it in a class of antioxidant-rich compounds known as flavonols.

  • Antioxidant System: Quercetin works alongside other key phenolic compounds found in the plant, such as rutin and gallic acid.

  • Traditional Alignment: In traditional Indigenous medicine, gumby gumby was used for its antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties. Modern science attributes these specific benefits largely to its high concentration of polyphenols and saponins.

How It Works Against Candida

  • Laboratory studies show that gumby gumby has strong antimicrobial activity specifically against Candida albicans.

  • The Active Compounds: The plant's potent antifungal action is driven by its high concentration of saponins and polyphenols (which make up to 4% of the leaf's dry weight). PubMed Central (PMC) (.gov)

  • Direct Inhibition: In peer-reviewed laboratory testing on Pittosporum angustifolium, extracts from both the leaves and the stems successfully inhibited the growth of the Candida albicans yeast. The strength of this antifungal effect directly correlates to the concentration of these specific bioactive compounds.

    PubMed Central (PMC) (.gov)

  • Quercetin & Flavanols: The quercetin glycosides and other flavanols we discussed earlier also play a supportive role by reducing the oxidative stress and localized inflammation often caused by fungal overgrowths.

Important Scientific Context

While these in-vitro (test-tube) results are highly promising, there are currently no human clinical trials evaluating gumby gumby as an active treatment for internal or systemic Candida infections. It is best viewed as a supportive, traditional wellness supplement rather than a replacement for proven antifungal medical treatments.

Nutritional Value and Antimicrobial Activity of Pittosporum Angustifolium (Gumby Gumby), an Australian Indigenous Plant

Pittosporum Angustifolium (Gumby Gumby) has now been formally analysed in peer‑reviewed research, giving us clear data on both its nutritional profile and antimicrobial activity. The most complete study is the 2020 Foods journal paper, which examined leaves, stems, and multiple bioactive compounds.

Quercetin 3-O-[6″-(3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaroyl)-β-glucoside]. PubMed Central (PMC) (.gov)

In peer-reviewed phytochemical analysis of Pittosporum angustifolium, this long-named ester is identified as one of the primary free-form phenolic compounds found naturally in the plant's leaves. Griffith University

What is this compound?

  • A Modified Flavanol: It is a complex, naturally occurring derivative of quercetin that is bound to a specific sugar and a hydroxy-methylglutaroyl group.

  • Potent Antioxidant Activity: Research shows that this specific hydroxy-containing compound has a direct, positive correlation with the plant’s strong radical-scavenging (antioxidant) capacities. Griffith University

  • Other Related Hydroxy Compounds: Outside of the quercetin group, gumby gumby's medicinal saponin profile also includes triterpenoids with hydroxy structures, such as 23-hydroxyphillyrigenin.

Isoquercetin Profile in Gumby Gumby

  • Core Leaf Polyphenol: Phytochemical isolation studies mapping the leaves of gumby gumby consistently identify isoquercitrin as one of its primary, distinct polyphenolic compounds alongside the antioxidant rutin.

  • The Glucoside Connection: Chemically, isoquercetin is quercetin bound to a glucose molecule (quercetin-3-O-β-d-glucopyranoside). It is the foundation for the more complex hydroxy-methylglutaroyl modified versions.

  • Bioavailability Value: In general botanical science, isoquercetin is highly regarded because the body absorbs it significantly more efficiently and quickly than standard, free-form quercetin aglycone.

  • Antioxidant Action: Peer-reviewed laboratory evaluations credit the presence of isoquercetin and rutin as the main compounds responsible for the leaf extracts' exceptional free radical scavenging and anti-inflammatory activity.

Nutritional Composition

Recent laboratory studies have identified several key nutritional and phytochemical groups in P. angustifolium

  • Polyphenols – naturally occurring antioxidants that contribute to the plant’s protective properties.

  • Saponins – bioactive compounds associated with immune‑supporting and cleansing functions in many traditional plants.

  • Carotenoids – pigments with antioxidant activity.

  • Minerals & trace elements – present in both leaves and stems

  • Antioxidant capacity – strongly correlated with polyphenol and saponin content.