At MCS Formulas, our mission is to offer some of the world’s best food supplements in terms of effectiveness and purity, with fast, reliable delivery. Here’s what we provide:

ULTRAFAST WORLDWIDE SHIPPING: We ship to nearly every country across the globe, partnering with trusted carriers like FedEx, UPS, and DHL Express to ensure quick and secure delivery.

SOME OF THE WORLD’S BEST SUPPLEMENTS IN THEIR CATEGORY: We very much care about what goes into our products, and we are committed to offering the highest-quality supplements, focusing on two key areas:

– Maximizing Effectiveness:

• We source the finest ingredients available.
• Our supplements are packed with generous amounts of active ingredients per capsule.
• We use advanced formulations to enhance absorption for optimal results.

– Maximizing Purity:

• We test all raw materials before production through top laboratories like Eurofins.
• Post-manufacturing, we ensure further quality testing through Agrolab, one of Europe’s largest food testing labs.
• We minimize, and often eliminate, additives, even though this makes production slower and more costly. The result is a cleaner, purer product for you.

WE VALUE LIFE: Discover our commitment to giving back through our We Donate program

Shikonin is a natural naphthoquinone compound derived from the roots of Zi Cao (Lithospermum erythrorhizon), a plant traditionally used in Chinese and Japanese remedies. Historically, Shikonin was valued for its vibrant red pigment and was commonly applied in herbal preparations for various skin-related purposes. It has been used for centuries in traditional remedies, particularly in East Asia.

Indeed, Shikonin’s use extends back over a thousand years in traditional Chinese remedies, where it was regarded for its perceived cooling and detoxifying properties. It was also used in ancient Japanese remedies for external applications. In recent decades, Shikonin has drawn attention from the scientific community due to its biological properties and its interactions within cellular processes. Researchers have explored various intracellular mechanisms of Shikonin, particularly its role in cellular signaling pathways.

Scientific Exploration of Shikonin

Modern research has identified several key intracellular pathways through which Shikonin interacts with cellular processes, making it the focus of numerous biochemical studies.

A major area of academic research related to this extract, has explored Shikonin’s association with Pyruvate Kinase M2 (PKM2), a key enzyme involved in glycolytic pathways (Ref.). PKM2 plays a key role in glycolysis, the process by which cells convert glucose into energy. This research is ongoing, particularly in understanding how compounds like Shikonin interact with metabolic enzymes.

Scientific research on Shikonin primarily focuses on its intracellular mechanism centered on Pyruvate Kinase M2 (PKM2) as well as NF-κB, PI3K/Akt/MAPKs, Akt/mTOR, TGF-β, GSK3β, TLR4/Akt.

From Traditional Roots to Modern Science

Shikonin’s journey from its ancient use in herbal remedies to its modern exploration in laboratories reflects a fascinating path of discovery. Once primarily applied in traditional external preparations, it has since become the focus of extensive scientific study. Researchers continue to investigate its chemical properties and its interactions with biological systems, gaining insights into potential contemporary uses. In addition to academic research, Shikonin has also been explored in clinical settings over recent years for various significant health-related areas, though these cannot be detailed here to avoid making health claims.

Shikonin, formulated in an outstanding absorption promoting formula

In order to further maximize the absorption of Shikonin, we have included Shikonin in our pro liposomal technology platform.

A major approach known to maximize bio-availability of natural compounds is the phospholipid-based formulation. Such formulations are known as liposomal formulations and commercially, they come as liquid emulsions or solid formulations promoting the formation of liposomal structures (bubble-like structures surrounded by a fat-based layer) that can encapsulate the active ingredients such as Shikonin. This phospholipid layer is similar to the cell walls in our body. As a result, liposomes are well received by the body and absorbed in higher quantities by the body, to reach the blood stream.

While liquid liposomal formulations are a great way to deliver increased amount of supplements and drugs to the blood stream, when turning these into products, it leads to various disadvantages for the users. Liposomal products are liquid, heavy and difficult to carry. They have difficult taste. Making their taste better may come with various undesired additives. And typically they have short shelf life, even shorter after the bottle is open. Furthermore, liquid liposomal products need to stay stored at low temperature.

In contrast to the liquid liposomal supplements, liposomal promoting formulations as dry powder in capsules have no taste, they are easy to carry, and they can be stored at room temperature with a long shelf life. The quality is therefore even better since the product is more stable.

Furthermore, phospholipids can be negatively or positively charged leading to a lower absorption and time to circulate in the blood stream, compared to neutrally charged liposomes. In order to address this and further maximize the absorption, our Pro Liposomal formula includes LongLifeLipoTech™

LongLifeLipoTech™ is a liposomal technology that includes a proprietary blend of Phospholipids and Chitosan to promote the formation of neutrally charged liposomes. Indeed, it is known that Chitosan naturally binds to charged phospholipids to form neutrally charged liposomes. This is how, LongLifeLipoTech™ pro liposomal blend, supports the formation of liposomes that can have a better biocompatibility (improved absorption and a longer circulating time in the blood stream) compared to formulas based on phospholipids alone.