Apocynum venetum extract for use as antidepressant

Details Apocynum venetum extract for use as antidepressant Apocynum venetum extract for use as antidepressant

2001-11-01

2004-05-18

Naff, David M. (Department: 1651)

Drug, bio-affecting and body treating compositions

Plant material or plant extract of undetermined constitution...

C424S439000, C426S655000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06737085

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to novel Apocynum extracts, antidepressant compositions containing the Apocynum extracts in the form of foods, dietary supplements, medicines and the like, and methods for treating depression using the Apocynum extracts.
The etiology of depression has been extensively discussed by many works, but has not been sufficiently explained yet. Various factors seem to be involved in the etiology and complicated with each other. Possible factors include biological factors such as neurochemical and genetic findings as well as situational or psychosociological factors such as previous personality or life stress.
Clinical features of depression include depressive state, anhedonia (the inability to enjoy themselves), psychomotor inhibition, incoherence of thought/cognition, anxiety and agitation, physical (autonomic) symptoms, etc.
Currently available drugs for treating depression (antidepressants) include tricyclic antidepressants such as imipramine, clomipramine, trimipramine; tetracyclic antidepressants such as maprotiline, mianserin; triazolopyridines such as trazodone; benzketoxime-based selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors such as fluvoxamine. However, tricyclic or similar cyclic antidepressants have been shown to have side effects such as anticholinergic effects (dry mouth, blurred near vision, constipation, dysuria), antihistamine effects (weight gain, sedation), antiadrenergic effects (postural hypotension, vertigo, dizziness) and cardiotoxicosis or acute poisoning caused by excessive intake. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors have been associated with the danger of inducing serotonin syndrome. Therefore, there is a demand for antidepressants with less side effects.
Recently, St. John's Wort was reported to be effective in treating depression (K. Lindle et al., British Medical Journal, 313, 253 (1996)). St. John's Wort or
Hypericum perforatum
is provided by drying aerial parts harvested during the flowering stage, and has been long used as extracted oil in Europe for treating wound and neuralgia. Moreover, flavonoid compounds such as hyperoside and isoquercitrin contained in St. John's Wort were shown to have an antidepressant effect (V. Butterweck, et al., Planta Med. 66, 3-6 (2000)).
However, St. John's Wort contains a compound having a dimer structure of anthraquinone called hypericin, which is known to cause photosensitivity as one of serious side effects (B. Geoffrey, Lancet (North American Edition), 352,1121-1122, (1998)). A component of St. John's Wort, hyperforin is also known to induce a drug metabolizing enzyme to affect pharmacokinetics of drugs such as cyclosporin (F. -B. Adriane, Lancet, 355, 9198, 134-138, (2000), L. B. Moore et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. USA, 97, 7500-7502, (2000)).
In China, leaves of
Apocynum venetum
L. are used as substitute tea, which is effective in lowering fever or treating hypertension, cardiac insufficiency, bronchitis, dropsy, neurasthenia, etc.
Recently, roasted tea of leaves of
Apocynum venetum
L. (Apocynum tea) was reported to show a cholesterol-lowering effect (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 9-224623) and prophylactic/curing effects against infective diseases (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 10-167978). However, these teas or hot water extracts of
Apocynum venetum
L. normally contain 1-2% flavonoids but never contain more than 4% flavonoid compounds. No extracts of
Apocynum venetum
L. containing 4% or more flavonoid compounds have been reported.
Moreover, nobody has known that
Apocynum venetum
L., teas of
Apocynum venetum
L. and extracts of
Apocynum venetum
L have an antidepressant effect.
An object of the present invention is to provide a naturally derived antidepressant composition in the form of a food, dietary supplement, medicine or the like that contains neither hypericin nor hyperforin and is safer even during extended administration, as well as a method for treating depression using it.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
After extensive studies to find a safer antidepressant, we succeeded in preparing a new extract of leaves of
Apocynum venetum
L. containing 4% or more of flavonoid compounds and accomplished the present invention on the basis of the finding that this extract shows an antidepressant effect.
Accordingly, the present invention provides an Apocynum extract containing 4% or more of flavonoid compounds.
The present invention also provides an antidepressant composition containing the Apocynum extract. The composition may be in the form of a food, dietary supplement or medicine.
The present invention also provides a method for treating depression using the Apocynum extract.
THE MOST PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
(1) Apocynum extracts
Leaves of
Apocynum venetum
L. (scientific name) are used. Leaves of
Apocynum venetum
L. may be used as fresh leaves as harvested or after dried or roasted, but preferably dried and roasted.
Apocynum extracts used in the present invention can be obtained by extracting leaves of
Apocynum venetum
L. with water, ethanol, ethanol hydrate or an organic solvent followed by concentration, optionally adsorbing thus obtained extract to an acrylic, styrene, methacrylic or aromatic synthetic adsorbent and concentrating fractions eluted with 10-95% ethanol hydrate, and optionally drying the extract, provided that they contain 4% or more of flavonoid compounds. The content of flavonoid compounds in the extracts is preferably 4-50%, more preferably 4-10%.
As used herein, flavonoid compounds mean materials in which two phenyl groups are linked via three carbon atoms of a pyran ring or a similar structure, including chalcone, flavanone, flavone, flavonol, flavanonol, flavanol (catechin), isoflavone and anthocyan.
Apocynum extracts of the present invention preferably contain 4% or more of flavonoid compounds as expressed in the total content of hyperoside and isoquercitrin. Apocynum extracts of the present invention also preferably contain 4% or more of flavonoid compounds as expressed in the total content of hyperoside, isoquercitrin, astragalin and trifolin. All these compounds are flavonol glycosides.
The content of flavonoid compounds in Apocynum extracts can be analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography, for example, and spectrophotometrically determined in a range of 280-340 nm.
Apocynum extracts of the present invention contain neither hypericin nor hyperforin. Hyperforin and hypericin in Apocynum extracts can be analyzed by using a high performance liquid chromatograph (Von J. Holzl and E. Ostrowski, Deutche Apotecker Zeit, 127, 1227-30 (1987)) on a column YMC PAK ODS 100×6 mm i.d. with a mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile:methanol:water:phosphoric acid=55:45:1:0.1 at 1 mL/min, during which a hyperforin peak appears at 8.9 min as monitored at a detection wavelength of 254 nm and a hypericin peak appears at 14.3 min as monitored at a detection wavelength of 590 nm. Apocynum extracts of the present invention show no peak corresponding to hypericin and hyperforin.
(2) Compositions
The present invention also provides antidepressant compositions containing Apocynum extracts in the form of a food, dietary supplement or medicine. Apocynum extracts used in the present invention preferably contain 4% or more of flavonoid compounds as determined above, though lower contents may also be suitable.
When compositions of the present invention are pharmaceutical compositions, the administration route is not specifically limited, but they preferably have a dosage form suitable for oral administration. Pharmaceutical compositions of the present invention can be in various dosage forms. For example, dosage forms suitable for oral administration include, but not limited to, tablets, capsules, powders, granules, pills, liquids, emulsions, suspensions, solutions, spirits, syrups, extracts and elixirs. Formulations may contain various pharmaceutically acceptable carriers including, but not limited to, excipients, binders, disintegrating agents, lubricants,

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Apocynum venetum extract for use as antidepressant does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Apocynum venetum extract for use as antidepressant, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Apocynum venetum extract for use as antidepressant will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3199155