Oral compositions containing lotus

Details Oral compositions containing lotus Oral compositions containing lotus

2002-01-07

2003-08-05

Witz, Jean C. (Department: 1651)

Drug, bio-affecting and body treating compositions

Plant material or plant extract of undetermined constitution...

Containing or obtained from a seed or nut

C424S094500, C424S725000, C424S773000, C424S774000, C424S779000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06602526

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the use of lotus in dietary compositions for combating aging and its symptoms and methods for treatment and prevention of aging and its symptoms using such compositions. The dietary compositions may use, in combination or alone, Sacred Lotus seed extract, ground Sacred Lotus seeds, other Lotus varieties or parts of the Lotus. The present invention also concerns the use of components of the lotus plant, such as methyltransferase and especially L-isoaspartyl methyltransferase, ascorbic acid, gluthathione, and dopamine agonists present within the plant, and any locations of the lotus plant in which these components may be found, including the seed, fruit, husk, pithe, shell, plumule, petals, pastures, stalks, leaves, roots, stems, pollen, carpels, ovals, rhizomes, peltates and stipules, which may be classified with other names.
BACKGROUND
Within the dermis are highly stable fibers of collagen and elastin. Collagen, the most abundant protein in the body, has a high tensile strength thus preventing skin from being torn by over stretching. Elastin, also a protein, allows movement. As skin ages, elastic tissue increases but it loses the ability to stretch and recover. This loss of resiliency and elasticity is accompanied by increased stiffness, sagging and wrinkling. Changes in collagen solubility and cross-linking contribute to loss of elasticity.
On the cellular level, aspartyl and asparaginyl residues are prominent at sites of age-related damage in proteins. These damaged sites have been characterized in a variety of proteins, but are particularly common in the long-lived proteins. Enzymatic mechanisms for reversing damage to DNA are well established and have been shown to be essential for extended lifespan.
Experiments performed in vitro with recombinant and chemically modified polypeptides have shown that the presence of an L-isoaspartyl residue may alter both enzymatic activity and the binding of other molecules.
Limiting the accumulation of these residues within cells is currently believed to be important; all human cells examined thus far contain an L-isoaspartyl/D-aspartyl protein methyltransferase that has been proposed to serve this function. It is also believed that this methyltransferase can recognize both D-aspartyl and L-isoaspartyl residues. In addition, it is thought that this enzyme may have the ability to reverse at least part of the damage to protein molecules.
Although the human isoaspartyl protein repair methyltransferase has been purified from red blood cells and had its protein sequence determined, in addition to harvesting a variant in a bacterial system, the availability and use of methyltransferase has been limited.
On or around Nov. 14, 1995, however, it was reported that scientists germinated a 1,288 year old Sacred Lotus seed. The research, reported in the November issue of the American Journal of Botany, began in 1982, when Jane Shen-Miller, a plant physiologist at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), obtained seven brown, oval-shaped Sacred Lotus seeds from the Beijing Institute of Botany.
In 1983, Jane Shen-Miller filed through the hard shells of four of the ancient Sacred Lotus seeds and watched three of them sprout. She then dried and burned the seedlings so she could use radiocarbon dating to establish the ages, the oldest of which was 1,288 years old.
According to the November 1995 report, one of those Sacred Lotus seeds had been in the ground for over 1,200 years; it therefore has been postulated that the Sacred Lotus seeds act as embryos that possess anti-aging properties. Up until this point, geneticists knew only about proteins that repaired damaged DNA. But findings have suggested that the L-isoaspartyl methyltransferase (MT) enzyme, found in the Sacred Lotus seeds and nearly all other organisms, may have the ability to repair other proteins—those that make up cells and tissues, thus slowing tissue decay, and reversing some aspects of aging.
In these ancient Sacred Lotus seeds, the MT enzyme was present at levels comparable to modem day Sacred Lotus seeds. Damaged proteins did not accumulate within the ancient Sacred Lotus seeds, suggesting that the MT enzyme, possibly along with other constituents, kept the ancient Sacred Lotus seeds alive for so many years.
Before U.S. Pat. No. 5,925,348 (Riley et al.), it was unknown as to whether use of methyltransferase, or extracts or components of the Sacred Lotus plant, or extracts or components of other varieties of the Lotus plant (genus Nelumbo) in oral compositions would be effective in combating signs of aging, repairing damaged skin and/or restoring skin to a more youthful appearance. Moreover, there were no known acceptable products available which incorporated methyltransferase, extracts or components of the Sacred Lotus, or extracts or components of other varieties of the Lotus plant (genus Nelumbo) for combating aging, repairing damaged skin and/or restoring skin to a more youthful appearance.
Since filing the patent application for U.S. Pat. No. 5,925,348 (Riley et al.), we have discovered that our clients who utilize oral compositions containing methyltransferase, extracts or components of the Sacred Lotus, or extracts or components of other varieties of the Lotus plant (genus Nelumbo) have experienced not only improved skin quality, but other categories of improvement as well, which indicate reversal of the aging process. Included in these categories are improved stamina, sexual function, memory retention, circulation, vision and hair and nail growth. It is theorized that methyltransferase, or some other as yet undetermined component of lotus, enhances natural repair by limiting the accumulation of aspartyl and asparaginyl residues at the cellular level and hindering age-related damage in proteins.
In addition, some varieties of Lotus, such as Blue Lotus, have been shown to contain dopamine agonists. This chemical constituent could possibly assist in the release of growth hormone, a vital hormone that declines with age. Replacement of this hormone has been shown to reverse signs of aging and increase skin thickness, decrease wrinkles, improve bone density, improve muscle tone, and lipolyses, favoring a more youthful body composition.
Consequently, there exists a need for acceptable delivery systems that incorporate methyltransferase, dopamine agonists, or extracts or components of the Sacred Lotus plant for preventing and reversing signs of aging, repairing damaged tissue of the body's organs, the largest being the skin, and restoring skin to a more youthful appearance as well as restoring overall good health. It is further theorized that other species in the Nelumbo family will have similar beneficial effects because of similar chemical constituents.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention alleviates and overcomes certain of the above-mentioned problems and shortcomings of the present state of the art through the discovery of novel acceptable oral delivery systems which embody methyltransferase, extracts or components of the Sacred Lotus plant, or extracts or components of other varieties of the Lotus plant (genus Nelumbo) for effectively treating and preventing aging, repairing damaged skin and restoring skin to a more youthful appearance and methods of using same.
Accordingly, it is the object of the invention to provide a general method for prevention or alleviation of age-related damage to the skin and associated decline of body function and appearance from aging through the oral use of extracts of the lotus or its components, such as methyltransferase, in combination with a suitable carrier or vehicle.
Another object is to have the person taking the supplement to experience improvement in physical attributes helping the person to:
feel younger and look younger
have increased stamina
have increased sexual function
have improved circulation
have improved hair and nail strength and growth
have improved vision
have improved mental focus, performance and memory
have improved overall health
have improved i

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Oral compositions containing lotus does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Oral compositions containing lotus, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Oral compositions containing lotus will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3126227