Nutritional supplements containing methylselenocysteine

• US 20060021086A1
• Filed: 09/22/2005
• Published: 01/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iBio, Inc.
• Original Assignee: iBio, Inc.
• Inventors: Ensley, Burt D., Salt, David, Orser, Cynthia
• Granted Patent: US 7,691,429 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 800/278
• CPC Class Codes: A01H 3/04 by treatment with chemicals

Abstract

A method of producing metal-rich plants for the production of nutritional supplements. Edible plants are placed in a growth environment containing metal, and are cultivated in a fashion which enhances the uptake of metal into edible portions of the plants. The plants are then harvested, and may be eaten directly or processed into capsule or tablet form, in order to obtain the metallic nutrients so incorporated.

Claims

1. A method of producing an edible plant whose edible portions comprise significant

concentrations of Se-methylselenocysteine or selenium, comprising:

identifying a growth environment containing selenite;

providing a crop plant characterized by an ability to accumulate Se-methylselenocysteine in its edible portions;

cultivating the plant in the growth environment under conditions and for a time sufficient for the plant to accumulate a significant amount of Se-methylselenocysteine or selenium in its edible portions; and

harvesting edible portions of the plant which comprise accumulated selenium.

2. The method of claim 1, where the growth environment contains selenite.

3. The method of claim 1, where identifying the growth environment includes

manipulating the growth environment to increase the availability of selenite to the plant.

4. The method of claim 3, where manipulating the growth environment includes adding selenite to the growth environment.

5. The method of claim 1, where the plant is a member of the family Brassicaceae.

6. The method of claim 5, where the plant is a member of the genus Brassica.

7. The method of claim 6, where the plant is member of the species Brassica juncea. Brassica Oleralea, and Brassica Carinata.

8. The method of claim 1, where the harvested plant is incorporated into a nutritional, supplement in a form selected from the group consisting of capsules, tablets, powders, gels, and liquids.

9. The method of claim 1, where the harvested plant is incorporated into a processed food.

10. The method of claim 1, where the harvested plant is incorporated into a chemotherapeutic agent.

11. An isolated, edible plant which has been genetically engineered to accumulate more selenium in its edible portions than it would in nature.

12. An isolated, edible plant that has been induced, through exposure to an inducing agent, to contain methylselenocystene or selenium in its edible portions.

13. The plant of claim 12, where by the inducing agent is an organic acid.

14. The plant of claim 12 , whereby the inducing agent is selected from the group consisting of citric acid, acetic acid, malic acid, salicylic acid and succinic acid.

15. The plant of claim 12, whereby the plant has been placed in contact with a soil environment to which metal has been added.

16. A nutritional supplement comprising the edible portions of a plant which has been induced to hyperaccumulate selenium in its edible portions, and which has been incorporated into any of a processed food, a capsule, a tablet, a powder, a gel, and a liquid.

17. The nutritional supplement of claim 16, whereby the plant is characterized by at least 400 parts per million dry weight of nutritionally valuable selenium in at least some of its edible portions.

18. The nutritional supplement of claim 17, whereby the inducing agent is an organic acid.

19. The nutritional supplement of claim 18, whereby the inducing agent is selected from the group consisting of citric acid, acetic acid, malic acid, salicylic acid and succinic acid.

20. The nutritional supplement of claim 16, whereby the plant is a member of the family Brassicaceae.

21-48. -48. (canceled)