Inhibition of systemic infections in humans and vertebrates by dietary fibers

• US 7,431,939 B1
• Filed: 09/28/2000
• Issued: 10/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tiense Suikerraffinaderij N.V. (Süddeutsche Zuckerrübenverwertungs-Genossenschaft Eg)
• Original Assignee: Mississippi State University, Tiense Suikerraffinaderij N.V. (Süddeutsche Zuckerrübenverwertungs-Genossenschaft Eg)
• Inventors: Van Loo, Jan, Frippiat, Anne, Buddington, Randal K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hartley; Michael G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Silverman; Eric E.
• Application Number:
  US09/671,106
• Time in Patent Office: 2,931 Days
• Field of Search: 424/400, 424/439, 424/441, 424/464, 424/484, 424/489, 424/499, 424/500, 424/502
• US Class Current: 424/439
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 33/22 Comminuted fibrous parts of plants, e.g. bagasse or pulp
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2002/00 Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2250/0632 Methionine
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2250/5062 Inulin
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2250/5118 Starch
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2250/54246 Casein
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2250/628 Saccharose, sucrose
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/715 Polysaccharides, i.e. having more than five saccharide radicals attached to each other by glycosidic linkages; Derivatives thereof, e.g. ethers, esters
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 31/04 Antibacterial agents

Abstract

The use of a dietary fiber or a mixture of dietary fibers for the manufacture of a composition, being a pharmaceutical composition or a functional food or a functional feed, for the prevention, the inhibition and/or the treatment of systemic infections in humans and in vertebrates caused by pathogenic bacteria is disclosed.

A method for the prevention, the inhibition and/or the treatment of systemic infections in humans and in vertebrates caused by pathogenic bacteria, comprising administration to said beings, orally, through tube feeding or rectally, a composition containing an effective amount of a dietary fiber or mixture of dietary fibers is also disclosed.

The dietary fiber is preferably a fructan, typically inulin and/or oligofructose, most preferably chicory inulin with an average degree of polymerization (DP) of at least 20.

Claims

1. A method for the treatment of infections in humans or vertebrates consisting of:

administering to humans or vertebrates having an infection caused by an invasion of the blood stream or lymph by a pathogen selected from the group consisting of Clostridia, Bacteroides, Listeria, Candida and Salmonella, a composition consisting essentially of;

an effective amount of inulin and/or oligofructose to treat said infection; and

one or more pharmaceutically acceptable excipients,

wherein the composition is administered orally or through tube feeding.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the inulin is chicory inulin with an average degree of polymerization (DP) of at least 20.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the inulin is chicory inulin with an average degree of polymerization (DP) of at least 25.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the human or vertebrate is an adult human and the amount of inulin administered to the adult human ranges from 5 to 40 g/day.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the human or vertebrate is an adult human and the amount of inulin administered to the adult human ranges from 5 to 25 g/day.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the human or vertebrate is a vertebrate and wherein the inulin is chicory inulin with an average degree of polymerization (DP) of at least 20.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the inulin is chicory inulin with an average degree of polymerization (DP) of at least 25.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said composition consists essentially of an effective amount of oligofructose.

9. A method for the treatment of an infection occupying the lymph or blood in humans or vertebrates consisting of:

administering to humans or vertebrates having an infection caused by a pathogen selected from the group consisting of Clostridia, Bacteroides, Listeria, Candida and Salmonella in the lymph or blood, a composition consisting essentially of;

an effective amount of inulin and/or oligofructose to treat said infection; and

one or more pharmaceutically acceptable excipients,

wherein the composition is administered orally or through tube feeding.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the inulin is chicory inulin with an average degree of polymerization (DP) of at least 20.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the inulin is chicory inulin with an average degree of polymerization (DP) of at least 25.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the human or vertebrate is an adult human and the amount of inulin administered to the adult human ranges from 5 to 40 g/day.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the human or vertebrate is an adult human and the amount of inulin administered to the adult human ranges from 5 to 25 g/day.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the human or vertebrate is a vertebrate and wherein the inulin is chicory inulin with an average degree of polymerization (DP) of at least 20.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the inulin is chicory inulin with an average degree of polymerization (DP) of at least 25.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein said composition consists essentially of an effective amount of oligofructose.

17. A method for the treatment of infections in humans or vertebrates, consisting of:

administering to humans of vertebrates having an infection caused by an invasion of the blood stream or lymph by a pathogen selected from the group consisting of Clostridia, Bacteroides, Listeria, Candida and Salmonella, a functional food composition consisting of traditional nutrients and an effective amount of inulin and/or oligofructose to treat said infection;

wherein the food composition is administered orally or through tube feeding.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the human or vertebrate is a vertebrate and wherein the inulin is chicory inulin with an average degree of polymerization (DP) of at least 20.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein the inulin is chicory inulin with an average degree of polymerization (DP) of at least 25.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein said food composition consists of traditional nutrients and an effective amount of oligofructose.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the human or vertebrate is an adult human and the amount of inulin administered to the adult human ranges from 5 to 40 g/day.