Compositions and methods for enhancing cognitive function

• US 7,923,041 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2007
• Issued: 04/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Trustees of Princeton University (Princeton University), Signum Biosciences, Inc.
• Original Assignee: The Trustees of Princeton University (Princeton University), Signum Biosciences, Inc.
• Inventors: Stock, Jeffry, Li, Zhu, Gu, Haoming, Wolanin, Peter, Stock, Maxwell
• Primary Examiner(s): Tate; Christopher R
• Assistant Examiner(s): WINSTON, RANDALL O
• Application Number:
  US11/890,278
• Publication Number:
  US 20080213406A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,348 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 424/725
• CPC Class Codes: A23F 3/16 Tea extraction; Tea extracts; Treating tea extract; Making instant tea
• CPC Class Codes: A23F 5/24 Extraction of coffee; Coffee extracts with reduced alkaloid content A23F5/20; Making instant coffee methods of roasting extracted coffee A23F5/06
• CPC Class Codes: A23F 5/36 Further treatment of dried coffee extract; Preparations produced thereby, e.g. instant coffee A23F5/246 takes precedence; removing unwanted substances A23F5/18; flavouring A23F5/46
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 3/36 characterised by the composition containing organic or inorganic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 3/48 containing plants or parts thereof, e.g. fruits, seeds, extracts containing gums A23G3/42
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 4/06 characterised by the composition containing organic or inorganic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 4/068 containing plants or parts thereof, e.g. fruits, seeds, extracts containing gums A23G4/10
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 2/02 containing fruit or vegetable juices
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 2/38 Other non-alcoholic beverages drinks from legumes A23L11/60
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 33/105 Plant extracts, their artificial duplicates or their derivatives
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 33/40 Complete food formulations for specific consumer groups or specific purposes, e.g. infant formula
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 2300/00 Mixtures or combinations of active ingredients, wherein at least one active ingredient is fully defined in groups A61K31/00 - A61K41/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/355 Tocopherols, e.g. vitamin E
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 36/16 Ginkgophyta, e.g. Ginkgoaceae (Ginkgo family)
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 36/185 Magnoliopsida (dicotyledons)
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 36/258 Panax (ginseng)
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 36/28 Asteraceae or Compositae (Aster or Sunflower family), e.g. chamomile, feverfew, yarrow or echinacea
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 36/38 Clusiaceae, Hypericaceae or Guttiferae (Hypericum or Mangosteen family), e.g. common St. Johnswort
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 36/55 Linaceae (Flax family), e.g. Linum
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 36/74 Rubiaceae (Madder family)
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 36/81 : Solanaceae (Potato family), e.g. tobacco, nightshade, tomato, belladonna, capsicum or jimsonweed
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 36/82 : Theaceae (Tea family), e.g. camellia
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 36/87 : Vitaceae or Ampelidaceae (Vine or Grape family), e.g. wine grapes, muscadine or peppervine
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 36/8962 : Allium, e.g. garden onion, leek, garlic or chives
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 45/06 : Mixtures of active ingredients without chemical characterisation, e.g. antiphlogistics and cardiaca
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 25/00 : Drugs for disorders of the nervous system

Abstract

Disclosed are compositions for promoting general health and well-being, comprising an extract of a botanical raw material, wherein said extract inhibits the carboxyl demethylating activity of a protein phosphatase, and methods of making and using same.

Claims

1. A method to obtain a botanical extract having PP2A methylation modifying activity, the method comprising steps of:

contacting botanical raw material selected from the group consisting of coffea, gingko, garlic, bacopa, butcher'"'"'s broom, flaxseed oil, ginseng, grape seed, St. John'"'"'s wort, artichoke powder, tea leaf, tobacco, and cocoa, with a polar solvent to form an extract solution; and

separating the extract solution into a plurality of fractions;

assessing PP2A carboxyl methylation modifying activity in at least two fractions, so that those fractions containing PP2A carboxyl methylation modifying activity are identified; and

obtaining as a botanical extract at least one fraction or combination of fractions that

(1) is essentially free of caffeine, caffeic acid, and chlorogenic acid; and

(2) contains the carboxyl methylation modifying activity at a concentration sufficient so that, when the extract is contacted with protein phosphatase 2A (“

PP2A”

) and an enzyme selected from the group consisting of PP2A-specific protein methyltransferase (“

PPMT”

), PP2A-specific protein methylesterase (“

PPME”

), and combination thereof, the extent of PP2A carboxyl methylation is altered as compared with that observed absent the extract.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of adding to the botanical extract at least one ingredient selected from the group consisting of an excipient, an electrolyte, a legal stimulant, a vitamin, and a mineral.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the botanical extract is prepared from a plant of a species of plant genus Coffea.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of combining the extract with one or more additional components to form a beverage.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the beverage is selected from the group consisting of a drink comprising water, a fruit drink, a coffee, a tea, an energy drink, a baby formula, an adult nutritional drink, a health drink, and a sports drink.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of combining the extract with one or more additional components to form a food, a cereal, a chewing gum, or a candy.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the botanical extract is in the form of a powder, a tablet, a pill, a capsule, or a lozenge.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the polar solvent is ethanol, and wherein at least a portion of the ethanol is subsequently removed to form a concentrated extract.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising discarding at least one fraction with lower levels of PP2A carboxyl methylation modifying activity after the step of assessing.