Process for providing herbal medicants in cellulose derivative capsules

• US 6,482,432 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2001
• Issued: 11/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gaia Herbs, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Gaia Herbs, Inc.
• Inventors: Wang, Xiping
• Primary Examiner(s): TATE, CHRISTOPHER ROBIN
• Application Number:
  US09/775,091
• Publication Number:
  US 20010014351A1
• Time in Patent Office: 656 Days
• Field of Search: 424/725, 424/451, 424/456, 424/461, 424/452, 424/455, 424/726, 424/728, 424/729, 424/730, 424/734, 424/737, 424/752, 424/756, 424/757, 424/764, 424/769
• US Class Current: 424/452
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/4816 Wall or shell material
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/4833 Encapsulating processes; Filling of capsules mechanical aspects A61J3/07

Abstract

The present invention relates to a process for providing non-lipid, liquid form herbal extracts in a vegetable gelatin, HPMC, or any other cellulose derivative capsule. The process includes extracting an herbal plant material with an alcohol to provide an aqueous alcoholic herbal extract. The aqueous alcoholic herbal extract is contacted with sufficient glycerin to maintain the extract preferably in solution, and at least dispersed in the mixture of glycerin and aqueous alcoholic herbal extract. Alcohol and water is removed form the mixture to provide a glycerin-based liquid or semi-solid herbal extract and having a moisture content of less than 10 percent by weight, and preferably less than 5 percent by weight. The herb extract is then encapsulated in a vegetable gelatin, HPMC, or any other cellulose derivative capsule.

Claims

1. A cellulose derivative capsule having encapsulated therein an herb extract having a moisture content of less than 10 percent by weight, wherein the herb extract is provided by extracting an herbal plant material with an aqueous alcohol to provide an aqueous alcoholic herbal extract, adding sufficient glycerin to the aqueous alcohol herbal extract to maintain the herbal extract in solution or dispersed in the alcohol mixture, and removing alcohol and water from the aqueous alcoholic herbal extract to maintain the herbal extract in solution or dispersed in the glycerin base liquid.

2. The cellulose derivative capsule of claim 1 wherein the herbal plant material is selected from the group consisting of kava kava, echinacea, St. John'"'"'s wort, valerian root, milk thistle seed, Siberian ginseng, nettle leaf, ginkgo, gotu kola, astragalus, goldenseal, dong quai, ginseng, bilberry, green tea, hawthorne, ginger, turmeric, black cohosh, cats claw, chamomile, dandelion, chaste tree berry, feverfew, garlic, horse chestnut, licorice, eyebright, yohimbe, and valerian poppy.

3. The cellulose derivative capsule of claim 2 wherein the moisture content of the herbal extract is less than 5 percent by weight.

4. A hydroxyalkylcellulose capsule having encapsulated therein an herb extract having a moisture content of less than 10 percent by weight, wherein the herb extract is provided by extracting an herbal plant material with an aqueous alcohol to provide an aqueous alcoholic herbal extract;

adding sufficient glycerin to the aqueous alcohol herbal extract to maintain the herbal extract in solution or dispersed in the alcohol mixture; and

removing alcohol and water from the aqueous alcoholic herbal extract to maintain the herbal extract in solution or dispersed in the glycerin base liquid.

5. The hydroxyalkylcellulose capsule of claim 4 wherein the herbal plant material is selected from the group consisting of kava kava, echinacea, St. John'"'"'s wort, valerian root, milk thistle seed, Siberian ginseng, nettle leaf, ginkgo, gotu kola, astragalus, goldenseal, dong quai, ginseng, bilberry, green tea, hawthorne, ginger, turmeric, black cohosh, cats claw, chamomile, dandelion, chaste tree berry, feverfew, garlic, horse chestnut, licorice, eyebright, yohimbe, and valerian poppy.

6. The hydroxylalkylcellulose capsule of claim 5 wherein the moisture content of the herbal extract is less than 5 percent by weight.

7. The hydroxylalkylcellulose capsule of claim 4 wherein the hydroxylalkylcellulose is hydroxypropyl methylcellulose.