The present technology is directed to methods and processes for optimally extracting and distilling desired natural ingredients from raw natural ingredients, involving pre-soaking the raw natural ingredients in a solvent, boiling the liquid component from the pre-soaking step, allowing the resultant vapor to contact the solid component, and passing the resultant enhanced vapor through a distillation column to obtain a desired product. Any steps of the methods and processes herein can be performed in conjunction with a vacuum or pressurizing devicethat is, at an elevated or lowered pressure compared with ambient pressure.

The extract of Vicia faba beans is prepared by soaking beans in distilled water overnight and then boiling in a water bath to reduce the volume of aqueous extract, which is then homogenized and filtered. The filtrate is concentrated to a smaller volume, lyophilized, and powdered. The lyophilized powder is extracted with hexane to remove oils and lipids. The oil-free lyophilized powder is dissolved in ethanol solvent and extracted for eight hours under reflux, and filtered. The volume of ethanol is reduced by a rotary evaporator, and a first off-white precipitate (sample A-1) is collected, washed with ethanol, and dried at 80 C. Mass spectrometry shows a molecular weight of 200.16447 g mol.sup.1, and an empirical formula of C.sub.9H.sub.16N.sub.2O.sub.3 is assigned. Intraperitoneal injection of mice with 50 mg/kg of A-1 twenty minutes prior to injection with strychnine protected the mice from strychnine-induced convulsions to the same extent as phenobarbitone (phenobarbital).

The invention relates to a method for producing an extract of a matrix of vegetable origin, particularly a plant, characterised in that the matrix of vegetable origin undergoes a mechanical treatment consisting in extruding the matrix of vegetable origin in an extruder, in association or not with a heat treatment, in the presence of an aqueous solution containing at least one hydrotrope agent, particularly at a concentration at least equal to the minimum hydrotrope concentration thereof, followed by an operation of recovering the extract.

Compositions and preparations of fetal support tissue that prevent or reduce the proliferation and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of epithelial cells, wherein the epithelial cells may be human epithelial cells and the human epithelial cells may be conjunctival, retinal, corneal, limbal, or renal epithelial cells. Methods of preventing or reducing the proliferation, cell migration, and EMT of epithelial cells in an individual in need thereof, wherein the epithelial cells may be human epithelial cells and the human epithelial cells may be conjunctival, retinal, corneal, limbal, or renal epithelial cells. Methods of preventing or treating proliferative vitreoretinopathy in an individual in need thereof.

Provided are a method of extracting saponin which is the physiologically active component of Akebia quinata with high efficiency, by sequentially subjecting to a) adding Akebia quinata flesh to Akebia quinata seeds and performing aging; and b) extracting with alcohol, a method of further improving saponin extraction efficiency by adding ginger, and a food composition containing the extract produced by this method. Higher added value may be created by improving the saponin extraction efficiency from Akebia quinata seeds using Akebia quinata flesh which has not been utilized when extracting saponin.

A major object of the present technology is to provide a technology for obtaining an aloe extract which has an excellent processability into foods and contains sufficient amounts of -sitosterol and aloe-derived dietary fibers as functional components. The present technology provides a method for manufacturing an aloe extract containing -sitosterol, phospholipids, and dietary fibers which involves carrying out: a homogenization step for homogenizing an aloe mesophyll solution; an enzymatic degradation step for adding a polysaccharide-degrading enzyme to the homogenized aloe mesophyll solution and degrading polysaccharides contained in the aforementioned homogenized aloe mesophyll solution; and a membrane filtration step for membrane-filtering the enzyme-degraded aloe mesophyll solution with a microfiltration membrane or an ultrafiltration membrane and recovering the retentate fraction as an aloe extract.

Compositions for inhibiting beta secretase activity are disclosed. Compositions that enhance bioavailability of curcumin, demethoxycurcumin, bisdemethoxycurcumin, -turmerone, ar-turmerone, or, sesamolin are disclosed. Some compositions include a curcuminoid mixture and essential oil of turmeric having -turmerone. Some compositions include a curcuminoid mixture and a combination, wherein the combination includes essential oil of turmeric having -turmerone, and, an extract of sesame oil having sesamolin. Some compositions are a combination of essential oil of turmeric having -turmerone, and, an extract of sesame oil having sesamolin. Methods of preparing the compositions are disclosed. Methods of treatment of central nervous system or neurological disorders are provided.

The present invention relates to a combination comprising a myrtle extract and an extract of Tripterygium wilfordii, in particular for use in the treatment of C. acnes-induced inflammation and in the treatment of acneic skin.

This invention describes a new method to maximize the epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) content of brewed tea made using leaves and buds from C. sinensis. Unlike conventional tea processing methods, the method of the invention aims to minimize the leaf withering step, the oxidation step and any heating steps, all of which are present in many conventional tea processing methods. The method of the invention treats minimally withered tea leaf and bud material with an acid treatment and then a maceration treatment, optionally freezing the acid-treated material for storage purposes. The brewed tea resulting from the acid-treated and macerated leaves has a significantly higher EGCG content than conventionally produced teas.

The invention provides a method for extracting active therapeutic components from plant materials of the cyclanthera pedata plant which comprises immersing said plant material containing active components and selected from the group consisting of fruits, flowers, leaves, stems, twigs, bark, wood, buds, seeds, roots, and pods in a solvent for a period of time of about 30 minutes to about 10 hours to achieve transfer of active components from the plant material to the solvent, separating the solvent containing active components from the plant material, and evaporating or distilling the solvent to produce a concentrated fraction containing active components. The invention further includes compositions and therapeutic formulations of such extracts to treat hypercholesterolemia and other high lipid related diseases.