Claims
- 1. An orally administered St. John's Wort-based herbal composition for promoting emotional well-being in animals, comprising a therapeutically effective amount of a supercritical extract of a St. John's Wort herb, wherein the supercritical extract comprises highly stable hyperforins, further wherein the hyperforins-containing supercritical extract is prepared by a method comprising subjecting said herb to high pressure extraction using compressed gas as an extraction agent.
- 2. A composition according to claim 1, wherein, in the method for preparing the hyperforins-containing supercritical extract, the compressed gas is compressed carbon dioxide.
- 3. A composition according to claim 1, wherein, in the method for preparing the hyperforins-containing supercritical extract, the high pressure extraction is carried out at a temperature of from about 31° C. to about 80° C.
- 4. A composition according to claim 1, wherein, in the method for preparing the hyperforins-containing supercritical extract, the high pressure extraction is carried out at a pressure of from about 75 bar to about 500 bar.
- 5. A composition according to claim 1, wherein, in the method for preparing the hyperforins-containing supercritical extract, the amount of compressed gas ranges from about 5 to about 100 grams per 1 gram of the St. John's Wort herb subjected to the supercritical extraction.
- 6. A composition according to claim 1, wherein the supercritical extract comprises from about 20% to about 50% by weight of said hyperforins.
- 7. A composition according to claim 1, wherein the supercritical extract further comprises one or more of monosesquiterpenes, diterpenes, triterpenes, phloglucinols, carotenoids, phytosterols, fatty acids, cuticular waxes, xanthones and refines.
- 8. A composition according to claim 1, wherein: in the method for preparing the hyperforins-containing supercritical extract, the compressed gas is compressed carbon dioxide; the amount of the compressed carbon dioxide is from about 5 to about 100 grams per 1 gram of the St. John's wort herb subjected to the supercritical extraction; and the high pressure extraction is carried out at a temperature of from about 31° C. to about 80° C. and a pressure of from about 75 bar to about 500 bar; farther wherein the supercritical extract comprises from about 20% to about 50% by weight of said hyperforins:
- 9. A method for promoting emotional well-being in animals, comprising orally administering to an animal for an effective period of time an effective amount of a St. John's Wort-based herbal composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of a supercritical extract of a St. John's Wort herb, wherein the supercritical extract comprises highly stable hyperforins, further wherein the hyperforins-containing supercritical extract is prepared by a method comprising subjecting said herb to high pressure extraction using compressed gas as an extraction agent.
- 10. A method according to claim 9, wherein, in the method for preparing the hyperforins-containing supercritical extract, the compressed gas is compressed carbon dioxide.
- 11. A method according to claim 9, wherein, in the method for preparing the hyperforins-containing supercritical extract, the high pressure extraction is carried out at a temperature of from about 31° C. to about 80° C.
- 12. A method according to claim 9, wherein, in the method for preparing the hyperforins-containing supercritical extract, the high pressure extraction is carried out at a pressure of from about 75 bar to about 500 bar.
- 13. A method according to claim 9, wherein, in the method for preparing the hyperforins-containing supercritical extract, the amount of compressed gas ranges from about 5 to about 100 grams per 1 gram of the St. John's Wort herb subjected to the supercritical extraction.
- 14. A method according to claim 9, wherein, in the orally administered composition, the supercritical extract comprises from about 20% to about 50% by weight of said hyperforins.
- 15. A method according to claim 9, wherein, in the orally administered composition, the supercritical extract further comprises one or more of monosesquiterpenes, diterpenes, triterpenes, phloglucinols, carotenoids, phytosterols, fatty acids, cuticular waxes, xanthones and refines.
- 16. A method according to claim 9, wherein, in the method for preparing the hyperforins-containing supercritical extract, the compressed gas is compressed carbon dioxide; the amount of the compressed carbon dioxide is from about 5 to about 100 grams per 1 gram of the St. John's Wort herb subjected to the supercritical extraction; and the high pressure extraction is carried out at a temperature of from about 31° C. to about 80° C. and a pressure of from about 75 bar to about 500 bar; further wherein the supercritical extract comprises from about 20% to about 50% by weight of said hyperforins.
- 17. A method according to claim 9, wherein the animal is human.
- 18. A method according to claim 17, wherein the composition is orally administered to said human on a daily basis.
- 19. A method according to claim 18, wherein the amount of the composition orally administered to said human is such as to provide from about 270 to about 650 mg of the hyperforins-containing supercritical extract to said human on a daily basis.
- 20. A method according to claim 18, wherein the amount of the composition orally administered to said human is such as to provide from about 27 to about 65 mg of the highly stable hyperforins to said human on a daily basis.
- 21. A method according to claim 18, wherein the composition is orally administered to said human for a period of at least about 4 weeks.
Parent Case Info
[0001] Priority of this Application is based on U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/191,739 (filed Mar. 24, 2000) and U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/199,821 (filed Apr. 26, 2000).
Provisional Applications (2)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60191739 |
Mar 2000 |
US |
|
60199821 |
Apr 2000 |
US |