A sow thistle extract and its application in the preparation of functional foods
By preparing a 60%-70% ethanol extract of sow thistle, the problem of lacking medicinal and edible ingredients for improving Parkinson's disease in existing technologies was solved, and significant improvements in motor function and selenium content were achieved in PD mice.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- SHANDONG DAOHE LIFE TECHNOLOGY CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2026-03-06
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-02
AI Technical Summary
Existing dopaminergic drugs can only relieve symptoms in the early stages of Parkinson's disease, but cannot slow down the progression of the disease and have side effects. There is a lack of effective food-derived ingredients that can improve Parkinson's disease.
Sow thistle powder was extracted by reflux with 60%-70% ethanol solution to prepare sow thistle extract, which can be used to prepare functional foods or drugs, enhance selenium content, and improve the motor function of PD mice.
The 60%-70% ethanol extract of Sophora flavescens significantly improved motor dysfunction in MPTP-induced PD mouse models, increased selenium content, enhanced antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, and improved the motor ability of PD mice.
Smart Images
Figure CN122124122A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention belongs to the field of functional foods that are both food and medicine, and specifically relates to a sow thistle extract and its application in the preparation of functional foods. Background Technology
[0002] Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disease that severely affects patients' mobility and quality of life, and there is currently no cure. Current clinical treatments using dopaminergic drugs can only relieve symptoms in the early stages of the disease, but cannot slow the progression of PD, and also have side effects. Therefore, finding a food-grade ingredient that can improve PD and preparing it into functional foods would undoubtedly be a boon for PD patients.
[0003] Sow thistle (Sonchus brachyotus DC.) is an annual or perennial herb belonging to the genus Sonchus in the Asteraceae family. It possesses properties such as clearing heat, detoxifying, and promoting diuresis, and has a long history of being both a food and a medicine. Sow thistle has a white sap containing various chemical components, including terpenes, flavonoids, and sugars, exhibiting multiple pharmacological activities such as hepatoprotection, anti-inflammation, and analgesia. Furthermore, sow thistle is rich in carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, vitamins, and minerals, providing both anti-inflammatory and nutritional benefits. Therefore, this invention, through the ingenious selection of extraction solvents, obtains a sow thistle extract that significantly improves MPTP-induced PD mouse models. It holds promise for development as a functional food or drug to improve PD. Summary of the Invention
[0004] This invention provides a sow thistle extract, characterized in that the preparation method of the sow thistle extract includes the following steps:
[0005] The dried sow thistle powder was soaked in an ethanol solution, heated to reflux temperature, and extracted by reflux for 1-1.5 hours. The extract was then collected, concentrated, and dried to obtain the sow thistle extract.
[0006] The sow thistle powder is obtained by pulverizing dried whole sow thistle and passing it through a 10-mesh sieve; the ethanol solution is an aqueous ethanol solution with a volume fraction of 60%-70%, and the amount used is 1-1.2L of ethanol solution per 100g of sow thistle powder; the soaking time is preferably 15-30min; the reflux extraction is preferably performed 1-2 times, with each reflux extraction lasting 1-1.5h; if a second reflux extraction is performed, the amount of ethanol solution used in the second reflux extraction is 2 / 3 to 1.0 times that used in the first reflux extraction.
[0007] Another embodiment of the present invention provides a method for preparing sow thistle extract, characterized by comprising the following steps:
[0008] The dried sow thistle powder was soaked in an ethanol solution, heated to reflux temperature, and extracted by reflux for 1-1.5 hours. The extract was then collected, concentrated, and dried to obtain the sow thistle extract.
[0009] The sow thistle powder is obtained by pulverizing dried whole sow thistle and passing it through a 10-mesh sieve; the ethanol solution is an aqueous ethanol solution with a volume fraction of 60%-70%, and the amount used is 1-1.2L of ethanol solution per 100g of sow thistle powder; the soaking time is preferably 15-30min; the reflux extraction is preferably performed 1-2 times, with each reflux extraction lasting 1-1.5h; if a second reflux extraction is performed, the amount of ethanol solution used in the second reflux extraction is 2 / 3 to 1.0 times that used in the first reflux extraction.
[0010] Another embodiment of the present invention provides the use of the above-mentioned sow thistle extract in the preparation of functional foods and / or medicines for improving Parkinson's disease.
[0011] Another embodiment of the present invention provides the use of the above-mentioned sow thistle extract in the preparation of selenium-supplemented foods and / or medicines.
[0012] Another embodiment of the present invention provides a functional food and / or pharmaceutical composition for supplementing selenium, characterized in that the functional food and / or pharmaceutical composition uses the above-mentioned sow thistle extract as an active ingredient. The functional food and / or pharmaceutical composition may also include other selenium-supplementing ingredients. The functional food and / or pharmaceutical composition may be in liquid or solid form.
[0013] Another embodiment of the present invention provides a functional food and / or pharmaceutical composition for the prevention and / or improvement of Parkinson's disease, characterized in that the functional food and / or pharmaceutical composition uses the above-mentioned sow thistle extract as an active ingredient. The functional food and / or pharmaceutical composition may also include other ingredients that have a beneficial effect on Parkinson's disease. The functional food and / or pharmaceutical composition may be in liquid or solid form.
[0014] Compared with the prior art, the advantages of the present invention are: (1) The present invention discloses for the first time that the 60%-70% ethanol extract of Sophora flavescens has a significant ameliorative effect on MPTP-induced PD mouse model; (2) The present invention selects extraction solvents, screening anhydrous ethanol, water, 60% ethanol solution, and 70% ethanol solution, and finally determines that the extract obtained from 60%-70% ethanol solution has an effect on PD. The improvement effect in mouse models is most obvious. The reasons may be that: firstly, pure water reflux extraction reduces the amount of insoluble organic active ingredients such as flavonoids and terpenes; secondly, excessively high reflux temperature may destroy some active ingredients; and thirdly, anhydrous ethanol reflux extraction reduces trace elements and amino acids (such as selenoamino acids). (3) The 60%-70% ethanol extract of Sophora flavescens in this invention can also significantly increase the selenium content in mice. This may be one of the reasons why it improves the motor ability of PD mice. Selenium is a key component of glutathione peroxidase, which can scavenge free radicals and reduce oxidative damage. At the same time, selenium can regulate the immune system and inhibit the release of pro-inflammatory factors. It may indirectly protect neurons by reducing inflammatory response and improve the motor ability of PD mice. Attached Figure Description
[0015] Figure 1 The images show the results of the rotarod experiment for each group of mice. Detailed Implementation
[0016] To facilitate a further understanding of the present invention, the following embodiments are provided for more detailed description. However, these embodiments are only for a better understanding of the invention and are not intended to limit the scope or implementation principles of the invention. The implementation of the present invention is not limited to the following.
[0017] Example 1: Preparation of Sow thistle extract
[0018] Preparation of sow thistle powder: The dried whole sow thistle herb is pulverized and passed through a 10-mesh sieve for later use.
[0019] Preparation Example 1: Weigh 100g of sow thistle powder, soak it in 1.0L of 70% ethanol solution (volume fraction) for 15min, heat it to the reflux temperature, reflux extract for 1.5h, collect the extract, concentrate and dry it to obtain the sow thistle extract (hereinafter referred to as product a).
[0020] Preparation Example 2: Weigh 100g of sow thistle powder, soak it in 1.2L of 60% ethanol solution (v / v) for 20min, heat it to the reflux temperature, reflux extract for 1.0h, collect the extract and residue, reflux extract with 0.8L of 60% ethanol solution for 1.0h, combine the two extracts, concentrate and dry to obtain the sow thistle extract (hereinafter referred to as product b).
[0021] Preparation Example 3: Weigh 100g of sow thistle powder, soak it in 1.0L of water for 15min, heat it to the reflux temperature, reflux extract for 1.5h, collect the extract, concentrate and dry it to obtain the sow thistle water extract (hereinafter referred to as product c).
[0022] Preparation Example 4: Weigh 100g of sow thistle powder, soak it in 1.0L of anhydrous ethanol (15min), heat it to the reflux temperature, reflux extract for 1.5h, collect the extract, concentrate and dry it to obtain the sow thistle alcohol extract (hereinafter referred to as product d).
[0023] Example 2: Rotating Rod Experiment
[0024] The rotarod test is a behavioral test commonly used to assess the motor balance and coordination of mice. PD mice, due to damage to dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra, exhibit a significantly shortened dwell time on the rotarod. The test was conducted using a Rotamex-5 Rota Rod rotarod tester with a spindle size of 3.0 cm × 9.5 cm. The initial rotation speed was 5 rpm, which was uniformly accelerated to 20 rpm within 60 seconds and maintained for 60 seconds. In the experiment, mice were placed on the rotarod in the same direction as the rotation (opposite to the direction of rotation). The rotarod was started according to preset conditions, and the duration of the mouse's fall (i.e., the time the mouse remained on the rotarod) was recorded, with a maximum of 120 seconds. Three experiments were conducted, each 30 minutes apart, and the average data was taken.
[0025] Before modeling and drug administration, mice were pre-trained according to the rotarod test conditions to adapt to the rotarod test environment. They were trained once a day for three consecutive days, and mice with poor innate motor ability were removed.
[0026] Experimental animals and model grouping: 6-8 month old SPF-grade C57BL / 6 mice, half male and half female, were randomly divided into 7 groups of 6 mice each, housed in SPF-grade standard environments. The groups were: Control group, Model group, low-dose product a group (7.5 mg / kg), high-dose product a group (15.0 mg / kg), product b group (7.5 mg / kg), product c group (7.5 mg / kg), and product d group (7.5 mg / kg). After pre-training, starting from day 4, mice were administered the drug via gavage daily (the control group and model group received saline) for 5 consecutive days. Starting from day 9, 1 hour after gavage administration, all mice except the control group were subcutaneously injected with MPTP (30 mg / kg / day). The control group received an equal volume of saline for 5 consecutive days. Rotor experiments began on day 14. The experimental results showed that (…) Figure 1The model group mice showed a significantly shorter rotapod movement time, indicating successful modeling and that MPTP successfully induced motor dysfunction in PD mice. The product ab group (low dose) mice showed a significantly longer rotapod movement time (p<0.05 compared to the model group), indicating that the 60%-70% ethanol extract of *Sonchus oleraceus* significantly improved the motor function of PD mice, especially the high-dose product a group (p<0.01 compared to the model group). This suggests that the 60%-70% ethanol extract of *Sonchus oleraceus* can dose-dependently improve MPTP-induced motor dysfunction in PD mice. The less effective products c and d compared to product a may be due to two reasons: firstly, pure water reflux extraction reduces the content of poorly soluble organic active ingredients such as flavonoids and terpenes; secondly, excessively high reflux temperatures may destroy some active ingredients; and thirdly, anhydrous ethanol reflux extraction reduces the content of trace elements and amino acids (such as selenoamino acids).
[0027] Example 3
[0028] To verify the content of selenoprotein P (SEPP1) in the serum of mice in product group a and product group d, after the rotarod experiment in Example 2, serum from mice in product group a and product group d was collected. The steps were as follows: The periorbital area of the mice was disinfected with 75% alcohol cotton balls, and the sides of the neck were compressed to cause congestion of the posterior orbital venous plexus and protrusion of the eyeballs. A heparinized capillary with an inner diameter of 0.8 mm was inserted into the medial canthal venous plexus 2-3 mm, and about 300 μL of blood was collected by slow rotation. The blood was transferred to a centrifuge tube and allowed to stand at room temperature for 45 min to allow the blood to coagulate naturally. After centrifugation at 2000 rpm for 15 min, the supernatant was collected and stored at low temperature for later use.
[0029] This experiment used a mouse selenoprotein P (SEPP1) chemiluminescent immunoassay kit and employed a double-antibody sandwich method to detect the selenoprotein P content in the serum of mice in each group. The results showed that the selenoprotein P content in the serum of mice in product group a (1200.5±37.5 pg / mL) was significantly higher than that in mice in product group d (763.2±18.8 pg / mL). The data represent the average of three tests. This experimental result also confirms that the 60%-70% ethanol extract of *Sonchus oleraceus* of this invention is rich in selenium, which may be one of the reasons for its improvement in the motor function of PD mice. Selenium is a key component of glutathione peroxidase, an enzyme that can scavenge free radicals and reduce oxidative damage. Simultaneously, selenium can regulate the immune system and inhibit the release of pro-inflammatory factors, potentially indirectly protecting neurons and improving the motor function of PD mice by reducing inflammatory responses. Further experimental research is needed to determine the specific mechanism of action.
Claims
1. A sow thistle extract, characterized in that... The preparation method of the sow thistle extract includes the following steps: The dried sow thistle powder was soaked in an ethanol solution, heated to reflux temperature, and extracted by reflux for 1-1.5 hours. The extract was then collected, concentrated, and dried to obtain the sow thistle extract.
2. The sow thistle extract according to claim 1, characterized in that... The ethanol solution is an aqueous solution of ethanol with a volume fraction of 60%-70%.
3. The sow thistle extract according to any one of claims 1-2, characterized in that... The amount of ethanol solution used is 1-1.2L per 100g of sow thistle powder.
4. The sow thistle extract according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that... Soaking time is 15-30 minutes.
5. The sow thistle extract according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that... The reflux extraction is performed 1-2 times, with each reflux extraction lasting 1-1.5 hours.
6. The method for preparing the sow thistle extract according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that... Includes the steps described in any one of claims 1-5.
7. The use of the sow thistle extract according to any one of claims 1-5 in the preparation of functional foods and / or medicines for improving Parkinson's disease; or the use of the sow thistle extract according to any one of claims 1-5 in the preparation of selenium-supplemented foods and / or medicines.
8. A functional food and / or pharmaceutical composition for supplementing selenium; or a functional food and / or pharmaceutical composition for preventing and / or improving Parkinson's disease, characterized in that... The functional food and / or pharmaceutical composition uses the sow thistle extract as described in any one of claims 1-5 as the active ingredient.
9. The functional food and / or pharmaceutical composition according to claim 8, characterized in that... It may also include other selenium-supplementing ingredients.
10. The functional food and / or pharmaceutical composition according to any one of claims 8-9, characterized in that... It can be in liquid or solid form.