Alcohol-Free Thyme Primula Extract Production

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current therapies for respiratory diseases, colds, and flu-like infections often involve synthetic agents with chemical activity that can cause damage and are expensive, while herbal extracts with high alcohol content pose safety concerns, especially for children and pregnant individuals, and existing methods to produce alcohol-free compositions are inefficient and uneconomical.

Innovation Solution

A method involving the production of an alcohol-free composition by immobilizing thyme and primula root extracts on a water-soluble carrier and removing alcohol through drying, resulting in a composition with less than 2% ethanol content, suitable for treating respiratory diseases without the side effects of alcohol.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If alcoholic extracts are used for treating respiratory diseases, then extraction efficiency of active ingredients is improved, but safety concerns arise due to high alcohol content especially for children and pregnant individuals

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveextraction efficiency of active ingredientsVSAvoidsafety concerns from alcohol content

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the harmful alcohol component from the extract while retaining the active ingredients. This is achieved through a multi-step process involving concentration of the alcoholic extract, removal of alcohol via rotary evaporation and vacuum drying, and reconstitution in an alcohol-free aqueous medium, thereby eliminating the harmful factor while preserving the beneficial active ingredients

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the physical and chemical parameters of the extract by controlling concentration, temperature, and pressure during the alcohol removal process. By adjusting these parameters (concentrating to specific density, drying at controlled temperatures under vacuum), the active ingredients are preserved while alcohol is eliminated, transforming the extract from harmful to safe

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Object-affected harmful factors

If alcohol is removed from plant extracts by vacuum drying or freeze-drying, then alcohol content is reduced, but active ingredients are also removed from the extracts

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvealcohol content reductionVSAvoidactive ingredient retention

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary concentration of the alcoholic extract to a specific density (1.05-1.20 g/ml) before alcohol removal. This preliminary step ensures that active ingredients are concentrated and stabilized in the matrix, making them less susceptible to loss during subsequent alcohol removal processes

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses an intermediary aqueous medium (water or aqueous solutions) to reconstitute the alcohol-free extract after concentration. This intermediary step allows the active ingredients to be transferred from the concentrated alcoholic matrix to a safe aqueous medium, ensuring retention of bioactivity while eliminating alcohol

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If existing methods are used to produce alcohol-free compositions, then alcohol content is reduced, but the production process becomes inefficient and uneconomical

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvealcohol content reductionVSAvoidproduction efficiency and economy

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple steps (concentration, alcohol removal, and reconstitution) into a streamlined integrated process. By combining these operations sequentially with optimized parameters, the overall production efficiency is improved while achieving alcohol-free compositions, making the process both effective and economical

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent utilizes phase transitions (evaporation of alcohol from liquid to vapor phase under reduced pressure and temperature) to remove alcohol efficiently. This controlled phase transition allows selective removal of volatile alcohol while preserving non-volatile active ingredients, improving production efficiency and economic viability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #36Phase transitions

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The method efficiently produces a composition that is safe for individuals with alcohol contraindications, retains active ingredients, and is economically viable, providing effective treatment for respiratory diseases with improved tolerability and organoleptic properties.

Implementation Method 1

immobilizing the alcoholic extract(s) based on thyme and primula root on a solid, water-soluble carrier

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAdsorption: Adsorption

Implementation Method 2

removing the alcohol by drying

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectEvaporation: Evaporation

Data Source

PatentEP2605785B1Process for the manufacture of alcohol-free compositions on the basis of plants and compositions obtained by said process and their use.

Publication Date: 2014.06.04 MARIA CLEMENTINE MARTIN KLOSTERFRAU VERTRIEB GESELLSCHAFT MBH

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for producing an at least essentially non-alcoholic composition on the basis of thyme and/or primula root extract(s), to compositions produced in said manner and to the use thereof.