Burdock Seed Extract for Prostate Volume Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current treatments for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) often come with side effects, and botanical extracts like Serenoa repens and Prunus africana are difficult to access and expensive due to limited geographical availability.
Innovation Solution
A method using a burdock extract derived from easily accessible dried burdock seeds, extracted with water or aqueous ethanol, is administered to decrease prostate size, with the extract being orally given in a dosage of 900 mg/kg/day for 28-60 days.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional medications (α blockers or 5α reductase inhibitors) are used to treat BPH, then prostate size is reduced and urine flow is improved, but side effects such as decreased libido and erectile dysfunction occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive, long-term pharmaceutical medications with a cost-effective botanical extract from burdock seeds that can be consumed as a natural supplement, eliminating the need for continuous prescription drug dependency while maintaining therapeutic effects
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters by using burdock seed extract containing specific compounds (arctiin, arcitigenin, and other flavonoids) instead of synthetic pharmaceuticals, thereby altering the mechanism of action to reduce prostate size through natural biochemical pathways without the harmful side effects of conventional drugs
2Object-affected harmful factors
If botanical extracts from Serenoa repens and Prunus africana are used to treat BPH, then side effects are minimized, but the raw materials are difficult to access and prices rise due to limited geographical availability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive, hard-to-obtain botanical extracts (Serenoa repens and Prunus africana) with a cost-effective alternative using burdock seeds that are readily available in Taiwan and other regions, significantly improving accessibility while maintaining the side-effect-free benefit
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a functional copy or alternative to the original botanical extracts by using burdock seed extract that produces similar therapeutic effects (reducing prostate size without side effects) but from a different, more accessible plant source
3Ease of manufacture
If burdock extract is extracted using water or aqueous ethanol, then the extract is cost-effective and easily accessible, but the extraction efficiency may be lower compared to more complex methods
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the extraction parameters by using aqueous ethanol solutions with varying ethanol concentrations (40-95%) to balance extraction efficiency with cost-effectiveness, achieving high yield of active compounds while maintaining an simple and economical extraction process
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 burdock extract effectively reduces prostate size in BPH subjects, providing a cost-effective treatment option without the side effects associated with traditional medications, with the dried burdock seed extract showing a preferable effect compared to root and leaf extracts.
Implementation Method 1
The burdock extract is obtained by extracting a sample of dried burdock seed using an extractant being water or an aqueous ethanol solution
Data Source
AI summary
The invention discloses a method for treating benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) using a burdock extract. The burdock extract is administered to a subject in need thereof to decrease prostate size of the subject. The burdock extract is obtained by extracting a sample of dried burdock seed using an extractant being water or an aqueous ethanol solution.