Choline Ester Sleep Composition

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current sleep aid compositions do not effectively utilize choline esters, which are known to play a role in sleep regulation, particularly when orally ingested, leading to significant economic losses due to insufficient sleep and health expenditures.

Innovation Solution

A composition for oral ingestion comprising choline esters derived from food plants, such as Solanum melongena and bamboo shoots, which can be used to increase sleeping time and improve sleep quality, with a daily intake range of 7.5 μg to 750 mg, preferably in the form of a food or pharmaceutical composition.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional sleep aid compositions using theanine, sesamin, or lactoferrin are used, then sleep improvement is attempted, but the effectiveness is insufficient and health expenditures increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesleep improvement effectivenessVSAvoidhealth expenditure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical parameter by using choline esters (acetylcholine, butylcholine, propionylcholine) instead of conventional ingredients like theanine, sesamin, or lactoferrin. This parameter change in the active ingredient leads to improved sleep effectiveness while reducing dependence on expensive hypnotics

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs choline esters that are naturally present in food plants (aubergines, bamboo shoots, fermented buckwheat) as cost-effective alternatives to expensive pharmaceutical hypnotics. These natural choline ester sources provide a economical sleep aid solution

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

2Ease of operation

If acetylcholine receptor agonists are injected into the brain stem, then REM sleep-like state is induced, but this is not applicable to oral ingestion and lacks specific investigation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoral ingestion applicabilityVSAvoidsleep improvement reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses choline esters as intermediary substances that can be orally ingested and subsequently act on acetylcholine receptors in the brain. These choline esters serve as a bridge between oral administration and the desired sleep effect, converting the intracerebral active substance approach into an orally applicable formulation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent leverages the body's own choline ester synthesis capability and natural presence of choline esters in food plants to achieve sleep improvement through oral ingestion. The choline esters are metabolized by the body to activate acetylcholine receptors, creating a self-service mechanism that doesn't require external pharmaceutical intervention

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Object-affected harmful factors

If choline esters from food plants are used, then sleep improvement is achieved safely, but the composition must be formulated as food or pharmaceutical product

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesafety profileVSAvoidcomposition formulation
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a universal composition that can be formulated as either food or pharmaceutical product, accommodating different regulatory requirements and application scenarios. The choline ester-based composition serves multiple purposes: natural food supplement, functional food, and pharmaceutical alternative, thereby simplifying manufacturing and regulatory compliance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS20220133674A1Orally ingested composition for improving sleep
Publication Date: 2022.05.05 WELLNAS CO LTD

AI summary

The present invention addresses the problem of providing a novel orally ingested composition that contains a substance which is not conventionally known as an active component of a composition for improving sleep, and particularly, that can be easily taken orally and can improve sleep safely and easily. The present invention pertains to an orally ingested composition, particularly a food composition, for improving sleep and containing a choline ester as an active component In the present invention, the choline ester may be derived from an edible plant such as the fruit of the species Solanum melongena of the genus Solanum of the family Solanaceae and/or the green shoot of the tribe Bambuseae of the subfamily Bambusoideae of the family Poaceae.