Digestive Enzyme and Polysorbate Formulations for Probiotic Growth
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current dietary supplements with probiotics are costly and ineffective in stimulating both Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium probiotics, as they lack essential nutrients for intestinal colonization, and existing prebiotics do not adequately support the growth of these beneficial bacteria.
Innovation Solution
Formulations combining digestive enzymes and food-grade polysorbate surfactants that generate microbial nutrients in vivo, such as cobiotics and prebiotics, to enhance the growth and colonization of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species, with enzymes like proteases and amylases stimulating Lactobacillus and cellulase and hemicellulase stimulating Bifidobacterium, and polysorbates like Tween-60 and Tween-80 enhancing enzyme activity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If prebiotics like FOS and inulin are added to fortify probiotic stimulation, then probiotic growth is enhanced, but manufacturing cost increases and effectiveness for Lactobacillus stimulation is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the prebiotic substance by using polysorbate-based compounds (Tween 60, Tween 80, Tween 20) instead of traditional FOS and inulin. These polysorbates have different molecular structures and properties that enable them to serve as effective prebiotics for both Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species, thereby reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining or improving probiotic stimulation effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies polysorbate-based prebiotics that can universally stimulate multiple probiotic species (both Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium) simultaneously, whereas traditional prebiotics like FOS and inulin are limited in their effectiveness for certain species. This multi-functional approach eliminates the need for multiple different prebiotic additives, reducing overall manufacturing cost while broadening the scope of probiotic stimulation
2Ease of manufacture
If digestive enzymes are used to generate prebiotics in vivo, then probiotic stimulation is achieved without adding preformed prebiotics, but enzyme stability and activity maintenance becomes challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite formulation combining digestive enzymes (amylase, protease, cellulase, hemicellulase) with polysorbate-based prebiotics and probiotics in a single pharmaceutical composition. The polysorbates serve dual functions as both prebiotics and stabilizing agents that protect enzyme activity throughout the gastrointestinal tract, ensuring reliable enzyme function while simplifying the manufacturing process by eliminating the need for separate enzyme and prebiotic formulations
Solution Approach 2:
The polysorbate compounds act as intermediaries that bridge the enzyme action and probiotic stimulation. They are generated or activated by the digestive enzymes in the gastrointestinal tract, and in turn serve as the actual prebiotic substrates that stimulate probiotic growth. This intermediary mechanism allows the formulation to achieve prebiotic effects through enzyme action while maintaining enzyme stability through the polysorbate protection system
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
Significantly increases the Internal Probiotic Culture (IPC) by stimulating the growth of probiotics, leading to enhanced colonization and competitive exclusion of pathogenic microorganisms, as demonstrated in vitro and in vivo examples.
Implementation Method 1
enzymes to enhance or stimulate the growth of probiotics... The enzymes catalyze generation of microbial nutrients in vivo such as cobiotics and prebiotics
Implementation Method 2
food grade polysorbate surfactants that enhance the growth-stimulating effect of the enzymes... polysorbates like Tween-60 and Tween-80 enhancing enzyme activity
Implementation Method 3
Colonization may involve physical attachment to epithelial cell surfaces such as those of the microvilli in the ileum section of the small intestine
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are formulations for enhancing the in vivo colonization of probiotic microorganisms that include digestive enzymes and probiotic microorganisms, and polysorbate surfactants. The enzymes include lactogenic enzyme formulations that promote growth of Lactobacillus probiotics, bifidogenic enzyme formulations that promote growth of Bifidobacterium probiotics and combination formulations that benefit both types of probiotics. It has been discovered that certain polysorbate surfactants, including polysorbate-60 and polysorbate-80, further promote probiotic microorganism growth, when used with the enzyme formulations. The formulations are preferably compounded as dry powders, to avoid water reaction with the enzymes in blended formulations. Such formulations can be contained in capsules, tablets, packets or bottles and administered orally, either sequentially or in one combined formulation.