Elm and Varnish Tree Extract Composition for Low-Toxicity Anticancer Therapy

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Solution Overview

Problem

The pharmaceutical applicability of elm and varnish trees has been limited due to their perceived toxicity and lack of investigation into their physiological activities, with few studies exploring their potential in anticancer compositions.

Innovation Solution

A composition containing the flowery portion of the elm tree or its extract and the leaf portion of the varnish tree or its extract, specifically using Ulmus hollandica species, which demonstrates strong anticancer activity with low toxicity, allowing for use in pharmaceuticals, foods, and beverages.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If varnish tree is used for pharmaceutical materials, then it contains urushiol which is toxic and causes dermatitis, but it has been found that combined composition with elm tree shows low toxicity and excellent anticancer activities

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovetoxicityVSAvoidpharmaceutical applicability
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies this principle by combining varnish tree (which contains toxic urushiol) with elm tree to convert the harmful toxicity into a beneficial low-toxicity anticancer composition. The combination transforms the harmful property into a useful pharmaceutical application for cancer treatment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite pharmaceutical composition by combining extracts from two different plant sources - elm tree and varnish tree. This composite approach allows the beneficial properties of both plants to work together while mitigating the harmful effects of urushiol through the synergistic combination.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Adaptability or versatility

If elm and varnish trees are used for pharmaceutical materials, then previous studies showed utility for hypercholesterolemia and arteriosclerosis, but pharmaceutical applicability has been extremely limited beyond these conditions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepharmaceutical applicabilityVSAvoidinvestigation into physiological activities
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent demonstrates that the combined composition of elm and varnish trees has multiple pharmaceutical applications beyond the previously known hypercholesterolemia and arteriosclerosis treatments. The composition is now shown to have anticancer activities, expanding its versatility to treat different types of cancer including sarcoma, leukemia, and lymphoma.

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

3Object-affected harmful factors

If elm tree is used for pharmaceutical materials, then it is readily available and nontoxic, but it has been almost put outside the range of studies for pharmaceutical materials

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovetoxicityVSAvoidstudies for pharmaceutical materials
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges elm tree (which is nontoxic and readily available) with varnish tree to create a combined composition that maintains the low toxicity of elm while adding the pharmaceutical value of varnish tree. This combination has revitalized research interest in elm tree for pharmaceutical applications, particularly in anticancer therapy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS8852658B2Anticancer composition
Publication Date: 2014.10.07 HOASHI MASAHITO

AI summary

An anticancer composition containing a flowery portion of elm tree or its extract and a leaf portion of varnish tree or its extract is safe and shows high activity.