Krill Phospholipid Extraction Process for Pharmaceutical Purity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current pharmaceutical formulations of omega-3 fatty acids, such as krill oil, often have low phospholipid content and contain undesirable components like lysophospholipids and astaxanthins, which can affect their biological efficacy and distribution in the body, and existing extraction methods use solvent systems not suitable for pharmaceutical use.
Innovation Solution
A process involving three solvent systems to selectively extract and purify phospholipids from krill and other biological sources, reducing undesired components like trimethylamine N-oxide, astaxanthins, and neutral lipids, while maintaining high phospholipid content, using solvents acceptable for pharmaceutical use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If conventional extraction methods are used to obtain phospholipids from krill, then phospholipid content can be achieved, but undesirable components like lysophospholipids and astaxanthins remain and solvent systems used are not suitable for pharmaceutical use
Solution Approach 1:
The extraction process is divided into multiple sequential steps using different solvent systems: first extracting with a polar solvent to obtain phospholipids, then washing with a non-polar solvent to remove neutral lipids and astaxanthins, and finally treating with a basic solution to remove lysophospholipids. This segmentation allows selective removal of different undesirable components at different stages.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts and removes specific undesirable components (neutral lipids, astaxanthins, lysophospholipids) from the phospholipid extract using targeted washing and treatment steps, separating them from the desired phospholipid fraction to achieve high purity suitable for pharmaceutical use.
2Reliability
If krill oil with high phospholipid content is produced, then biological efficacy is improved, but the concentration of undesirable components also increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies different treatment conditions to different components based on their specific properties: polar solvents for phospholipid extraction, non-polar solvents for neutral lipid and astaxanthin removal, and basic solutions for lysophospholipid treatment. This localized approach ensures high phospholipid recovery while selectively eliminating undesirable components.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes physical and chemical parameters (solvent polarity, pH, temperature) at different stages of the process to optimize separation. By adjusting these parameters, the process achieves high phospholipid purity while removing undesirable components that would otherwise co-extract.
3Ease of manufacture
If a simple extraction process is used, then manufacturing is easier, but phospholipid purity and concentration of undesirable components cannot be controlled
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses an asymmetric multi-step process where each step targets specific components with appropriate solvent systems. Rather than a single symmetric extraction, the process applies different treatments in sequence, making the manufacturing process more complex but enabling precise control over phospholipid purity.
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 process achieves a high phospholipid content with reduced undesired components, resulting in a pharmaceutical-grade krill phospholipid composition suitable for improved bioavailability and efficacy, particularly in treating conditions like hypertriglyceridemia and heart disease.
Implementation Method 1
mixing the biological material with a first solvent system in which the polar lipids are soluble, thereby preferentially extracting the polar lipids into a liquid phase of a slurry
Implementation Method 2
washing the biological material with a second solvent system in which the polar lipids are poorly soluble
Implementation Method 3
mixing the extracted and washed material from steps (a) and (b) with a third solvent system which partitions neutral lipids and polar lipids
Data Source
AI summary
The invention provides improved processes for extracting and preparing polar lipids (in particular, desirable phospholipids) from krill and other biological sources. The inventors have discovered processes through which it is possible to extract phospholipids to give high phospholipid content and a reduction of undesired components.