Long-Chain Butyrate Triglycerides for Palatable Ketone Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dietary sources of butyrate, such as butyric acid and tributyrin, are associated with unpleasant sensory qualities like vomit-like, fecal, and cheesy aromas, making oral administration difficult, especially in pediatric populations, and high doses of medium chain triglycerides can cause gastrointestinal intolerance.
Innovation Solution
Development of triglycerides containing butyrate moieties and long chain fatty acids with improved organoleptic properties, which do not add additional mineral salts, for use in nutritional compositions, dietary supplements, and infant formulas to increase blood ketone levels and treat related diseases.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If butyric acid or tributyrin is used as a dietary source of butyrate, then butyrate supplementation is achieved, but unpleasant sensory qualities (vomit-like, fecal, cheesy aromas) are produced making oral administration difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses medium chain triglycerides (MCTs) as an intermediary carrier to deliver butyrate. Instead of administering butyric acid or tributyrin directly (which cause unpleasant sensations), the butyrate is incorporated into MCT triglyceride molecules, serving as a mediator that transports the active butyrate component while masking its harmful sensory properties. The MCTs provide a palatable delivery vehicle that maintains butyrate supplementation benefits without the associated sensory drawbacks.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates composite triglyceride molecules combining butyrate moieties with long chain fatty acids. This composite approach integrates the beneficial butyrate component with neutral or pleasant-tasting fatty acid chains, resulting in a compound that maintains the metabolic benefits of butyrate supplementation while eliminating the unpleasant sensory qualities of pure butyric acid or tributyrin.
2Quantity of substance
If high doses of medium chain triglycerides are administered to increase ketone production, then ketone levels improve, but gastrointestinal intolerance (diarrhea, stomach cramps) occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by selecting specific long chain fatty acids (16-20 carbons) to replace the medium chain fatty acid portions of the triglyceride molecules. This localized modification at the fatty acid level changes the molecular properties to improve gastrointestinal tolerance while preserving the ketone-producing capability through butyrate hydrolysis. The specific chain length and saturation of the long chain fatty acids are optimized to minimize GI side effects.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the triglyceride molecules by substituting medium chain fatty acids with long chain fatty acids having specific carbon lengths (16-20 carbons). This parameter change in the molecular structure modifies the digestibility and tolerance characteristics, allowing higher ketone production through butyrate metabolism without triggering gastrointestinal intolerance associated with conventional high-dose MCT supplementation.
3Reliability
If butyrate supplementation is provided to treat neurological conditions, then therapeutic benefits are achieved, but poor taste and odor make oral administration difficult especially in pediatric populations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs medium chain triglycerides as an intermediary delivery system that facilitates palatable oral administration in pediatric and adult populations. The MCT-based triglyceride compounds serve as a mediating vehicle that delivers butyrate therapeutically while providing acceptable taste and odor characteristics, removing the barrier to oral administration that exists with pure butyrate supplements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent develops composite triglyceride molecules that combine the therapeutic butyrate component with long chain fatty acids having neutral or pleasant sensory properties. This composite structure maintains the neurological therapeutic benefits of butyrate supplementation while creating a palatable formulation suitable for oral administration across different age groups, particularly improving acceptability in pediatric populations.
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 compounds provide improved taste and odor profiles, allowing for effective oral administration and high ketone production without gastrointestinal issues, addressing sensory challenges and intolerance, and are suitable for treating conditions like brain energy deficiencies and neurological disorders.
Implementation Method 1
Under hydrolysis conditions such as those occurring during digestion, tributyrin is potentially a source of three moles of butyric acid per mole of tributyrin
Implementation Method 2
Butyrate is also known to stimulate the production of high amounts of ketones when ingested
Data Source
AI summary
Use of a compound having the formulaor combinations thereof, for increasing blood ketone levels, and/or treating a disease treatable by increasing blood ketone levels, preferably wherein the disease is selected from the list consisting of: a brain energy deficiency condition, a neurological condition, migraine, memory disorder, age-related memory disorder, brain injury, stroke, amyloid lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, cognitive impairment, cognitive impairment post-intensive care, age-induced cognition impairment, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntingdon's disease, inherited metabolic disorders (such as glucose transporter type 1 deficiency syndrome and pyruvate dehydrogenase complex deficiency), depression, schizophrenia, epilepsy, narcolepsy, diabetes, obesity, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and polycystic ovary syndrome, wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R5 and R6 are independently a long chain fatty acid having between 16 and 20 carbons.