Miraculin Taste Modification for Bowel Prep Compliance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current bowel preparation solutions for colonoscopies are often unpleasantly tasting and difficult for patients to complete due to their salty and foul taste, leading to inadequate cleansing and reduced compliance, which can impact the effectiveness of the procedure.
Innovation Solution
A method and kit that utilize a taste-modifying substance like miraculin to adjust the pH of bowel preparation compositions, making them significantly less salty by modifying the perception of taste, thereby improving patient compliance and cleansing efficacy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If bowel preparation solutions contain large amounts of polyethylene glycol and electrolytes to achieve effective cleansing, then the cleansing efficacy is improved, but the solution becomes very salty and foul-tasting, reducing patient compliance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces miraculin as an intermediary substance that mediates between the necessary salty taste (for effective cleansing) and patient comfort. Miraculin binds to taste receptors and modifies the perception of saltiness, allowing the solution to maintain its effective electrolyte composition while reducing the unpleasant taste sensation that causes non-compliance
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the pH parameter of the bowel preparation solution to enhance the effectiveness of miraculin. By adjusting the pH to be acidic (pH 2-6), the patent maximizes miraculin's ability to modify taste perception, thereby further reducing the perceived saltiness and improving patient compliance while maintaining cleansing efficacy
2Reliability
If the volume of bowel preparation solution is increased to ensure adequate bowel cleansing, then the cleansing quality is improved, but the large volume becomes more difficult for patients to complete, reducing compliance
Solution Approach 1:
Miraculin serves as a mediator that allows patients to tolerate larger volumes of preparation solution by modifying the taste perception. The taste-modifying effect enables patients to complete the full required volume without the unpleasant salty taste becoming a limiting factor, thereby ensuring both adequate cleansing quality and compliance
3Ease of operation
If flavorings are added to bowel preparation solutions to improve palatability, then patient compliance is improved, but the effectiveness of taste modification is limited and saltiness perception remains
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces miraculin as a superior intermediary compared to conventional flavorings. While flavorings merely mask the unpleasant taste, miraculin actively modifies the taste perception at the receptor level, providing a more effective and reliable reduction in saltiness perception that directly addresses the limitation of traditional flavoring approaches
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical environment by adjusting pH to enhance miraculin's effectiveness. This parameter change creates optimal conditions for miraculin to modify taste perception, providing a more reliable and effective taste modification compared to simple flavoring additions
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 use of miraculin reduces the perceived saltiness of bowel preparation solutions by up to 70%, enhancing patient compliance and the quality of gastrointestinal tract cleansing, leading to more effective colonoscopy procedures.
Implementation Method 1
Miraculin modifies the perception of taste by making the sweet receptors more responsive to acids instead of only to sugars and other sweet substances
Implementation Method 2
determining the pH of a gastrointestinal tract preparation composition which has a salty taste, and adjusting the pH to range from about 3 to about 6.4 if necessary
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention provides methods and taste-modifying kits for facilitating cleansing of the gastrointestinal tract of a patient prior to a diagnostic, surgical or therapeutic procedure. The methods and taste-modifying kits can improve patient compliance, and thus, efficacy of the preparation. Specifically, the present methods make the gastrointestinal tract preparation composition palatable for the patient to consume. For example, for a patient preparing to undergo colonoscopy, the present methods make the bowel preparation solution taste significantly less salty.