Plant Extract Delipidation via Concentration and Microfiltration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for preparing plant extracts fail to effectively remove lipids and lipoids without losing physiologically active substances, leading to batch variation and poor solubility in physiological media, which complicates the formulation of stable and uniform solid drug forms.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the preparation of soluble plant extracts using an aqueous or alcoholic extractant, concentration to form suspended or emulgated aggregates, followed by microfiltration to remove these aggregates, and optional removal of the extractant, ensuring the retention of active ingredients and improved solubility and batch consistency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If lipophilic solvents are used to remove lipids and lipoids, then lipid removal is effective, but active ingredients are lost and toxicity/flammability issues arise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state parameter of the extract by concentrating it to a dry substance content of 10-50% w/w. This concentration transforms the extract into a state where lipids form suspended aggregates that can be separated by microfiltration, avoiding the need for lipophilic solvents and preventing active ingredient loss while achieving effective lipid removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces chemical separation methods (lipophilic solvents) with a physical-mechanical method: concentration followed by microfiltration. The concentration step causes lipids to form suspended aggregates, and microfiltration mechanically separates these aggregates from the active ingredients in the concentrated extract, eliminating toxicity and flammability issues associated with lipophilic solvents.
2Manufacturing precision
If conventional separation methods (precipitation, decanting, centrifugation) are used, then lipid removal is attempted, but clear phase separation is not achieved and active ingredients are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs a preliminary concentration action before separation. By concentrating the extract to 10-50% dry substance content first, the lipids are transformed into suspended aggregates that are readily separable by microfiltration. This preliminary concentration step enables clear phase separation and prevents active ingredient loss that occurs with conventional direct separation methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces conventional mechanical separation methods (precipitation, decanting, centrifugation) with microfiltration. Microfiltration provides clear phase separation by physically filtering suspended lipid aggregates while retaining active ingredients in the filtrate, achieving both clear separation and active ingredient retention that conventional methods fail to provide.
3Stability of the object's composition
If lipids and lipoids are not removed, then batch variation occurs and solubility in physiological media is poor, but removal methods cause active ingredient loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the concentration parameter of the extract to 10-50% dry substance content, which transforms the physical state of lipids into separable suspended aggregates. This parameter change enables effective lipid removal for batch consistency while preserving active ingredients, avoiding the active ingredient loss associated with conventional lipid removal methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses microfiltration instead of conventional separation methods to remove lipids. Microfiltration achieves clear separation of lipid aggregates while retaining active ingredients in the filtrate, ensuring batch-to-batch consistency without active ingredient loss that plagues conventional methods.
4Reliability
If plant extracts contain lipids and lipoids, then solubility in aqueous physiological media is poor, but removing them requires toxic/flammable solvents
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the concentration parameter to 10-50% dry substance content, which transforms lipids into suspended aggregates that can be removed by microfiltration. This eliminates harmful lipids that prevent solubility in aqueous physiological media without requiring toxic or flammable lipophilic solvents, achieving both improved solubility reliability and elimination of harmful factors.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces toxic/flammable lipophilic solvents with a two-step process: concentration to form suspended lipid aggregates followed by microfiltration. This mechanical-physical method removes lipids that hinder solubility in physiological media without introducing toxicity or flammability, achieving reliable aqueous solubility safely.
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
This method significantly removes lipids and lipoids from plant extracts, enhancing their solubility and disintegration properties in physiological media, maintaining the integrity of active ingredients and achieving batch-to-batch consistency, as demonstrated in various phytoceutical extracts.
Implementation Method 1
concentrating the extract to a dry substance content at which the contained lipids and lipoids form suspended and/or emulgated aggregates
Implementation Method 2
the contained lipids and lipoids form suspended and/or emulgated aggregates
Implementation Method 3
separating the suspended and/or emulgated aggregates by microfiltration from the concentrated extract
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is directed to a method for preparing plant extracts comprising the steps of (i) preparing a soluble extract from (a) plants or parts thereof and (b) an aqueous, alcoholic or aqueous alcoholic mixed extractant; and removal of insoluble components, (ii) concentrating the extract to a dry substance content at which the contained lipids and lipoids form suspended and/or emulgated aggregates, (iii) separating the suspended and/or emulgated aggregates by microfiltration from the concentrated extract, and (iv) optionally removing the extractant. The invention further pertains to an extract and composition comprising said extract as prepared by this method.