Polyphenol-Peptide Composition for Diarrhea Duration Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current treatments for diarrhea lack an effective, easily administered, inexpensive, and side-effect-free agent that can promote intestinal health and combat diarrhea effectively.

Innovation Solution

A composition combining epicatechin as the polyphenol component from cocoa with glycomacropeptide as the milk peptide component, which when combined, demonstrates a more pronounced effect than either component alone in shortening the duration of diarrhea.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional treatments for diarrhea are used, then diarrhea can be treated, but they lack effectiveness, ease of administration, affordability, and freedom from side effects

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveeffectiveness of diarrhea treatmentVSAvoidease of administration
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines polyphenols (specifically epicatechin from cocoa) and milk peptides (specifically glycomacropeptide) into a single composition. This merging of two bioactive components creates a synergistic effect that enhances diarrhea treatment effectiveness while maintaining ease of administration as a unified product.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention creates a composite functional composition integrating polyphenols and milk peptides. This composite approach leverages the complementary mechanisms of both components - polyphenols for antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects, and milk peptides for immune modulation and intestinal protection - to achieve superior therapeutic outcomes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Duration of action of moving object

If polyphenols and milk peptides are used separately, then each provides some benefit, but the effect on shortening diarrhea duration is not maximized

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveduration of diarrheaVSAvoidtherapeutic effect
Core Design Contradiction:
Duration of action of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges polyphenols and milk peptides into a single composition to achieve synergistic effects. The combination proves more effective than either component alone in shortening diarrhea duration, as the two substances work together to address multiple pathogenic mechanisms simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent utilizes substances naturally present in common foods (cocoa and milk) and transforms them into a therapeutic composition. By processing these everyday materials through controlled hydrolysis and combination, the invention converts ordinary dietary components into a potent treatment that shortens diarrhea duration effectively.

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

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 polyphenol-peptide composition significantly shortens the duration of diarrhea, supports intestinal health, and reduces pathogenic bacteria, offering a therapeutic and dietary solution for diarrhea treatment and prevention.

Implementation Method 1

Epicatechin has now been found to suppress precisely this transport system for water (M. Schuier, H. Sies, B. Illek and H. Fischer, Cocoa-related flavonoids inhibit CFTR-mediated chloride transport across T84 human colon epithelia, J. Nutr. 135:2320-2325 (2005))

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCFTR-mediated chloride transport inhibition:

Implementation Method 2

Interestingly, an antimicrobial effect has also been demonstrated (K. Nakajima, N. Tamura, K. Kobayashi-Hattor, T. Yoshida, Y. Hara-Kudo, M. Ikedo, Y. Sugata-Konishi and M. Hattori, Prevention of Intestinal Infection by Glycomacropeptide, Biosci. Biotechnol. Biochem. 69: 2294-2301 (2005)). A function is attributed to sialic acid on the glycomacropeptide.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAntimicrobial effect:

Implementation Method 3

It is also worth mentioning in this context that glycosylation plays a certain role in this function of the glycomacropeptide.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGlycosylation:

Implementation Method 4

The polyphenols of cocoa play a very special role, as cocoa has also been found to have an antibacterial effect on enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria. (T. Takahashi, H. Taguchi, H. Yamaguchi, T. Osaki, S. Sato, M. Kamei, S. Hashizume and S. Kamiya, Antibacterial effects of cacao mass on enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 Kansenshogaku Zasshi 73:694 -701 (1999))

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAntibacterial effect:

Implementation Method 5

During the production of cheese, the so-called glycomacropeptide is split off from the casein through the hydrolytic activity of the so-called rennet enzyme.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHydrolysis: Hydrolysis

Data Source

PatentEP2046135B1Polyphenol/peptide composition and use thereof for promoting gastric health
Publication Date: 2010.09.15 HUMANA MILCHUNION EG

AI summary

The present invention relates to a composition which comprises a first component from the group of the polyphenols and a second component from the group of the lactic peptides. Furthermore, the invention relates to a process for the preparation of the composition and to the use of the composition for the preparation of products which are used either as pharmaceuticals or as dietetic foodstuffs.