Polysaccharide Composition for Immune Modulation in Cancer Therapy

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current cancer therapies face challenges in early diagnosis, metastasis, drug resistance, and toxicity, with existing polysaccharide extraction methods discarding ethanol precipitate as production waste, limiting understanding and comparison of bioactivities.

Innovation Solution

A pharmaceutical composition comprising polysaccharides extracted from Radix Astragali, Radix Codonopsis, or Ganoderma sinense, using a process involving solid/liquid extractions, precipitation, centrifugation, drying, and purification by ion-exchange and gel-permeation chromatography, to modulate the immune system and enhance cancer treatment efficacy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If conventional extraction methods are used to obtain polysaccharides, then the extraction process is simple, but the ethanol precipitate is discarded as production waste, limiting understanding and comparison of bioactivities

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveextraction process simplicityVSAvoidethanol precipitate waste

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The invention recovers the ethanol precipitate that was previously discarded as waste. The method involves taking the ethanol precipitate from conventional extraction processes and subjecting it to further purification steps including water extraction, ethanol precipitation, and chromatography to isolate active polysaccharide components, thereby converting waste into valuable pharmaceutical material

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

Solution Approach 2:

The invention extracts active polysaccharide components from the ethanol precipitate waste material through systematic purification processes including ion-exchange chromatography and gel-permeation chromatography, separating the beneficial bioactive substances from the waste stream

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Reliability

If combined use of immunotherapy and chemotherapy is implemented, then overall efficacy is improved, but toxicity and drug resistance issues persist

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecancer treatment efficacyVSAvoidtoxicity to normal cells

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention uses polysaccharides as intermediary substances that mediate between chemotherapy agents and the immune system. These polysaccharides stimulate immune cell activity and cytokine production, enhancing the body's natural defense mechanisms while reducing the direct toxic impact of chemotherapy on normal cells

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention creates a composite therapeutic approach combining polysaccharide immunomodulators with chemotherapy agents. The polysaccharides from traditional Chinese medicines work synergistically with conventional chemotherapy drugs to improve overall treatment efficacy while mitigating side effects

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

3Reliability

If Chinese herbal injections are produced to meet safety and quality control requirements, then product quality is improved, but production complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesafety and quality controlVSAvoidproduction process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention divides the production process into distinct modular stages: initial extraction, ethanol precipitation, water extraction, and chromatography purification. Each stage produces a defined intermediate product with specific quality attributes, making it easier to control and monitor safety and quality at each step rather than as a single complex process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

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 polysaccharide composition effectively stimulates immune response, enhances cytokine production, and demonstrates immunomodulating effects, potentially improving cancer treatment outcomes by complementing chemotherapy with reduced toxicity.

Implementation Method 1

enhances cytokine production

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCytokine production:

Implementation Method 2

solid/liquid extractions

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSolid/liquid extraction:

Implementation Method 3

precipitation

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPrecipitation: Precipitation

Implementation Method 4

centrifugation

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCentrifugation: Centrifugal Separation

Implementation Method 5

purification by ion-exchange and gel-permeation chromatography

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectIon-exchange chromatography: Ion Exchange

Implementation Method 6

purification by ion-exchange and gel-permeation chromatography

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGel-permeation chromatography: Chromatography

Data Source

PatentUS9005676B2Pharmaceutical composition and methods for modulating immune system, preventing, pretreating and/or treating cancers

Publication Date: 2015.04.14 HONG KONG BAPTIST UNIV

AI summary

This invention provides a pharmaceutical composition for modulating immune system comprising at least one polysaccharide extracted from Radix Astragali, Radix Codonopsis, Ganoderma sinense, or mixtures thereof, and their extraction process. The present invention further relates to a method of modulating immune system by applying said pharmaceutical composition to a subject suffering from cancers, and a method of preventing and/or pretreating and/or treating cancers in the subject, where said method comprises applying said pharmaceutical composition before/during chemotherapy.