EP1663272A1

EP1663272A1 - Alkaloid-reduced kava extract

Info

Publication number: EP1663272A1
Application number: EP04786236A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Wilhelm Berkulin; Björn FEISTEL; Frauke Gaedcke; Ivo Pischel
Original assignee: Finzelberg GmbH and Co KG
Current assignee: Finzelberg GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 2003-08-27
Filing date: 2004-08-26
Publication date: 2006-06-07
Also published as: WO2005021017A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing a plant extract from Kava (Piper methysticum), comprising the following steps: extracting plant parts by using organic extractants such as water-containing or water-free alcohols, ketones, carboxylic acids, alkanes, chlorohydrocarbons and supercritical gases or mixtures thereof, and treating the residue which is at least partially liberated from the organic extractant under acidic (pH = 3) or basic (pH = 9) conditions, and/or subjecting the residue to adsorption processes on cation exchangers or uncharged adsorbents based on organic polymer resins.

Description

Alkaloid reduced kava extract

The present invention relates to a process for the production of a plant extract of kava (Piper methysticum), an extract obtainable according to the process according to the invention and the use of the extract.

Kava kava, also known as intoxicant (Piper methysticum FORSTER, Piperaceae), is a close relative of black pepper and is native to Polynesia and Melanesia. A distinction is made between numerous morphological and chemical types or varieties. The perennial shrub with 30 cm large, heart-shaped leaves grows to a height of approx. 3 m and forms a strong rhizome of up to 10 kg in 5 to 6 years. The most important growers are Samoa and Fiji, where the propagation takes place exclusively via cuttings.

Kava-kava (also kawa-kawa) was distributed millennia ago by seafaring peoples on the Pacific Islands, for whom the roots of the psychoactive pepper variety were of great importance in cultural and religious life. The toning, refreshing drink was indispensable in daily use and at ceremonies all over Polynesia. It was also used in folk medicine.

Various pharmacological activities of the lactones identified as ingredients have been clinically proven. They have a calming, antispasmodic, local anesthetic and muscle relaxant effect. However, they also show neurophysiological activity, which e.g. demonstrated in an improvement in sleep [Piscopo G; Alt Med Rev 1997; 2 (5): 355-364].

German and other western doctors have been successfully using kava-kava for years to treat anxiety and restlessness as a natural phyto-tranquilizer with few side effects.

The peeled, cut rhizome dried or fresh is used. The roots were traditionally chewed for crushing. Extracts are now commercially available worldwide. The main substances of kava-kava are approx. 15 compounds, chemical active substances known as cavaprone, with the largest proportions of kavain (5,6-dihydroxy-4-methoxy-6-styryl-2H-pyran-2-one) and make up its methoxy and dihydro derivatives Yangonin and Marindinin.

However, due to liver-damaging side effects, the use of kava kava extracts was questionably or even officially prevented.

The way in which the extracts are obtained is of great importance since the extraction conditions can lead to the accumulation of toxic substances. A technical problem on which the invention is based is therefore the provision of a method for obtaining kava-kava extracts with low potential for side effects.

Surprisingly, it was found that this problem can be solved by little technical effort during or as an additional step to the conventional kava extract production.

The process according to the invention for producing a plant extract of kava (Piper methysticum) has the following steps:

- Extraction of parts of plants with organic extraction agents such as water-containing or anhydrous free alcohols, in particular alcohols, ketones, carboxylic esters, alkanes, chlorinated hydrocarbons and supercritical gases or mixtures thereof containing 1 to 3 carbon atoms, and also

- Treatment of the residue at least partially freed from organic extracting agents under acidic or basic conditions and / or

- Adsorption processes on charged or uncharged adsorbents.

The process according to the invention leads to a plant extract which is practically freed from alkaloid compounds. The invention advantageously contains Extract of kava (Piper methysticum), obtainable according to the present invention, contains the majority of the naturally occurring kavapyrones in the kava plant.

According to the invention, leaves, stem bark or rhizome can be used as plant parts, fresh or dried.

The organic extractant is in particular methanol, ethanol, propanol, acetone, ethyl acetate or mixtures thereof with water, dichloromethane and / or supercritical carbon dioxide.

The treatment under basic or acidic conditions is carried out in particular using sodium hydroxide and lime liquor or using mineral acids such as sulfuric acid or hydrochloric acid. This treatment advantageously leads to the depletion of alkaloids.

Said treatment under basic or acidic conditions is preferably carried out under conditions in which the water content is more than 50% by volume, preferably more than 70% by volume, of the solution. For treatment under basic conditions, the pH should be 9 or more, preferably 10 or more. In one embodiment of the invention, the pH can also be 11 or more. Particularly suitable ranges are pH 9 to 11.

In the case of treatment under acidic conditions, the pH should preferably be 3 or less, preferably 2.5 or less. In a preferred embodiment, it can also be 2 or less. Particularly suitable ranges are pH 3 to pH 1.5.

The treatment is typically carried out for a period of 5 minutes to 12 hours, more preferably between 0.5 and 6 hours, even more preferably between 1 and 4 hours. The treatment can also be carried out at a somewhat elevated temperature. Particularly suitable conditions for the treatment are temperatures between 0 and 80 ° C, more preferably between room temperature and 50 ° C. Alkaloids and / or other substances can also be separated off by adsorption processes on adsorbents, for example on cation exchangers or organic polymer resins (for example Amberlite XAD). Liquid-liquid extraction is also an alternative or additional step.

In the case of liquid-liquid extraction, the extract is extracted in aqueous solution with an organic solvent. Typical suitable solvents are butanol and ethyl acetate.

The depletion steps can of course not only be carried out individually, but also in combination and in any order.

A suitable method is, for example, treatment with a cation exchanger in acid (H ⁺ ) form. This simultaneously lowers the pH and also enables adsorption on cation exchangers.

The invention also relates to a plant extract obtainable by the process according to the invention. The extracts according to the invention contain the kavapyrones, which are mostly chemical derivatives of kavain (5,6-dihydroxy-4-methoxy-6-styryl-2H-pyran-2-one).

The effect of the method according to the invention may be based on the chemically relatively reduced stability of the alkaloids, which seem to be very susceptible to hydrolysis of the constituents to be structurally regarded as amide alkaloids. This decomposition can be forced, for example, by basic or acidic saponification. During this hydrolysis, an amino and an acid component are released from the alkaloids, which should be less harmful or can be eliminated by suitable adsorbers, such as ion exchangers.

With regard to the physical instability of the alkaloids, thermal lability was observed, especially in the presence of water, which is probably also manifested solvatolytically. Furthermore, the above-mentioned alkaloids, like their hydrolysis products, can have a basic or amphoteric character. Strong affinity for charged adsorbents was found. Such adsorbers are also very suitable hydrolysis catalysts and therefore preferred media for separating the alkaloid traces.

The extract according to the invention can be used for the production of medicaments, food supplements, veterinary products or cosmetics in liquid or solid extract preparations.

Examples:

example 1

13.3 kg of kava rhizomes, cut and sieved to pieces of 6 to 8 mm, are exhaustively extracted with 160 kg of ethanol 96% V / V at 45 ° C for 24 h. The filtered, combined ethanolic processes are gently evaporated at 55 ° C in a vacuum to a paste-like kava nut extract. The resulting spissum extract of 1.1 kg has a dry matter content of 94% m / m. This extract, which has been freed from the extractant (ethanol <0.5% m / m), contains 58% by weight Kavapyrone (HPLC) and 69 ppm alkaloid compounds calculated as pipermethystin (GC), each based on the dry extract.

Example 2

11.2 kg of kava peels of the trunk bark are produced analogously to Example 1 up to the pasty mother extract. The result is 0.86 kg of spissum extract with a dry residue of 95% m / m. The solvent-free extract contains 51% by weight Kavapyrone (HPLC) and 230 ppm alkaloid compounds calculated as pipermethystin (GC), each based on the dry extract.

Example 3

100 g of the kava spissum extract obtained according to Example 1 are redissolved in ethanol 80% v / v. The mixture is then stirred at 55 ° C. Product temperature, so much sulfuric acid added dropwise until a pH of approx. 3 is reached. After a stirring time of 2 hours, the extract solution is cooled to room temperature and neutralized with an alkali solution. Precipitated precipitates are filtered off and the extract solution is evaporated down again to the spissumin extract. The spissum contains 54% by weight Kavapyrone (HPLC) and 5 ppm alkaloid compounds calculated as pipermethystin (GC), each based on the dry extract.

Example 4

100 g of the kava spissum extract obtained according to Example 1 are redissolved in ethanol 80% v / v. Then, with constant stirring at room temperature, as much lime is added dropwise until a pH of approx. 11 is reached. After stirring for 2 hours, the extract solution is neutralized with a mineral acid solution. Precipitated precipitates are separated and the extract solution is evaporated again to the spissum extract. The spissum contains 49% by weight Kavapyrone (HPLC) and <5 ppm alkaloid compounds calculated as pipermethystin (GC), each based on the dry extract.

Example 5

100 g of the kava spissum extract obtained according to Example 1 are redissolved in ethanol 80% v / v. Then, with constant stirring at 55 ° C product temperature, so much sulfuric acid is added dropwise until a pH of approx. 3 is established. After a stirring time of 2 hours, the extract solution is cooled to room temperature and neutralized with an alkali solution. Precipitated precipitates are separated and the extract solution is converted into an organic phase by stirring twice with the same volume of ethyl acetate. This is evaporated under reduced pressure. The spissum obtained contains 62% by weight of Kavapyrone (HPLC) and <5 ppm of alkaloid compounds calculated as pipermethystin (GC), in each case based on the dry extract. Example 6

100 g of the kava spissum extract obtained according to Example 2 are suspended in sulfuric acid water at pH 1-2 with vigorous stirring at 40 ° C. for 1 h. The aqueous phase that separates is then removed. The extract is redissolved in ethanol 80% (V / V) and passed over a cation exchanger. The continuous aqueous-ethanolic eluates are then evaporated under reduced pressure. The spissum obtained contains 47% by weight of Kavapyrone (HPLC) and <5 ppm of alkaloid compounds calculated as pipermethystin (GC), in each case based on the dry extract.

Example 7

10 kg kava rhizome, cut and sieved to pieces of 6 to 8 mm, are exhaustively extracted with 180 kg acetone (60% m / m) at 35 ° C for 24 hours. The filtered, combined acetone processes are gently evaporated at 40 ° C in a vacuum to a pasty kava mother extract. The resulting spissum extract of 1.2 kg has a dry matter content of 88% m / m. This extract, which is freed from the extracting agent, contains 54% by weight of Kavapyrone (HPLC) and 86 ppm of alkaloid compounds, calculated as pipermethystin (GC), in each case based on the dry extract.

To remove the alkaloid, the extract is redissolved in 70% v / v ethanol and passed through a strongly acidic cation exchanger (sulfonic acid resin) in the form of a packed column. The eluate obtained after passage through the column is evaporated in vacuo to spissum at 55 ° C. This extract still contains a high proportion of 52% by weight of kavapyrones and is practically free of alkaloid compounds (<5 ppm), based in each case on the dry extract.

Claims

claims

1. A method for producing a plant extract of kava (Piper methysticum) with the following steps:

- Extraction of parts of plants with organic extraction agents such as water-containing or anhydrous free alcohols, ketones, carboxylic acid esters, alkanes, chlorinated hydrocarbons and supercritical gases or mixtures thereof, and

- Treatment of the residue at least partially freed from organic extracting agents under acidic (pH <3) or basic (pH> 9) conditions and / or

- Adsorption processes on cation exchangers or uncharged adsorbents based on organic polymer resins.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the plant parts used, fresh or dried, are leaves, trunk bark or rhizome.

3. The method according to claim 1 and / or 2, wherein the organic extractant is methanol, ethanol, propanol, acetone, ethyl acetate or mixtures thereof with water, dichloromethane and / or supercritical carbon dioxide.

4. The method according to at least one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the treatment is carried out under basic conditions by means of sodium hydroxide and lime.

5. The method according to at least one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the treatment is carried out under acidic conditions using mineral acids such as hydrochloric acid or sulfuric acid.

6. The method according to at least one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the adsorption processes is replaced by a liquid-liquid extraction.

7. Plant extract obtainable according to a process according to at least one of claims 1 to 6.

8. Use of the extract according to claim 7 for the production of medicaments, food supplements, veterinary products or cosmetics in liquid or solid extract preparations.