Weight loss abstract
The present invention relates to herbal compositions and methods
for regulating body weight, especially for promoting body weight
loss, for maintaining or controlling body weight, reducing blood
levels of circulating chemical fuels (e.g., glucose, carbohydrates,
fatty acids, and cholesterol), facilitating or promoting metabolism,
treating diabetes, treating body weight disorders, and the like.
Weight loss claims
I claim:
1. An herbal composition comprising: green tea, ginseng, 25 500
mg of konjac extract comprising 90% glucomannan, and seaweed, wherein
each ingredient is present in an amount effective to promote body
weight loss, or maintain or control body weight.
2. An herbal composition of claim 1, comprising by weight, 30 70%
green tea, 1 20% ginseng, 10 70% konjac extract, and 10 70% seaweed.
3. An herbal composition of claim 2, comprising by weight, 30 40%
green tea, 1 5% ginseng, 10 20% konjac extract, and 40 60% seaweed.
4. An herbal composition of claim 3, comprising by weight, 35%
green tea, 1% ginseng, 14% konjac extract, and 50% seaweed.
5. An herbal composition of claim 4, wherein the ginseng is panex
ginseng.
6. A method of promoting weight loss, comprising administering
an effective amount to a patient in need thereof of a composition
of claim 4.
7. A method of claim 6, wherein 1 3 grams a day of said composition
is administered.
8. A method of promoting weight loss, comprising administering
an effective amount to a patient in need thereof of a composition
of claim 3.
9. An herbal composition of claim 2, wherein the green tea is an
extract comprising 25% polyphenol and 7% caffeine.
10. A method of promoting weight loss, comprising administering
an effective amount to a patient in need thereof of a composition
of claim 2.
11. An herbal composition of claim 1, wherein said amounts are
effective to promote body weight loss.
12. A method of promoting weight loss, comprising administering
an effective amount to a patient in need thereof of a composition
of claim 1.
13. An herbal composition of claim 1, comprising 50 500 mg of konjac
extract.
14. An herbal composition, comprising by weight: 30 70% green tea,
1 20% ginseng, 10 70% konjac extract comprising 90% glucomanna,
and 10 70% seaweed, in amounts effective to promote body weight
loss, or, maintain or control body weight.
15. A method of promoting weight loss, comprising administering
an effective amount to a patient in need thereof of a composition
of claim 14.
16. An herbal composition of claim 14, wherein said composition
comprises 50 500 mg of konjac extract.
Weight loss description
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to herbal compositions and methods
for regulating body weight, especially for promoting body weight
loss, for maintaining or controlling body weight, reducing blood
levels of circulating chemical fuels (e.g., glucose, carbohydrates,
fatty acids, and cholesterol), facilitating or promoting metabolism,
treating diabetes, treating body weight disorders, and the like.
Compositions useful for modulating weight loss, include:
1. An herbal composition comprising at least two ingredients selected
from rhubarb, green tea, or chitosan, wherein each ingredients is
an amount effective to promote body weight loss, maintain or control
body weight, reduce blood levels of circulating chemical fuels,
facilitate or promote metabolism, treat diabetes or other blood
sugar disorders, etc. A composition can comprise, e.g., all three
ingredients, or pairs of ingredients, such as rhubarb and green
tea, rhubarb and chitosan, and green tea and chitosan
2. An herbal composition comprising rhubarb, green tea, and/or
sea weed, wherein each is present in an amount effective to promote
body weight loss, maintain or control body weight, reduce blood
levels of circulating chemical fuels, facilitate or promote metabolism,
treat diabetes or other blood sugar disorders, etc. A composition
can comprise, e.g., all three ingredients, or pairs of ingredients,
such as rhubarb and sea weed and green tea and sea weed.
3. An herbal composition comprising rhubarb, green tea, and konjac,
wherein each is present in an amount effective to promote body weight
loss, maintain or control body weight, reduce blood levels of circulating
chemical fuels, facilitate or promote metabolism, treat diabetes
or other blood sugar disorders, etc. A composition can comprise,
e.g., all three ingredients, or pairs of ingredients as long as
konjac is included, e.g., rhubarb and konjac, or green tea and konjac.
4. Herbal compositions of formula 1,2, and 3 can further comprise
one or more additional ingredients selected from: green tea, konjac,
sea weed, ginger root, hawthorn fruit, lotus leaf, alisma root,
duckmeat herb, wolfberry fruit, jujube fruit, sparganium root, and
rice vinegar, wherein each is present in an amount effective to
promote body weight loss, maintain or control body weight, reduce
blood levels of circulating chemical fuels, facilitate or promote
metabolism, treat diabetes or other blood sugar disorders, etc.
5. An herbal composition comprising rhubarb root, lotus leaf, duckmeat
herb, cinnamomi stem, bitter orange, and alisma, wherein each is
present in an amount effective to promote body weight loss, maintain
or control body weight, reduce blood levels of circulating chemical
fuels, facilitate or promote metabolism, treat diabetes or other
blood sugar disorders, etc.
6. Herbal compositions of formula 5, can further comprise one or
more additional ingredients selected from: hawthorn fruit, red rooted
sage, areca catechu fruit, and perilla fruit, wherein each is present
in an amount effective to promote body weight loss, maintain or
control body weight, reduce blood levels of circulating chemical
fuels, facilitate or promote metabolism, treat diabetes or other
blood sugar disorders, etc. 7. An herbal composition comprising
one or more of the following ingredients: green tea, ginseng, konjac
and seaweed, wherein each is present in an amount effective to promote
body weight loss, maintain or control body weight, reduce blood
levels of circulating chemical fuels, facilitate or promote metabolism,
treat diabetes or other blood sugar disorders, etc. The composition
can further comprise one or more of any of the other ingredients
mentioned herein.
Various combinations of the ingredients can be used, including,
e.g.,
According to formula 1,
(1) An herbal composition, comprising green tea from about 25 70%
by weight of said composition, rhubarb root from about 25 80% by
weight of said composition, and chitosan from about 1 75% by weight
of said composition. Any amount of ingredients can be used which
are effective to achieve the desired purpose. For instance, about
0.5 gram 20 gms, 0.5 5 gms, 0.5 3 gms, 2 gms, can be administered
one or more times a day, such as three times a day, depending upon
the subject's physical condition and the potency of the ingredients
included.
(2) An herbal composition comprising: green tea extract, from about
40 60%, such as 45%, e.g., 500 mg; rhubarb 5:1 extract, from about
40 50%, such as 45%, e.g., 450 mg; and chitosan containing 90% Deacetylation,
from about 5 15%, such as 5%, e.g., 50 mg.
(3) An herbal composition comprising: green tea extract, from about
40 60%, such as 50%, e.g., 500 mg; and rhubarb root 5:1 extract,
from about 40 50%, such as 50%, e.g., 500 mg.
(4) An herbal composition comprising: rhubarb root 5:1 extract,
from about 25 40%, such as 25%, e.g., 500 mg; and chitosan containing
90% Deacetylation, from about 55 75%, such as 75%, e.g., 1500 mg.
(5) An herbal composition comprising: green tea extract, from about
25 35%, such as 25%, e.g., 500 mg; rhubarb root 5:1 extract, from
about 25 35%, such as 25%, e.g., 500 mg; and chitosan containing
90% Deacetylation from about 34 60%, such as 50%, e.g., 1000 mg.
(6) An herbal composition comprising green tea extract from about
25 70%, rhubarb root 5:1 extract from about 25 50%, hawthorn fruit
5:1 extract from about 5 30%, lotus leaf 5:1 extract from about
4 20%, alisma root 5:1 extract from about 5 30%, and duckmeat leaf
5:1 extract from about 4 20%. An example of such formula is green
tea leaf 5:1 extract from about 30%, rhubarb root 5:1 extract from
about 40%, hawthorn fruit 5:1 extract from about 10%, lotus leaf
5:1 extract from about 6%, and alisma root 5:1 extract from about
8%, and duckmeat leaf 5:1 extract from about 6%.
According to formula 2,
(1) An herbal composition, comprising green tea leaf extract comprising
from about 25 70% by weight of said composition, rhubarb root from
about 25 50% by weight of said composition, and sea weed from about
5 75% by weight of said composition. Examples include, where the
green tea extract is present in about 30%, the rhubarb root 5:1
extract in about 50%, and sea weed dry powder in 20%; where the
green tea extract is present in about 45%, the rhubarb 5:1 extract
in about 40% and the sea weed dry powder in 15%. Any effective amount
of the composition can be administered. For instance, about 0.5
gram 20 gms, 0.5 5 gms, 0.5 3 gms, 2 gms, can be administered one
or more times a day, such as three times a day, depending upon the
subject's physical condition and the potency of the ingredients
included.
(2) The composition of (1) can further comprise sparganium from
about 5 30% and ginseng root from about 3 15%. Examples include,
where the green tea extract is present in about 35%, the rhubarb
root 5:1 extract in about 45%, sea weed dry powder in about 10%,
sparganium 5:1 extract in about 15%, and ginseng root powder in
about 3%; where the green tea extract is present in about 50%, the
rhubarb 5:1 extract in about 15%, sea weed dry powder in about 20%;
sparganium 5:1 extract in about 10%; and ginseng root powder in
about 5%.
(3) The composition of (1) can further comprise rice vinegar from
about 30 300 liters per 100 kilograms of said composition. Examples
include, where the green tea extract is present in about 30%, rhubarb
root 5:1 extract in about 50%, sea weed dry powder in about 3%,
hawthorn fruit 5:1 extract in about 10%, wolfberry fruit 5:1 extract
in about 6%, and jujube fruit 5:1 extract in about 1%, and 50 liter
rice vinegar for every 20 kilograms of the above composition.
According to formula 3,
(1) An herbal composition, comprising green tea leaf extract comprising
from about 25 70% by weight of said composition, rhubarb root from
about 25 80% by weight of said composition, and Konjac from about
5 75% by weight of said composition. Examples include, where the
green tea extract is present in about 30%, the rhubarb root 5:1
extract in about 40%, and Konjac powder extract containing 90% Glucomannan
in 30%; where the green tea extract is present in about 40%, the
rhubarb 5:1 extract in about 45% and the Konjac powder extract containing
90% Glucomannan in 15%. Any effective amount of the composition
can be administered. For instance, about 0.5 gram 20 gms, 0.5 5
gms, 0.5 3 gms, 2 gms, can be administered one or more times a day,
such as three times a day, depending upon the subject's physical
condition and the potency of the ingredients included. (2) The composition
of (1) can further comprise sea weed from 3 50%. Examples include,
where the green tea extract is present in about 30%, the rhubarb
root 5:1 extract in about 40%, Konjac extract containing 90% glucomannan
in about 20%, and sea weed powder in about 10%.
(3) The composition of (1) can further comprise sparganium from
about 5 30% and ginseng root from about 3 15%. Examples include,
where the green tea extract is present in about 25%, the rhubarb
root 5:1 extract in about 32%, konjac extract containing 90% glucomannan
in about 20%, sea weed dry powder in about 10%, sparganium 5:1 extract
in about 10%, and ginseng root powder in about 3%; where the green
tea extract is present in about 20%, the rhubarb 5:1 extract in
about 40%, konjac extract containing 90% glucomannan in about 20%,
sea weed dry powder in about 10%; sparganium 5:1 extract in about
8%; and ginseng root powder in about 2%.
(4) The composition of (1) can further comprise rice vinegar from
about 30 300 liters per 100 kilograms of said composition. Examples
include, where the green tea extract is present in about 30%, rhubarb
root 5:1 extract in about 40%, konjac extract containing 90% glucomannan
in about 20%, sea weed dry powder in about 10%, and 50 liter rice
vinegar for every 20 kilograms of the above composition.
According to formula 4 and 5:
(1) An herbal composition comprising: Rhubarb Root 5:1 extract,
30%; Hawthorn Fruit 5:1 extract, 6%; Lotus Leaf 5:1 extract, 5%;
Red Rooted Sage (Salvia Root) 5:1 extract, 5%; Alisma Root 5:1 extract,
10%; Areca Catechu Fruit 5:1 extract, 5%; Duckmeat Herb 5:1 extract,
10%; Perilla Fruit 5:1 extract, 9%; Cinnamomi Stem 5:1 extract,
10%; and Bitter Orange 5:1 extract, 10%.
(2) An herbal composition comprising: Rhubarb Root 5:1 extract,
30%; Hawthorn Fruit 5:1 extract, 6%, Lotus Leaf 5:1 extract, 5%;
Red Rooted Sage (Salvia Root) 5:1 extract, 5%; Alisma Root 5:1 extract,
5%; Areca Catechu Fruit 5:1 extract, 5%; Duckmeat Herb leaf 5:1
extract, 5%; Pirelli Fruit 5:1 extract, 9%; Cinnamomi Stem 5:1 extract,
10%; Bitter Orange (Citrus aurantium 5:1 extract), 10%; and green
tea leaf extract 10%.
According to formula 7:
(1) An herbal composition comprising: Green tea, from about 30
70% by weight of the composition; Ginseng, from about 1 20% by weight
of the composition; Konjac, from about 10 70% by weight of the composition;
and Seaweed about 10 70% by weight of the composition. The green
tea can be present as an extract, e.g., comprising about 25% polyphenol
and/or 7% caffeine. The ginseng can be present as a root powder
or extract. The Konjac and seaweed can be used as a fine powder.
Any effective species and/or variety of ginseng can be used, e.g.,
Panax ginseng or Korean ginseng. Any effective species and/or variety
of seaweed can used, especially, sargassum or lainaria japonica
aresch.
(2) An herbal composition, comprising: about 35% by weight of green
tea, about 1% by weight of ginseng, about 14% by weight of Konjac,
and 50% by weight of seaweed.
The amounts of the ingredients, individually or in combination,
are effective in promoting weight loss, maintaining or controlling
body weight, reducing blood levels of circulating chemical fuels
(e.g., glucose, carbohydrates, fatty acids, and cholesterol), facilitating
or promoting metabolism, treating diabetes, treating body weight
disorders, etc. An "effective amount" indicates that the
mass of ingredient or ingredients in the composition is useful to
achieve the purpose for which it is administered. Amounts are selected
based on various factors, including age, health, gender, and weight
of a patient or animal to be treated, etc. Useful amounts include,
about 0.5 gram 20 gms, 0.5 5 gms, 0.5 3 gms, 2 gms, 1 gm per dosage,
one or more times a day, such as twice a day, or three times a day,
etc., depending upon the subject's physical condition and the potency
of the ingredients included.
The ingredients can be combined in "synergistic amounts."
By this, it is meant that the amounts of the ingredient present
in the composition (and in combination with the other ingredients)
is more effective at achieving the desired purpose (e.g., promoting
weight loss) than when administered alone or in another herbal composition.
Synergy indicates that the ingredients cooperate with each other
to achieve an enhanced or superior result than would be achieved
if either were administered alone, i.e., the effect is not additive
(the sum is greater than the sum of the individual parts).
The present invention relates to methods of modulating body weight
in a subject, comprising, e.g., administering to a subject in need
thereof a composition comprising an effective amount of any composition,
ingredient, or ingredients, as mentioned above.
By the phrase "modulating body weight in a subject,"
it is meant that the mass of a subject is controlled, regulated,
changed, altered, modified, etc. A subject can be any individual,
human or non-human animal (e.g., cow, pig, sheep, goat, mice, rats,
pets, such as dogs and cats, etc.) in need of weight modulation.
The compositions are especially useful for promoting weight loss.
The phrase "promoting weight loss," indicates that the
compositions and methods are useful to encourage, elicit, cause,
produce, etc., reduction in the mass of a subject's body. The loss
in mass can be from a tissue, such as fat and muscle, where stored
lipids, proteins, carbohydrates, and/or liquids, such as water,
are lost. The invention is not limited by how much weight loss is
promoted of facilitated. For instance, it can be 0.25%, 0.5%, 1%,
5%, 7%, 10%, or more of total body weight.
The invention is not limited by how the reduction in weight loss
occurs. Various mechanisms, acting alone or in combination, produce
the weight loss effect. This includes, e.g., promoting metabolism,
promoting utilization of chemical fuels (e.g., fats and carbohydrates),
reducing blood cholesterol levels, acting as diuretic, promoting
utilization of stored fuels, such as fat from adipose tissue and
glycogen,
To achieve weight modulation, a composition in accordance with
the present invention is administered to a subject. By the term
"administered," it is meant that the composition is delivered
to a subject by any means or route which is effective to achieve
the desired result, including, e.g., oral, parenteral, enteral,
intraperitoneal, topical, transdermal (e.g., using any standard
patch), ophthalmic, nasally, local, non-oral, such as aerosal, inhalation,
subcutaneous, intravenous, intramuscular, buccal, sublingual, rectal,
vaginal, intra-arterial, intrathecal.
Compositions can be administered at any time suitable time. For
example, compositions can be administered before, after, or together
with an activity to be effected, e.g., prior or after a meal, prior
to exercise, prior to a sporting event, etc. Times can vary, e.g.,
about 6 hours, 4 hours, 2 hours, 1.5 hours, 1 hour, 30 minutes,
15 min, 10 min, 5 min, etc., to the activity which is to be effected.
Additionally, the compositions can be administered concurrently
with the activity. Where weight-loss and/or control is desired,
compositions of the invention can be administered when nutrients
from a meal or snack begin to appear in the blood, i.e., the absorptive
state, when ingested nutrients are entering the blood from the gastrointestinal
tract. See, e.g., Human Physiology, Vander et al., Fifth Edition,
1990, e.g., Chapters 16 and 17. The adsorptive state can vary, depending
upon the content of the food, e.g., from about 1 hour to about 4
hours.
The compositions can be in any effective form, including, oral,
pill, capsule, troche, liquid, extract, beverage, food, tea, topical,
injectable, etc. They can be administered alone, or in combination
with other active or inert agent(s).
Any effective part of an herb in accordance with the present invention
can be used, including to seeds, leaves, stems, flowers, roots,
berries, bark, or any other plant parts that are useful for the
purposes described. Herbs can be in any form which is effective,
including, but not limited to dry powders, grounds, emulsions, extracts,
and other conventional compositions. To extract or concentrate the
effective ingredients of an herb, typically the plant part is contacted
with a suitable solvent, such as water, alcohol, methanol, or any
other solvents, or mixed solvents. The choice of the solvent can
be made routinely, e.g., based on the properties of the active ingredient
that is to be extracted or concentrated by the solvent.
Herbs can be used as 5:1 extract, e.g., an aqueous extract. This
indicates that the dry weight of the herb is concentrated five times
(5:1) in the extract. Any of the aforementioned formula can be prepared
with a 5:1 extract, and any of the aforementioned values can refer
to the weight of the extract. Green tea (O. ktze.) can be used as
an extract containing about 10% caffeine and about 18% epigallocatechin)
or 5:1 extract prepared from a dry powder. It can also be used as
an extract containing about 7% caffeine and about 25% polyphenol.
Compositions can further comprise inert and carrier ingredients,
stabilizers, antioxidants, etc., including, but not limited to,
water, salt solutions, alcohols, gum arabic, vegetable oils, benzyl
alcohols, gelatin, carbohydrates such as lactose, amylose or starch,
magnesium stearate, talc, silicic acid, viscous paraffin, perfume
oil, fatty acid monoglycerides and diglycerides, pentaerythritol
fatty acid esters, hydroxy methylcellulose and the like. Other additives
include, e.g., antioxidants and preservatives, coloring, flavoring
and diluting agents, emulsifying and suspending agents, such as
acacia, agar, alginic acid, sodium alginate, bentonite, carbomer,
carrageenan, carboxymethylcellulose, cellulose, cholesterol, gelatin,
hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxppropyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose,
methylcellulose, octoxynol 9, oleyl alcohol, povidone, propylene
glycol monostearate, sodium lauryl sulfate, sorbitan esters, stearyl
alcohol, tragacanth, xanthan gum, and derivatives thereof, solvents,
and miscellaneous ingredients such as microcrystalline cellulose,
citric acid, dextrin, dextrose, liquid glucose, lactic acid, lactose,
magnesium chloride, potassium metaphosphate, starch, and the like.
EXAMPLE
A clinical trial was performed using Tea Light, an herbal composition
comprising, by weight, 35% green tea, 50% seaweed, 14% konjac, and
1% panex ginseng. A double blind, placebo controlled human clinical
trial on the weight loss effect of Tea Light on a total 43 obesity
patients was conducted. Patients in the Tea Light group took two
Tea Light capsules (500 mg/capsule) each time, twice a day (i.e.,
about 2 grams/day), for six weeks. Patients in the control group
took two placebo capsules (500 mg/capsule) each time, twice a day,
for six weeks. Patients were instructed to avoid a diet rich in
fat, sugar, and salt for the period of the treatment.
At the end of the six week trial, the average weight loss of the
patients in the Tea Light group was about 5.6 kg or 12.3 lb. For
the experimental group, total body weight was from about 84.2.+-.26.5
kg before the trial, to 78.6.+-.16 kg after taking Tea Light. For
the control group, the average weight loss of the patients in the
control group taking placebo capsules was about 1.9 kg or 4.2 lb.
Total body weight was about from 83.8.+-.27.6 kg before the trial,
to 81.9.+-.29.5 kg after taking the placebos. Conclusion: Tea Light
was effective for promoting weight loss. The average weight loss
was about 0.93 kg or 2.1 lb per week.
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