AU2003100521B4 - The Chilli Capsule - Google Patents

Description

THE CHILLI CAPSULE For many years the health benefits of a variety of herbs and spices have been well known. Substances such as garlic, horseradish, and cod-liver oil are readily available to consumers in easily ingested formulations such as capsules and pills. Chilli, a plant of the botanical species Capsicum spp., has also been recommended in popular literature as a possible aid to increasing metabolism. Furthermore, there is an accruing body of scientific evidence to support the specific health benefits of chilli, most notably by lowering blood glucose and blood triglyceride levels. However, chilli is not available in a form that allows for the easy ingestion of the beneficial substances in chilli, by consumers. This fact, coupled with the preliminary evidence regarding the effect of chilli on humans, plus the existing research on the positive effects of chilli on mammalian metabolism, suggests that a method of delivery of chilli that avoids the unpleasant effects of eating pungent chilli is warranted.

Therefore the delivery of chilli in an encapsulating device will allow ingestion of chilli without the unpleasant side effects associated with eating chilli, i.e.

inflammation of the oronasopharyngeal tissues causing burning sensations and pain.

The innovation patent is thus for a novel method of delivering chilli into humans such that the biologically active compounds in chilli can be absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract without the sometimes unpleasant side effects of eating chilli.

Neither the delivery method, nor the compounds are new, however it is the amalgamation of the method and compounds that is innovative. The innovation patent will comprise the encapsulation of chilli as a health, herbal or dietary supplement in a capsule formulation for lowering blood glucose and blood triglyceride levels, and for the general health benefits offered by chilli.

Chilli is a plant species of the botanical genus Capsicum spp. The various plant species of the Capsicum genus that possess pungency (hotness) are variously referred to as peppers, hot peppers, chili, chilies, chilli or chillies. They have been used as traditional (herbal) remedies for the treatment of a number of ailments in the human body, most notably diabetes mellitus. However, the issue of delivery into the human body without side effects has not been adequately addressed to date. The active ingredients in chilli responsible for pungency are a group of organic compounds known as capsaicinoids. It is these chemical compounds, the capsaicinoids, which are responsible for eliciting the burning sensations associated with ingesting chillicontaining foods or meals. Capsaicinoids induce sensations of intense pain and heat in a dose-related manner in the oral cavity (mouth). The sensations are known as gustatory responses and are due to stimulation of sensory receptors located in the oronasopharyngeal region mouth, nose and throat). The more capsaicinoids present in the fruit, the more intense the gustatory sensations.

Research over the last two decades in animal models has demonstrated the potential of capsaicinoid-containing chilli to affect metabolism in humans. Most notably, it appears to lower blood glucose and blood triglyceride levels. However, the problem has been to transport capsaicinoids into the body without the intense pain associated with eating chilli. This problem has been addressed in this novel patent by enclosing or encasing chilli in a gelatin capsule. This enables chilli to by-pass the oronasopharyngeal region for absorption in the gastrointestinal tract. Thus the pungent capsaicinoid compounds are transported into the body without inducing intense gustatory responses. Furthermore, encapsulating chilli allows a variety of chilli forms oil, paste, sauces, powder, flakes, and etcetera) in varying doses to be used in the containing device. This novel approach to solving the issue of transporting chilli into the body without inducing intense pain in the oronasopharyngeal region has not been used for either research or as therapeutic/dietary intervention in metabolic disorders. Thus the innovation extends further, not only encapsulating unadulterated chilli, but also as a supplement to preventing or treating diabetes mellitus, a medical state characterised by elevated blood glucose and blood triglyceride levels.

Definitions for the purposes of this innovation patent: Chilli any plant of the botanical genus Capsicum (family, Solanaceae) whose fruits contain organic compounds that produce sensations of warmth, heat or pain in the oronasopharyngeal region. These plants are variously referred to as peppers, hot peppers, chili, chilies, or chillies, however regardless of terminology, these plants all contain the active organic compounds causing gustatory responses described as warmth, heat or pain, and are therefore included in this definition. The organic compounds responsible for the pungency of chilli are termed capsaicinoids.

Capsaicinoids any of the group (family) of organic compounds based on the organic molecule known as capsaicin. This includes all analogs and/or homologs of the molecular N-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxy benzyl)-alkyl amide structure. This definition encompasses all capsaicinoids regardless of whether they are capable of inducing gustatory responses.

Chilli any fruit of the Capsicum species in any form (liquid or solid), whether in its natural form or as an natural extract The skilled person would understand this to include powders, flakes, oils, sauces and pastes in their unadulterated forms.

Capsule a gelatinous case enclosing or encapsulating a dose of medicine suitable for oral administration. "A dose of medicine" refers to any substance or substances used as a remedy, preventative, curative, or medicament for the treatment of disease.

Claims (4)

1. The use of a capsule, consisting of a gelatinous case suitable for oral adminstration, wherein the sole active ingredient is chilli, for the purposes of lowering blood glucose and blood triglyceride levels.

2. The use of the capsule, as identified in claim 1, to take the form of a tablet or pill, wherein the chilli are enclosed or encased in a substance that allows the chilli ingredients to by-pass the oral cavity without causing pain or burning sensations.

3. The use of the capsule, as identified in claim 1, wherein the chilli takes the form of the naturally occurring fruit of the botanical genus Capsiurm, which the skilled person would understand to include its various forms such as powder, flakes, oil, paste and sauce.

4. The use of the capsule, as identified in claim 1, as a herbal, dietar or medicinal supplement in the prevention or treatment of the disease state diabetes mellitus. COMS ID No: SMBI-00634971 Received by IP Australia: Time 15:03 Date 2004-02-25