FR2722990A1 - Inactivated mineral material of biological origin - Google Patents

Abstract

Prodn. of a mineral material or compsn. (A) comprises:(1) forming a base, contg. a predetermined amt. of mineral material (B) synthesised by \-1 (or part of 1) living organism (plant, animal and/or microorganism), and(2) treating the base so as to convert it to an inactivated mineral material of predefined texture, depending on its intended use, e.g. as a filler. The same method can be used to produce substrates (C), partic. for use as thermal or sound insulation, filters, acoustic membranes, decorative surfaces, tissues, threads and films, nutrient substances (D) for natural or artificial soils and prods. (E) for (para)medical application. Also new are the prods. of this process.

Description

PROCESS FOR PRODUCING BIOMINERAL SUBSTANCES FOR USE
THERAPEUTICS AND SUBSTANCES OBTAINED BY SUCH A PROCESS
The present invention relates to a process for the biological production of natural biomineral substances of animal and / or plant origin and intended for therapeutic medical and / or paramedical uses as well as the substances obtained by this process.

Processes for the production of plant drugs are known which consist in picking and / or harvesting natural plants and / or cultivating widely marketed species. However, the products thus obtained are subject to the vagaries of nature like any agricultural and / or horticultural activity from production to conservation and preparation of the product. In addition, the stock of productions subject to such variability almost always needs to be renewed every year.

Furthermore, we have known for a long time the existence of numerous compounds of varied mineralogical and often complex nature (calcium or silica for example), visible in the figurative state in cells or of cellular origin. They are salts or chemically complex compounds often considered as waste of cell life that the organism does not reuse. The presence of these substances is generally explained by the fact that the body absorbs them in quantities greater than its needs and that it gets rid of the surplus in crystalline form during purely physicochemical reactions. Among the best known examples of substances produced by plants, we can cite - gentianisterine which is a phytosterine present in the form of needles, contained in the cells of the root of the Gentian (family Gentianaceae); - the calcium, potassium, magnesium, silica, iron and chlorine contained in Garance (Rubiaceae family); - the navelrine extracted from the periwinkle leaves of
Madagascar and modified by hemi-synthesis; - the taxotere made from yew leaves ...

The principles extracted from medicinal and / or aromatic plants do not accurately represent the medicinal properties of the drug: for example mydriatic solanes, opium, cinchona, coca, cola, digitalis, strophantus, anthraquinone derivatives, etc. as we know, have a global action different from atropine, morphine, quinine, cocaine, caffeine, digitalis or strophantines, emodine, etc. It is often impossible to extract vegetable raw materials, juices or even complex products defined with more precision, representative of their active principle.

The present invention remedies these drawbacks and proposes a process for the biological production of mineral substances for medical and / or paramedical use, independent of changes in the external natural environment, allowing precise medical and / or paramedical dosages, allowing each or in association with providing for nutritional and / or pathological deficiencies and still allowing medical treatments, in particular phytotherapic treatments.

The process is characterized by the stages consisting in: - preparing a base comprising a predetermined quantity of a mineral material, synthesized in nature or industrially by at least one or part of living structure belonging to the plant and / or animal kingdom.

- optionally treating said base so as to transform it into an inactivated mineral material and of predefined texture according to a specific medical and / or paramedical use.

The invention provides for the use of any living structure with petrifying power. By "mineralizing, mineralized or mineralizable" "living structure", it is necessary to understand any cellular structure or of cellular origin (plant, animal or micro-organic), living and / or resulting from life and / or compounds of biological origin, crystallized or not, such as enzymes, hormones, proteins, DNA, etc.

By "inactivated matter", it is necessary to understand matter in accordance with the invention and devoid of any biological and / or biomineralizing activity in particular of any pathogenic microbiological activity.

The term mineral must be understood in the broadest sense, namely as including in its composition a mineral.

However, other advantages and peculiarities of the invention will emerge more clearly from the detailed description of examples of its implementation and which are explained below.

The process for manufacturing or obtaining an inactivated mineral material or composition for extemporaneous use mainly comprises two steps.

 The first consists in preparing a base comprising a predetermined amount of a mineral material synthesized by at least one or part of living structure selected from the plant, animal and / or microorganism kingdoms.

The classification below gives nonlimiting examples of living structures capable of being selected for the application of the invention.

In the vegetable kingdom, one can have recourse as well to higher dicotyledonous, monocotyledonous plants as to lower thallophytic or microorganic plants.

a) - Among the Dicotyledons: - cells of the order Daucales, family of
Araliaceae, genus Hedera including Hedera helix; - cells of the order Arales, genus Rhaphidophora, species Syngonium podophyllum (Schott) "albolineatum", species Syngonium auritum syn.

Philodendron trifolium and species Syngonium hastifolium; - cells of the order Solanales, family of bignoniaceae, species Catalpa bignonioidae.

In addition, any plant cell, even one which is not very symbiotic, is susceptible by the process of the invention to be mineralized and / or super-mineralized if it is brought into contact with such mineralizing microorganisms. This is the case of the abovementioned cells, but also of all plant cells originating for example from brushwood in the form of shavings, sawdust and which by this process petrify, that is to say transform into petrified, carbonated and / or silico-carbonate.

b) - Among the Monocotyledons: - cells of the order Pandarales including those of the Typhacea family; - grass cells including those of Lemnaceae.

c) - Among the ferns:
The epidermis in Equisetum arvense (Horsetail) is the scene of mineral production of silica often considered as concretions, resulting from epidermal membrane secretions while bacteria are involved in the periphery and / or in the cells of Equisetum arvense. These explain the intra- and / or extra-cellular silica deposits.

d) - Among the algae:
Biomineral masses resulting from the multiplication and accumulation of algal frustules in a natural or industrial manner are applicable to the invention.

For example: - Rhodophytes with mainly Nemalionales, Solenoporaceae and Corallinaceae (including
Lithothamnium, the Melobesia); - the Chromophytes which include in particular the
Chromophyceae and especially Diatomophyceae with siliceous productions.

- Chlorophytes with Siphonales (including
Codiaceae including Halimeda), Dacycladales (including dacycladaceae including Acétabularia); - Cyanophytes with Porostromata and
Spongiostroma including Rivularia Oscillatoria Phormidium
Chroococcus and Gléocapsa are suitable for selection.

e) - Among the Lichens:
Biomineral mass can also result from the culture of a tripartite plant association of lichen type.

Lichens are composite plant associations.

The so-called mutual benefit association consists of a fungus, an alga and mineralizing bacteria, known as symbiont bacteria, similar to those mentioned above. These bacteria contribute to complex and pigmented mineral encrustations within the mycelium.

f) - Among fungi and their spores; g) - Among microorganisms: viruses or bacteria including bacillus megathium, pseudomonas fluorescens, pseudomonas maltophilia, pseudomonas putida, buttauxiella agrestis rhodococcus, serratia marescens.

The method can be used with microorganisms capable of fixing calcium, magnesium calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, aluminum, manganese, iron, silica or other substances intervening in infinitesimal doses. These microorganisms are widely distributed in nature.

The living structure can also be an animal or a part of an animal such as a cell, tissue and / or organ chosen from protozoa or invertebrate metazoans such as sponges, lamellibranchs and echinoderms or even from vertebrates.

Preferably, the stage of preparation of the base comprises a phase consisting in cultivating the abovementioned living structure during the period and in a medium such that at least a part called "mineral biomass" of said material is then produced or synthesized by this structure.

By way of example, one or more of the living structures corresponding to the minerals and / or the rocks below can be selected in accordance with the invention:
Hedera helix cell <---> Calcium oxalate /
Limestone
Ficus élastica cell <-> Calcium carbonate /
Limestone ulcule from Equisetum <-> Silica / Opaline / Silicified wood / Sandstone
Grass cell <-> Silica / Opaline / Silicified wood / Sandstone
Typhaceae cell <-> Silica / Opaline / Silicified wood / Sandstone
Ascomycete fungus <-> Calcium dipicolinate /
Limestone
Pectascinaceae cell <-> Calcium carbonate /
Limestone
Chromophyte alga <-> Silica / Diatomite
Rhodophyte alga <-> Calcium carbonate / Limestone /
Travertine
Chlorophyte alga <-> Calcium carbonate / Limestone /
Travertine
Cyanophyte alga <-> Calcium carbonate / Limestone / Travertine
Lamellibranch mollusc <-> Calcium carbonate /
Limestone / Shell sandstone
The first stage of preparation aims to obtain a mineral base, that is to say an intermediate product. Preferably, the stage of preparation of the base comprises a phase consisting in cultivating the abovementioned living structure during a period and in an environment such that at least a part called mineral biomass of said material is then produced or synthesized by this structure in using for example the following culture medium:
- distilled water 1000 g
- calcium nitrate 0.71 g
- potassium nitrate 0.568 g
- magnesium sulfate 0.284 g
- ammonium phosphate 0.142 g
- ferric chloride 0.112 g
- potassium iodide 0.0028 g
- boric acid 0.0005 g
- zinc sulfate 0.0005 g
- manganese sulfate 0.0005 g
but other environments are possible.

The same applies if the living structure is an animal or part of an animal. Mineral biomasses are capable of stretching obtained by in vitro culture of cells, tissues and / or organs involved in mineral biosyntheses of the animal kingdom but also by using natural productions.

Depending on the case, the selected structure is cultivated in particular in vivo, in soil, on a layer rich in organic matter, by hydroponics, in a Petri dish, by battery rearing, on stands or fish farming, or in a reactor such as a fermenter. Thus, microorganisms can be abundantly cultivated in commercial industrial fermenters, and in particular ultra-fermenters with tangential filtration, which make it possible to obtain continuous production.

The structure is also capable of being cultivated in an appropriate nutritive medium known to a person skilled in the art such as Knopp liquid, Earle, Hanks solution, medium known as "199", Sabouraud medium, MEM-Eagle medium. or the like.

One or more compatible living structures can be cultivated or within the same medium, optionally with at least one other compatible structure of plant, animal, and / or micro-organic origin.

Advantageously, the salts synthesized in the organism, described above as the waste of cell life that the organism does not use, do not result from simple physicochemical reactions and mineralizing microorganisms are frequently involved in these plant cell deposits. These mineralizing microorganisms can be multiplied inside these cells or be extracted and multiplied in vitro in monolayers or multilayers then constituting real tissues, or in the form of polymorphic aggregates.

The second step consists in treating said base after its mineralization so as to transform it into an inactivated mineral material with a predefined texture depending on the therapeutic use.

In the case of production of biomass from a living structure, the processing step may include a phase of inactivation of the living structure. By inactivation, it is necessary to understand obtaining inactivated matter from the living structure ("inactivated matter" and "living structure") having been defined before. This inactivation phase can be carried out by adding a salt.

The biomass is stabilized, that is to say inactivated so that all cell development is interrupted.

Such a result can be obtained by adding, in suitable proportions, substances having similar effects on the living structure retained.

Other inactivation methods can be used, alone or in addition, including irradiation and elevation at high temperature (temperature higher than that which the living structure brings). A mixing phase can be carried out at least in part simultaneously with another phase of the process and in particular during inactivation.

We can use the inactivation phase during product development.

The stage of preparation of the base can comprise a phase consisting in harvesting or collecting the living structure and incorporating it into the base in proportions such that this contribution constitutes at least part of the final mineral product. The mineral material thus collected and / or collected can be of varied nature: carbonate, siliceous, saline, fluorinated, baryta, carbonaceous, ferromanganic, in the form of deposit, actual concretion and / or fossil and can be incorporated into the base either during the preparation stage, that is during the treatment stage.

Furthermore, the living structure is chosen so that its associated biomineral substance contains at least one of the following constituents: calcium, silicic, fluorinated, ferruginous and other precipitates or contains at least one carbonate, siliceous, siliceous, selenitous or similar mineral constituent.

Many other new sources of biomineralization can be used in accordance with the invention.

During a possible phase of the process, at least one of the biomass, the base, the aforementioned biomineral substance is fragmented during the preparation step, and possibly during the inactivating treatment step. For example, if during the cultivation of a living structure, mineral and / or stratified stacks are obtained, which can possibly be broken up for their use within the base. Likewise, if part or all of the biomineral substance results from a collection, it can be crushed or fragmented.

The fragmentation phase is carried out until a given texture or malleability is obtained: the purpose of fragmentation is to obtain a substance preferably with a given particle size. The fragmentation is at least partially carried out by dislocation using ultrasound and / or physicochemical means, such as the addition of additives, cryogenic and / or heat treatment, grinding or pressure variation.

In this case, one of the phases of the process consists in preparing a suspension of the abovementioned biomass or fragmented material in a liquid, preferably aqueous, for spraying or application by any other means. This liquid can enter into the composition of one of the abovementioned culture media.

It is possible to incorporate during a phase of the process at least one of the culture medium, the biomass, the material, the base and the mineral matter, a coloring substance of predetermined shade. This substance is possibly an element of the biomass.

A preparation and / or treatment step can consist in incorporating into at least one of the biomass, the medium, the material, the base and the mineral matter a cohesion or texture agent. This agent is preferably a binder, in particular a metallic binder such as calcium, magnesium, silicon, barium, sodium, fluorine, aluminum, iron, manganese, zinc or organic such as collagen, mucopolysaccharide and polycellulosic compound. This agent optionally acts as an inactivation compound in the case of a base comprising a living structure cultivated or collected. Advantageously, the proportions and the composition of the above-mentioned cohesion and / or texture agent are chosen so that the final material has a predetermined specificity.

During one of the phases or stages of the process, an additive, for example foaming, effervescent, fibrous, aromatic supplement, odorous, or the like, can be incorporated into the above-mentioned base and / or mineral material.

Furthermore, the method is characterized in that it comprises an at least partial dehydration phase of one or more components of the base and / or of the abovementioned mineral material. This dehydration phase can be at least partially carried out by filtering, irradiation, centrifugation, heat and / or cryogenic treatment.

 It is conceivable, according to the method, that the inactivation, dehydration and fragmentation phases are at least partially carried out simultaneously.

The processing step may include a phase of packaging in an appropriate packaging the mineral material which constitutes a finished product.

An example of the progress of the phases of the process can be envisaged as follows: the base is constituted by a biomass obtained by in vitro culture of a mineralizing microorganism in the presence of plant cells derived from a medicinal plant. The biomineral suspension obtained is dried, and the mixture is then kneaded and undergoes a contribution of inactivation salts, the whole constituting a powder of composition adapted to the request.

The invention is in no way limited to the above embodiments but includes all the equivalents and combinations according to the claims which follow.

Thus the product and the final substance can be a capsule, a tablet, a granule, an aerosol, a suspension, a solute.

Claims (26)

1.- Process for manufacturing or obtaining a mineral material or composition, characterized by the steps consisting in: - preparing a base comprising a predetermined quantity of a mineral material synthesized by at least one or part of living structure belonging to the plant kingdom and / or animal. - optionally treating said base so as to transform it into an inactivated mineral material and of predefined texture according to a specific medical and / or paramedical use. 2.- Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the stage of preparation of the base comprises a phase consisting in cultivating the aforementioned living structure during a period and in an environment such as at least a part called "biomass" of said material is then produced or synthesized by this structure. 3.- Method according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the treatment step comprises a phase of inactivation of the living structure. 4.- Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a mixing phase is carried out during one of the steps of the process. 5.- Method according to one of claims 3 or 4, characterized in that said inactivation phase is carried out according to one or more methods, alone or in addition, including the addition of salts, irradiation, dehydration, and / or elevation at high temperature. 6.- Method according to one of claims 4 or 5, characterized in that the kneading phase is carried out at least in part simultaneously with another phase of the process, and in particular inactivation. 7.- Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the living structure is a plant or part of a plant such as cell, tissue or organ such as a monocotyledonous or dicotyledonous plant, an algae, a fungus or a lichen. 8.- Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the living structure comprises an animal or part of an animal such as cell, tissue or organ chosen in particular from protozoa or metazoans or invertebrates or vertebrates. 9.- Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the living structure comprises a microorganism such as virus, bacteria such as bacillus megaterium, pseudomonas fluorescens, maltophilia, pseudomonas putida, buttauxiella agrestis, rhodococcus serretia marcescens.  10.- Method according to one of the preceding claims,  characterized in that one or more living structures  compatible can be grown within a single  middle with possibly at least one other structure  compatible with plant, animal and / or micro origin  organic.  51.- Method according to one of the preceding claims,  characterized in that the structure is cultivated in a  suitable nutrient medium known to those skilled in the art  vivo, in soil, by hydroponics, in Petri dish, on  layer rich in organic matter, in a reactor such  that fermenter or by aging on feet or  fish farming.  12.- Method according to one of the preceding claims,  characterized in that the base preparation step  involves a phase of harvesting or collecting the  above-mentioned living structure and to be incorporated into the base  in such proportions that this contribution constitutes  minus part of the mineral material required.  13.- Method according to one of the preceding claims,  characterized in that the step of preparing and / or  treatment includes a phase of harvesting and / or  collect the carbonate mineral material or other under  form of deposit for example, actual concretization and / or  fossil and incorporate it at the base.  14.- Method according to one of the preceding claims,  characterized in that the living structure is  selected so that the mineral matter contains  minus one of the following constituents: precipitated  calcium, silicic, fluorinated, baryta, ferruginous and  other. 15.- Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a phase during which at least one of the biomass, the base, the material and / or the aforementioned mineral material is fragmented during the preparation stage and / or during the treatment stage until a given structure or malleability is obtained. 16.- Method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the aforementioned fragmentation phase is at least partially carried out by dislocation using ultrasound and / or by physicochemical means such as addition of additives, treatment cryogenic and / or thermal, grinding or pressure variation. 17.- Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a phase consisting in developing a suspension ion of the biomass or of the aforementioned fragmented material in a liquid, preferably aqueous. 18.- Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a phase consists in incorporating a coloring substance of predetermined shade at least in one of the culture medium, the biomass, the material, the base and the mineral matter. 19.- Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a phase of the preparation and / or treatment step consists in incorporating a cohesion or texture agent into at least one of the biomass, the medium, material, base and mineral material so that the final material has a predetermined structure. 20.- Method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said cohesion agent or texture preferably comprises a substance in particular metallic such as calcium, magnesium, silicon, barium, sodium, fluorine, aluminum, iron, manganese, zinc or organic such as collagen, mucopolysaccharide, and polycellulosic compound. 21.- Method according to one of the preceding claims characterized in that it comprises an at least partial dehydration phase of one or more components of the base and / or of the abovementioned mineral material at least partially carried out by filtering, centrifugation , irradiation, heat and / or cryogenic treatment. 22.- Method according to one of claims 15 to 21 characterized in that several of the phases such as inactivation, dehydration and fragmentation are at least partially carried out simultaneously. 23.- Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that during one of the phases or stages of the process, an additive, for example foaming, effervescent, fibrous, agglomerating, aromatic, odorous or the like is incorporated into the base and / or the aforementioned mineral material. 24.- Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the treatment step comprises a phase of conditioning in an appropriate packaging, in particular aerosol, of the mineral material which constitutes a finished product. 25.- Inactivated mineral material or composition for extemporaneous use obtained according to the method according to one of the preceding claims. 26.- Inactivated mineral matter or composition for extemporaneous use and comprising at least one mineral material synthesized by one or part of a living structure cultivated and / or collected, this material having then undergone an inactivation and texturing treatment of said structure. 27.- Material according to one of claims 25 or 26, characterized in that it is in solid, crystallized, pulverulent, granular, fluid, gaseous or liquid form.