Extraction and Characterization of a Safer, Cost-effective Anti-inflammatory

DESCRIPTION provided by applicant Inflammatory disease states are leading causes of death and disability and a major cost to healthcare in the United States There is an epidemic of death and hospitalizations due to adverse effects from NSAIDs TAI LCx Turmeric Anti Inflammatory Lipophilic Component X is a novel anti inflammatory discovered in previously unrecognized pharmacologically active constituents of turmeric Curcuma longa L and has demonstrated high potential as a safer more cost effective treatment TAI LCx is distinct from curcumin and curcuminoids that have been heavily researched and well characterized With a nuanced action on multiple inflammatory mediators while avoiding the COX pathway TAI LCx is expected to reduce clinical complications and reduce the staggering economic costs of existing treatments The hypothesis of the proposed research is that one constituent or a small group of small molecules within TAI LCx possesses specific potent and clinically relevant anti inflammatory AI activity The purpose of the proposed research therefore is to test the hypothesis that improved and optimized methods for extraction of TAI LCx can be identified to purify to homogeneity the active constituent s and determine its molecular formula thereby enabling in phase II efforts to complete structural determination and to further characterize the
AI action of TAI LCx to determine whether additional constituents of turmeric might be synergistically involved with TAI LCx in producing the AI properties detected to date The Specific Aims of the proposed project are as follows Aim Optimize TAI LCx extraction via supercritical fluid extraction SFE and characterize the active constituent s This will increase
sample purity and commercial scalability and lead to better characterization of the active principle and is potentially a patentable innovation Optimization of the SFE method followed by purification of the active constituents in TAI LCx will enable scale up and production of andgt g of TAI LCx The SFE method will be more specific more efficient more environmentally friendly and more cost effective than the solvent based extraction method used originally in the original patent to generate active TAI LCx Aim Determine the constituents of TAI LCx and identify the active compound s Further drug development will require detailed composition information Samples from successful SFE extractions and subsequent purification containing TAI LCx activity will be analyzed by high resolution mass spectrometry to determine the molecular formula of all components within the extracts and the putative structural identity of the active principle s Aim Determine the effect of TAI LCx on other anti inflammatory pathways such as COX NFkB AP and interleukins IL IL This will demonstrate therapeutic significance and application and provide a comparison with existing FDA approved therapies as well as provide product differentiation and potentially add to the body of knowledge concerning inflammatory pathways PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE Inflammatory disease states are leading causes of death and disability in the United States while the side effects of existing anti inflammatory medications have created a costly epidemic in their own right This proposal will develop methods to more efficiently extract and characterize a potent novel and safe anti inflammatory component called TAI LCx that is wholly different from curcumin from the medicinal spice turmeric Since it is known to work in a nuanced manner on multiple inflammatory mediators while not affecting the known cause of most adverse effects COX TAI LCx has the potential to provide less costly drugs and reduce the staggering epidemic of adverse effects of current drug therapies