Title:  Method for preventing or reducing stress-induced gastric injury using grape seed proanthocyanidin extract

United States Patent:  6,291,517

Assignee:  Dry Creek Nutrition, Inc (Modesto, CA)

Filed:  November 19, 1999

A method is disclosed for preventing and/or reducing stress-induced gastric injury by administering an amount of grape seed proanthocyanidin extract effective to inhibit injury is administered to persons identified as among those with or at risk for such injury.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present invention involves administering grape seed proanthocyanidin extract (GSPE) to a person who has suffered, is at risk to suffer, or to prevent or reduce stress-induced gastric injury.

Proanthocyanidins comprise a group of polyphenolic bioflavonoids found in fruits and vegetables. They are the most common type of tannins found in fruits and vegetables, and are present in high amounts in the seeds and skins of grapes. Grape seed proanthocyanidins are natural antioxidants known to have a broad spectrum of biological, pharmacological, and chemoprotective properties against free radicals and oxidative stress. In particular, the novel GSPE, ActiVin.TM. IH636, is a highly bioavailable form of GSPE. High-pressure liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry studies indicate that the GSPE contains monomeric- dimeric-, trimeric-, tetrameric, oligomeric-, and polymeric proanthocyanidins, as well as tannin. Proanthocyanidins and polyphenolic bioflavonoids have demonstrated potential antioxidant and free radical scavenging ability, as well as exhibit a broad spectrum of biological, pharmacological and medicinal properties. Proanthocyanidins have been the subject of considerable interest because of their broad pharmacologic activity and therapeutic potential. The biological and medicinal properties of the proanthocyanidins have been extensively reviewed.

The present invention resides in a method to prevent and/or reduce the effect of stress-induced gastric injury by administering GSPE to a person identified to be at risk for such injury, in an amount effective to prevent or reduce the injury. To determine the effectiveness of GSPE in this method, the effects of acute and chronic stress on the enhanced production of superoxide anion, as well as lipid peroxidation, DNA fragmentation and membrane microviscosity (indices of oxidative tissue damage) in the gastric and intestinal mucosa of female Sprague-Dawley rats were investigated, and the protective ability of GSPE was determined against the gastrointestinal mucosal injury induced by acute and chronic stress.

Claim 1 of 11 Claims

We claim:

1. A method for preventing or reducing stress-induced gastric injury in a person at risk for such injury, the method comprising:

identifying a person with or at risk for such injury; and

administering grape seed proanthocyanidin extract to the person in an amount effective to prevent or reduce the injury.

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