Oral delivery of a botanical

Abstract

A method of producing a processed kava product involves using an extraction solvent, such as liquid CO 2 , to preferentially extract different kavalactones from the source material at different rates. By controlling the extraction parameters and stopping the extraction before all of the kavalactones have been extracted or allowing the extracted kavalactones to be preferentially precipitated in one or more collection environments, a processed kava product can be produced that has a kavalactone distribution profile that can differ substantially from that of the source material. As a result, roots from a less desirable kava cultivar can be used to produce a processed kava product which has a kavalactone distribution profile that is similar to that of a highly desired cultivar. The kava paste can be further processed to produce a dry flowable powder suitable for use in, e.g., a tableting formula. A rapid dissolve tablet formulation for use in the delivery of kavalactones and other botanicals is also disclosed.

1 - 23 . (canceled)  
     
     
         24 . A method for making a botanical composition, comprising: 
 a) providing a source botanical material;    b) extracting the botanical material by applying a solvent to the source; and    c) collecting the extracted botanical material.    
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the source botanical material is obtained from  Areca catechu, Piper betel, Ptychopetalum olacoides, Ilex paraguariensis, Echinacea purpurea, Echinacea angustifolia, Echinacea pallida, Panax quinquefolius, Panax ginseng, Curcuma longa, Lactuca virosa, Lactuca indica, Zingiber officinalis, Salix purpurea, Salix daphnoides, Prunus avium, Prunus cerasus, Pfaffia paniculata, Turnera diffusa, Epimedium  species,  Terrestris tribulus, Rhodiola rosea, Astragalus membranaceus, Eucommia ulmoides, Gastrodia elata, Uncaria rhyncophylla , or  Coleus forskohlii.    
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the solvent is supercritical carbon dioxide.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the extraction step occurs at a temperature range of between about 31° C. to about 80° C.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the extraction step occurs at a pressure of between about 1100 psi to about 8000 psi.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising ethyl alcohol.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the ethyl alcohol is added in an amount of between about 2 percent to about 15 percent by mass.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising: 
 a) mixing the extracted botanical material with a food-grade carrier in a chamber;    b) adding carbon dioxide and pressurizing the chamber to compress the carbon dioxide to induce a supercritical state of carbon dioxide and thereby dissolve the extracted botanical material in the supercritical carbon dioxide;    c) adsorbing the dissolved extracted botanical material onto a food-grade carrier; and    d) decompressing the chamber to form a dry flowable powder.    
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the source botanical material has a first botanical composition profile and the extracted botanical material has a second different botanical composition profile.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the solvent is liquid carbon dioxide.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the solvent is at a temperature lower than about 31° C. and a pressure of between about 1100 psi and about 8000 psi.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the solvent is a hydrofluorocarbon, a hydrochlorofluorocarbon, or a chlorofluorocarbon.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising the step of preprocessing the source botanical material by placing it in an environment that reaches a pressure of between about 1100 psi to about 4500 psi and rapidly reducing the pressure applied to the source botanical material to about 1 atmosphere.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the step of preprocessing the source botanical comprises an environment of carbon dioxide having a temperature of between about 10° C. to about 60° C. for a time range of between about 5 minutes to about 60 minutes.  
     
     
         38 . A method for making a botanical composition, comprising: 
 a) providing a source botanical material;    b) extracting the source botanical material by applying a solvent to the source botanical material; and    c) collecting the extracted botanical material at a predefined time;    wherein the source botanical material is obtained from  Areca catechu, Piper betel, Ptychopetalum olacoides, Ilex paraguariensis, Echinacea purpurea, Echinacea angustifolia, Echinacea pallida, Panax quinquefolius, Panax ginseng, Curcuma longa, Lactuca virosa, Lactuca indica, Zingiber officinalis, Salix purpurea, Salix daphnoides, Prunus avium, Prunus cerasus, Pfaffia paniculata, Turnera diffusa, Epimedium  species,  Terrestris tribulus, Rhodiola rosea, Astragalus membranaceus, Eucommia ulmoides, Gastrodia elata, Uncaria rhyncophylla , or  Coleus forskohlii ; and    wherein collecting the extracted botanical material is performed by collecting materials dissolved in the solvent using a series of connected collection vessels and by selectively altering the temperature and pressure in the collection vessels such that the profile of extracted botanical material is different than the profile of the source botanical material.    
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the extracted botanical material is a paste extract.  
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , further comprising: 
 mixing the paste extract with a solvent and a food-grade carrier; and    spraying the mixture to produce a dry flowable powder;    wherein the solvent is ethyl alcohol and the food grade carrier is maltodextrin, dextrose, or starch and has an average particle size of between about 100 micrometers to about 150 micrometers.    
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 39 , comprising: 
 a) mixing the paste extract with a solvent and a food-grade carrier;    b) drying the mixture via freeze-drying or refractive window drying;    c) heating the paste extract; and    d) further mixing the paste extract with a food-grade carrier and an inert carrier to form a dry flowable powder;    wherein the food-grade carrier is magnesium carbonate, a whey protein, or maltodextrin; and    wherein the inert carrier is silica.    
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 39 , comprising: 
 a) mixing the paste extract with a food-grade carrier in a chamber;    b) adding carbon dioxide and pressurizing the chamber to compress the carbon dioxide to induce a supercritical state of carbon dioxide and thereby dissolve the paste extract in the supercritical carbon dioxide;    c) adsorbing the dissolved paste extract onto a food-grade carrier; and    d) decompressing the chamber to form a dry flowable powder.    
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the food-grade carrier is maltodextrin, dextrose, or starch.