Extracts of Aristolochia Longa pomer and uses thereof

Abstract

Methods of extracting from a part of a variety of the species Aristolochia Longa pomer , a biologically active extract, are disclosed. Methods of reducing cell growth in a subject and inducing apoptosis in a cell are also disclosed.

1 . A method of killing a tumor cell, the method comprising:
 administering to a subject having at least one tumor cell an effective amount of a pharmaceutically acceptable composition comprising an effective amount of a substantially purified extract of the plant species  Aristolochia Longa pomer  so as to decrease the tumor volume.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the extract is prepared from the root or bark of  Aristolochia Longa pomer.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the subject has a liver sensitivity to a chemotherapeutic therapy other than  Aristolochia Longa pomer  therapy. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the administering occurs after the subject has been previously treated with a chemotherapeutic. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising administering one or more additional chemotherapeutics. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the subject has cancer selected from the group consisting of colon cancer, small cell lung cancer, leukemia, prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer, liver cancer, renal cancer, breast cancer and melanoma. 
     
     
         7 . A method of treating colon cancer, comprising administering to a subject in need thereof an effective amount of a substantially purified extract of a  Aristolochia Longa  cultivar. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the  Aristolochia Longa  cultivar is  Aristolochia Longa pomer.    
     
     
         9 . A method of treating lung cancer, comprising administering to a subject in need thereof an effective amount of a substantially purified extract of a  Aristolochia Longa  cultivar. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the  Aristolochia Longa  cultivar is  Aristolochia Longa pomer.    
     
     
         11 . A method of normalizing levels of a liver function enzyme in a patient who is undergoing cancer treatment, the method comprising:
 administering to said patient an effective amount of purified extract of an  Aristolochia Longa  cultivar.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the  Aristolochia Longa  cultivar is  Aristolochia Longa pomer.    
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the substantially purified extract of the plant species  Aristolochia Longa pomer  is obtained by a method comprising:
 contacting un-extracted powder of  Aristolochia Longa pomer  with an aqueous solvent; and   extracting compounds of the powder into the solvent to form an extract and a residual powder.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the extracting conditions comprise an aqueous solvent and a temperature between about 20° C. and about 40° C. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the powder of  Aristolochia Longa pomer  comprises plant parts selected from the group consisting of root material, bark material and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the aqueous solvent is water. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the biologically active extract contains at least 10 wt. % dissolved biological materials from  Aristolochia Longa pomer.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the biologically active extract contains at least 20 wt. % dissolved biological materials from  Aristolochia Longa pomer.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 separating the residual powder from the extract of  Aristolochia pomer.      
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 contacting un-extracted powder of  Aristolochia Longa pomer  with the extract of  Aristolochia pomer  to form a concentrated extract of  Aristolochia Longa pomer.      
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein separating the residual powder from the extract of  Aristolochia pomer  and contacting un-extracted powder of  Aristolochia Longa pomer  with the extract of  Aristolochia pomer  to form a concentrated extract of  Aristolochia Longa pomer  are repeated at least five times. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein separating the residual powder from the extract of  Aristolochia pomer  and contacting un-extracted powder of  Aristolochia Longa pomer  with the extract of  Aristolochia pomer  to form a concentrated extract of  Aristolochia Longa pomer  are repeated at least 100 times. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising evaporating the aqueous solvent to recover a solid extract. 
     
     
         24 . A substantially purified extract of  Aristolochia Longa pomer.