Combining a polyphenol with hydrogen peroxide to treat or prevent a bacterial infection

Abstract

Methods of and compositions for producing and using plant-based materials are provided. The methods include using biopolymers or their synthetic equivalents combined with a stable source of reactive oxygen species that when applied to or combined with a separate source of oxido-reducing enzyme or catalyst will cause the formation of an activated biopolymer with increased protein binding affinity and microbial control activities.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method of treating or preventing a bacterial infection, the method comprising
 preparing a polyphenolic composition for use in a formulation, the preparing including using a process having the steps of:   (i) creating a water-soluble extract of a plant tissue selected from the group consisting of  Camellia sinensis , pomegranate, and Chinese gall, the creating including at least substantially denaturing enzymes endogenous to the plant tissue and extracting the plant tissue with water; and,   (ii) adding hydrogen peroxide to the water-soluble extract of the plant;   and,   administering the formulation to an animal to treat or prevent the bacterial infection.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein
 (iii) the plant tissue is pomegranate;   (iv) the preparing further comprises heating  Camellia sinensis  to at least substantially denature enzymes endogenous to the  Camellia sinensis  and extracting the  Camellia sinensis  with water to create a water-soluble extract of the  Camellia sinensis;      (v) the adding further comprises adding hydrogen peroxide to the water-soluble extract of the  Camellia sinensis ; and,   (vi) the formulation has the water extract of the pomegranate, the water extract of the  Camellia sinensis , and the hydrogen peroxide.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plant tissue is Chinese gall. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the preparing includes heating the plant tissue at 80° C. to 150° C. to at least substantially denature the enzymes endogenous to the plant tissue. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the preparing includes heating the pomegranate and the  Camellia sinensis  at 80° C. to 150° C. to at least substantially denature the enzymes endogenous to the pomegranate and the  Camellia sinensis.    
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the preparing includes heating the plant tissue at 80° C. to 150° C. to at least substantially denature the enzymes endogenous to the Chinese gall. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein adding includes adding from 1% to less than 10% of hydrogen peroxide. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein adding includes adding from 1% to less than 10% of hydrogen peroxide. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein adding includes adding from 1% to less than 10% of hydrogen peroxide. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein adding includes diluting down to 25 ppm of hydrogen peroxide in the formulation. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein adding includes diluting down to 25 ppm of hydrogen peroxide in the formulation. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein adding includes diluting down to 25 ppm of hydrogen peroxide in the formulation. 
     
     
         13 . A method of treating or preventing a bacterial infection in an animal, wherein the administering comprises feeding the formulation of  claim 1  to the animal in a dose ranging from 5.0 μg to 2500 μg per day based on dry weight equivalent. 
     
     
         14 . A method of treating or preventing a bacterial infection in an animal, wherein the administering comprises feeding the formulation of  claim 2  to the animal in a dose ranging from 5.0 μg to 2500 μg per day based on dry weight equivalent. 
     
     
         15 . A method of treating or preventing a bacterial infection in an animal, wherein the administering comprises feeding the formulation of  claim 3  to the animal in a dose ranging from 5.0 μg to 2500 μg per day based on dry weight equivalent. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the method functions to reduce diarrhea in the animal. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the method functions to reduce diarrhea in the animal. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the method functions to reduce diarrhea in the animal. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the formulation is in a dried form. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the composition is administered to an animal in their feed as a growth promoter and results in a weight gain the animal when compared to a control group receiving the same feed.