Patent ID: 6210679
Filing Date: 2001-04-03
Classification: A61K

Abstract:
A method for isolating an essentially caffeine-free mixture of catechins comprising about 30% EGCG from any plant material that contains catechins and which may contain caffeine, wherein said mixture of catechins is between about 70-80% pure, said method comprising:contacting the plant material for a selected period of time with a solvent wherein at least some of said catechins are soluble and transported into said solvent to form a crude extract;loading said crude extract onto a column wherein said column contains an adsorbent for specifically adsorbing said catechins;washing said adsorbent with a wash solution, wherein caffeine is removed and wherein said catechins remain adsorbed to said adsorbent; anddesorbing said catechins from said adsorbent with 100% ethanol, whereby said essentially caffeine-free mixture of catechins is isolated.