Method of manufacturing material for medical and pharmaceutical products from pyroligneous acid

A method of manufacturing a material for medical and pharmaceutical products from pyroligneous acid extracted as water content in smoke generated by baking arbor and bark. Pyroligneous acid is heated, and resultant evaporation gas in a temperature range 98.degree. to 103.degree. C. is extracted and liquified by cooling.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
This invention relates to a method of manufacturing a material for medical 
and pharmaceutical products from pyroligneous acid (or wood vinegar). 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
Pyroligneous acid is extracted as water content in smoke produced by 
heating trees and/or the bark thereof. 
Such pyroligneous acid is extracted as by-product in the manufacture of 
charcoal, and usually it is discarded. Recently, researches and 
investigations concerning the utility of pyroligneous acid have been 
conducted, and methods for extracting pyroligneous acid have been 
developed. 
However, no substantial utility effects of pyroligneous acid are obtained, 
and at present pyroligneous acid is finding insufficient applications. 
It is recently recognized that pyroligneous acid is greatly effective as 
medicines. However, it has not yet been utilized for medicines. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The inventors conducted researches and investigations concerning the 
effects of pyroligneous acid as medicine and developed a method of 
obtaining a material for medical and pharmaceutical products from 
pyroligneous acid by removing noxious components thereof. 
The present invention seeks to obtain a material for medical and 
pharmaceutical products from pyroligneous acid. 
The inventors heated pyroligneous acid and found that the temperature 
thereof is elevated quickly up to 98.degree. C., then slowly elevated up 
to 103.degree. C. and then elevated quickly again, a three-step rise of 
temperature. The inventors extracted evaporation gas with a temperature 
range lower than 98.degree. C. as first step, a range between 
98.degree..about.103.degree. C. as second step and a range higher than 
103.degree. C. as third step, liquified the extracted gas by cooling and 
examined the composition of the extract in the individual steps. 
Liquid obtained by extraction in the first step greatly contained noxious 
components such as formaldehyde and methanol. Liquid obtained by 
extraction in the third step contained such noxious components as 
3,4-benzpyrene. In contrast, liquid obtained by extraction in the second 
step did not contain the noxious components as in the liquids obtained by 
extraction in the first and third step. Animal experiments were conducted 
using the liquid obtained by extraction in the second step (extract) to 
find that the liquid had medical effects particularly on liver diseases 
and diabetes as in animal experiment results. 
ANIMAL EXPERIMENT RESULTS 
A. Effect of Administration of Extract on Therapy of Acute Hepatitis Due to 
Galactosamine 
Animal Used 
Rat 
Method of Experiment 
To rats was administrated galactosamine to induce acute hepatitis, and the 
extract was administrated twice a day to biochemically study the crisis 
suppression effect of the extract on acute hepatitis. 
Measurement Items 
Measurements of total bilirubin, glucose and GOT 
Measurements 
______________________________________ 
T. Bilirubin 
Glucose 
(mg/dl) (mg/dl) GOT (K.U.) 
______________________________________ 
Before administration 
0.36 95 111 
1st day 
Experiment Group 
0.56 122 1229 
Contrast Group 
0.83 111 1576 
2nd day 
Experiment Group 
3.12 95 3056 
Contrast Group 
4.91 62 3777 
3rd day 
Experiment Group 
2.99 106 1099 
Contrast Group 
5.14 75 1711 
______________________________________ 
Result 
When galactosamine was administrated to the rats, the GOT quickly increased 
in a period from 6 to 48 hours from the administration, and most rats dead 
in a week. With rats, to which the extract was administrated, the GOT 
increased but at a lower rate of increase compared to the contrast group 
rats. In addition, quick recovery was observed, and no rat dead. 
B. Effect of Extract Administration on Alloxan Diabetes 
Animal Used 
Rat 
Method of Experiment 
45 mg/kg of alloxan was given venous administration to rats to induce 
alloxan diabetes, and the extract was given by adding it by 1% to drinking 
water for free drinking. Glucose was measured at time intervals. 
Measurements 
______________________________________ 
Glucose (mg/dl) 
______________________________________ 
Before administration 
95 
1st week 
Experiment Group 348 
Contrast Group 383 
2nd week 
Experiment Group 336 
Contrast Group 395 
3rd week 
Experiment Group 195 
Contrast Group 322 
______________________________________ 
Result 
By giving alloxane by venous administration to the rats, the glucose value 
which was about 100 mg/dl was increased to 350 to 400 mg/dl in two days, 
and the symptom of diabetes was shown. With the experiment rats, to which 
the extract was given as 1% content in drinking water, the glucose value 
was the same as that in the contrast group rats up to 14 days from the 
start of experiment, but it turned to be reduced gradually from the 15th 
day and was reduced to about 200 mg/dl in the 25th day, indicating an 
effect of the extract to improve the rise of the glucose value in the 
diabetes. 
According to the present invention, the extract is obtained by heating 
pyroligneous acid, extracting the resultant evaporation gas in a 
temperature range of 98.degree. to 103.degree. C. and liquifying the 
extracted gas by cooling.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Now, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail. 
The kinds of trees as material of pyroligneous acid used according to the 
present invention and method of extraction of pyroligneous acid from trees 
or the like are by no means limitative. 
In this embodiment, pyroligneous acid is extracted from arber and bark or 
oak, shinquapin, cherry, beech, etc. In the method of extraction, the 
trees noted above are carbonated at a temperature of 170.degree. to 
800.degree. C., and smoke generated by this carbonization and containing 
water is led to be cooled down, thereby liquifying water content contained 
in the smoke for extraction. 
From pyroligneous acid thus extracted, tar and solid impurities are 
separated by precitation by leading the acid for a couple of months or 
subjecting the acid to centrifugal separation. The supernatant liquid is 
taken out for use. 
The supernatant liquid was heated by using a mantle heater, evaporation was 
from the supernatant liquid was discharged until a temperature of 
98.degree. C. is reached by the liquid, and evaporation gas generated 
while the supernatant liquid is being elevated in temperature from 
98.degree. to 103.degree. C., i.e., evaporation gas in a temperature range 
of 98.degree. to 103.degree. C., is extracted, and the extracted gas is 
liquified by cooling. 
The liquid thus obtained can be a material for medical and pharmaceutical 
products. 
In the above method, the evaporation gas is not extracted but discharged 
until reaching of 98.degree. C. by the pyroligneous acid supernatant 
liquid. Thus, noxious components contained in the evaporation gas can be 
removed. In addition, the extraction is stopped when the supernatant 
liquid temperature exceeds 103.degree. C. Thus, the extract is free from 
noxious components contained in subsequently generated evaporation gas. It 
is thus possible to obtain a material for medical and pharmaceutical 
products, which is free from noxious components. 
As has been shown, according to the present invention pyroligneous acid is 
heated, and evaporation gas in a temperature range of 98.degree. to 
103.degree. C. is extracted and liquified by cooling, permitting a 
material for medical and pharmaceutical products free from noxious 
components to be obtained, which greatly contributes to the therapy of 
diseases. Further, since the method of manufacture is simple, the material 
can be obtained readily and at low cost. Further, the present invention 
greatly contributes to the utility of pyroligneous acid which has not 
heretofore been finding sufficient applications.