A BIOACTIVE MATERIAL DERIVED FROM PEARLS

Abstract: A bioactive material is obtained by heating pearl. It seems that a calcium component and conchiolin, which is contained in pearl, are activated by heating. Said bioactive material is useful as a plant growth agent, an animal growth agent, a fish growth agent, a medicine, a preservative, and the like.

Description: The instant invention relates to the preparation of a bioactive material by heating pearl. The bioactive material thus obtained is useful as a plant growth agent, an animal growth agent, a fish growth agent, a medicine or a preservative. Since olden times, pearl has been used as a panacea in China, Europe and other areas. It seems that the effective components of pearl are a calcium component and conchiolin, which is a kind of protein contained in pearl. Nevertheless, the effectiveness of pearl as a medicine has not been so remarkable. JP-A-60-41,613 describes a method of preparing a pearl extract by treating pearl with lactic acid and then warming the solution obtained. The resulting extract comprises calcium lactate and amino acids in addition to many inorganic components. The process of the present invention increases the effectiveness of pearl as a bioactive material. Accordingly, there is provided a process for producing a bioactive material, which process comprises heating crushed pearl at a temperature from 200 to 1,600°C. A preferred temperature range is from 400 to 1,500°C. Before the pearl is heated it is shattered to a powder. The said bioactive material is therefore provided in a powder form. It has been clarified that pearl heated at a temperature in a range between 700 to 800°C is effective for animals, and pearl heated at a temperature in the range between 900 to 1,100°C is effective for plants. Many kinds of chemical agents such as calcium sulphate, calcium carbonate, calcium phosphate may be mixed with said coral powder, carapace powder of Crustacea or limestone powder may also be mixed with said bioactive material. Pottery, earthenware, glass or ceramics which contain said bioactive material are also effective as bioactive materials. Further, pottery or earthenware, on which glaze containing said bioactive material are put, are also effective as bioactive materials. Still further, pottery or earthenware containing said bioactive material, on which glaze containing said bioactive material are put are also effective as bioactive materials. When said bioactive material is used, said bioactive material may be directly administered to animals including fish as an oral medicine or applied to an affected part of an animal including fish as an ointment, and said bioactive material may be mixed with soil for plants. Further, water in which said bioactive material, said pottery, earthenware, glass or ceramics, are dipped, is also effective as a bioactive material. The dipping is suitably carried out at ambient temperature, generally for a period of from 1 to 10 hours, more typically from 3 to 6 hours and especially from 4 to 5 hours. Said water may be used as an oral medicine, an ointment or an injected medicine, for animals, including fish and said water may also be used for the breeding of fish. Said water may be also used for water culture. In said use, said bioactive material may be effective as a treatment medicine or a preventive medicine against many kinds of disease such as hyperpiesia, diabetes, cancer, allergic diseases, skin diseases or women's diseases or a hygienic medicine, or a growth agent for animals, fish, and plants. It is typically formulated, with a physiologically acceptable vehicle, into a pharmaceutical composition suitable for administration to humans or animals. The composition may be presented in any conventional form including, for example, an ointment. A toothpaste is also suitably prepared comprising the bioactive material in a physiologically acceptable vehicle. Further, said bioactive material may be effective as a preservative for meat, fish, vegetables or water, or a fungicide for wood, plastic, food or textiles. Example 1 [Preparation of a bioactive material] Bioactive material was prepared by heating pearl powder at a temperature between 700 to 800°C for 6 hours. Example 2 [Manufacture of pottery balls] About 15% by weight of the bioactive material of Example 1 was mixed into potter's clay and said potter's clay was molded into balls having an average diameter of about 20 mm. Said balls were heated at a temperature between 700 to 750°C for 5 hours. Thus, pottery balls having bioactivity were manufactured. Example 3 [Manufacture of glazed pottery balls] A glaze containing 80% by weight of said bioactive material of Example 1 for a solid of said glaze was put on said pottery balls of Example 2 and said pottery balls were heated at a temperature between 1,300 to 1,350°C for 30 hours. Thus, glazed pottery balls having bioactivity were manufactured. Example 4 [Treatment of hyperpiesia] The bioactive material of Example 1 was orally administered to a hypertensive patient (male, 47 years old, highest blood pressure about 210, lowest blood pressure about 130) in a dosage of 0.5g per day. After said administration for six months, said highest blood pressure and said lowest blood presure of said hypertensive patient dropped to about 130 and about 85 respectively and the blood pressure of said hypertensive patient has maintained a normal range after said administration ceased. Example 5[Treatment of angina pectoris] The bioactive material of Example 1 was orally administered to a patient (male, 60 years old) suffering from angina pectoris, in a dosage of 0.5g twice per day and a further 600ml of water in which said pottery balls of Example 2 were dipped for 4 hours (5g of pottery balls/1ℓ water) was orally administered per day. After said administration of said bioactive material and said water for one month, said patient has no paroxysm, and after said administration for two months, the electrocardiogram of said patient became normal. Example 6 (Treatment of diabetes) The bioactive material of Example 1 was orally administered to a diabetic patient (male 62 years old, blood-sugar level about 400) in a dosage of 0.5g per day and a further 500ml of water in which pottery balls of Example 3 were dipped for 4 hours (5g of pottery balls/1ℓ water) was orally administered per day. After said administration of said bioactive material and said water for 8 weeks, the blood-sugar level of said diabetic patient decreased to 95 and said blood-sugar level of said diabetic has maintained a normal range after said administration ceased. Example 7 [Treatment of cancer of the breast] The bioactive material of Example 1 was orally administered to a patient (female 59 years old) suffering from cancer of the breast in its final stage, in a dosage of 1.0g per day and a further 600ml of water in which pottery balls of Example 3 were dipped for 5 hours (5g of pottery balls/1ℓ water) was orally administered per day. After said administration of said bioactive material and said water for 4 months, the tumors of the breast of said patient remarkably reduced, and then 0.5g of said bioactive material and 600ml of said water per day were administered to said patient. Said treatment was continued for 5 months and substantially no tumors were recognized in her breast. Example 8 [Treatment of cancer of the rectum] The bioactive material of Example 1 was orally administered to a patient (male 54 years old) suffering from cancer of the rectum which recurred two years after an operation, in a dosage of 1g per day and 2g per day alternately. After said administration for 3 months, said patient recovered his health and, after said administration for 5 months, could return to work. Example 9 [Treatment of endometritis] The bioactive material of Example 1 was orally administered to a patient (female 22 years old) suffering from serious endometritis in a dosage of 1g per day, and her endometritis was completely healed after said administration for 3 months. Example 10 [Treatment of menstrual disorders] The bioactive material of Example 1 was orally administered to a patient (female 18 years old) suffering from menstrual disorders accompanied with serious menstrual colic, in a dosage of 0.2g per day and her menstration became regular and said menstrural colic left her after said administration for 3 months. Example 11 [Treatment of dermatophytosis] A powder mixture of 50% by weight of the bioactive material of Example 1 and 50% by weight of zinc flowers was applied on the affected parts of a patient (male 35 years old) suffering from dermatophytosis, once per day. Said treatment by said powder mixture was continued for a week and then said patient completely recovered from said dermatophytosis. Example 12 [Treatment of alopecia areata] The bioactive material of Example 1 was orally administered to a patient (male 14 years old) suffering from alopecia areata, in a dosage of 0.5g, twice (morning and evening) per day, and hair began to grow on his affected parts after said administration for one month. Example 13 [Treatment of otitis media] The bioactive material of Example 1 was applied on the affected parts of a patient (female 34 years old) suffering from serious otitis media, twice per day (morning and evening), and said patient completely recovered from said otitis media after said treatment for one month. Example 14 [Treatment of pyorrhea alveolaris] The bioactive material of Example 1 was applied on affected parts of a patient (female 55 years old) suffering from serious pyorrhea alveolaris, once per day, and no pus and bleeding from said patient's affected parts were recognized after said treatment for four weeks. Example 15 [Treatment of purpura] The bioactive material of Example 1 was orally administered to a patient (female 46 years old) suffering from purpura for 6 years, in a dosage of 1g for per day and applied on her purple spots once a day, and her purple spots completely disappeared after said treatment for 3 months. Example 16 [Treatment of exophthalmic goiter] The bioactive material of Example 1 was orally administered to a patient (female 46 years old) suffering from exophthalmic goiter for 6 years, in a dosage of 1.5g per day and after said administration for 1 month, no swelling on said patient's throat was recognized. Example 17 [Preparation of an ointment] As above described, the bioactive material of Example 1 is effective for treatment of cutaneous disorders. The bioactive material may be directly applied on affected parts, but the following recipes may also be recommended for ointments. Lotion Propylene glycol 25g Triethanol amine 1g Water 7g Oleic acid 1.5g Polyethyleneglycolmonostearate 11g Polyacrylic acid (2% by weight aq) 50g The bioactive material 40g Cream White oil 41g Microcrystalline was 3g Liquid lanolin 10g Sorbitanmonooleate 5g Polysorbate - 80 0.25g Water 41g The bioactive material 35g Said lotion and cream may be effective for the treatment or prevention of burns, wounds, dermatophytosis, freckles, spots, acne or haemorrhoids. Example 18 [Preparation of a tooth paste] As above desribed, the bioactive material of Example 1 is effective for treatment of pyorrhea alveolaris. The bioactive material may be directly applied on an affected part, but the following recipe may also be recommended as a tooth paste. Propylene glycol 10g Water 20g Polyethylene glycol monostearate 2g Polyacrylic acid 15g Calcium carbonate 25g The bioactive material 25g Clove oil 0.1g Said toothpaste may be effective for treatment or prevention of carious tooth, gingivitis, pyorrhea alveolaris or stomatitis. Example 19 [Preparation of a bioactive material] A mixture of 50% by weight of pearl powder and 50% by weight of bone powder is heated at a temperature between 1,000 to 1,100°C for 8 hours to obtain a bioactive material. Example 20 [Preservation of Flowers] Rose were arranged in a vase in which water wherein the bioactive material of Example 19 was dispersed at a ratio of 1g/1ℓ water. Flowers of said roses kept their fresh colour for 3 weeks while the colour of flowers faded for 3 days in a case where the roses were arranged in a vase containing untreated water. Example 21 [Manufacture of pottery balls] A mixture of 50% by weight of pearl powder and 50% by weight of oyster shell powder was heated at a temperature between 700 to 800°C for 7 hours and then about 20% by weight of said heat-treated mixture was mixed into potter's clay and said potter's clay was molded into balls having an average diameter of about 30mm. Said balls were heated at a temperature between 700 to 750°C for 5 hours. Thus pottery balls having bioactivity were manufactured. Example 22 [Breeding of Carp] Carp were bred in a tank in which 5t of water and 2kgs of balls of Example 21 were put in and said water kept clear for a long time without putrefaction and the good growth of said Carp without said Carp suffering from any disease was confirmed.

Claims: A process for producing a bioactive material, which process comprises heating crushed pearl at a temperature of from 200°C to 1600°C. A process according to claim 1 which comprises the additional steps of mixing the pearl, after heating, with potter's clay; moulding the mixture thus formed into balls; and heating the said balls. A process according to claim 2 which comprises glazing the balls with a composition comprising heated pearl or pearl-containing material. A process for producing an aqueous bioactive material which comprises immersing the product of the process claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 in water. A pharmaceutical composition or a toothpaste comprising, in a physiologically acceptable vehicle, a bioactive material produced by the process as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4. A bioactive material produced by the process claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, or a pharmaceutical composition as claimed in claim 5, for use in a method of treatment of the human or animal body by surgery or therapy or of diagnosis practised on the human or animal body. Use of a bioactive material produced by the process claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 in the manufacture of a medicament for use in treating a clinical condition selected from hyperpiesia, angina pectoris, diabetes, cancer of the breast or of the rectum, endometritis, menstrual disorders, dermatophytosis, alopecia areata, otitis media, pyorrhea alveolaris, purpura and exophthalmic goiter. Use, in a preservative or a fungicide, of a bioactive material produced by the process claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4.

Inventors: KATO, MASATOSHI, KATO, MASUHIRO
Applicants: KATO, MASATOSHI, KATO, MASUHIRO
Application year: 1989
Main classification: A61K35
IPC codes: A61K33, A61P9, A01N59, A61Q11, C02F1, A61Q19, A61P17, A61P43, A61K8, A61P1, A61K35, A01K63