Preventative treatment and remission of allergic diseases
Patents Granted (Contd.) (51) International Classification ; (54) Title Preventative treatment and remission of allergic diseases (57) Abstract The invention provides the use of at least one plan selected from plants of the family Zingiberaceae in the preparation of a medicament for use in the [ - 1 treatment or prophylaxis of allergic diseases. The plant is optionally selected · from the genera Siphonochilus, Kaempferia, Cienkowskia and Cienkowskiella *L ! and the species is optionally selected from Siphonochilus aethiopicus, Siphonochilus natalensis, Kaempferia acthiopica, Kaempferia nalalensis, f _} Kaempferia ethelae, Cienkowskia aethiopica and Cienkowskiella aethiopica. i u ~ 1 i I The allergic disease is selected from asthma and atopy. f ~i (56) Documents Cited : TAYLOR JOSLYN L S et al WO 99/53935 A DATABASE WPI Week 200135 DATABASE WPI Week 200468 DATABASE WPI Week 200479 DATABASE WPI Week 200479, Derwent Publications Ltd., DATABASE WPI Week 200377 DATABASE WPI Week 200204 FORM 25 (12) PATENT (19) AP (11) Patent No : AP 2893 (73) Applicants) (21) Application No : AP/P/2008/004630 CSIR Scientia, 0002 Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa (22) Filing Date : 28.02.2007 (45) (24) Date of Grant & Publication : 15.04.2014 (30) Priority Data (33) Country (31) Number (32) Date (72) Inventors ZA 2006/01860 03.03.2006 HORAK Roebf Marthinus, South Africa WADIWALA Ebrahim, South Africa FOUCHfi Gerda, South Africa etal (84) Designated State (74) Representative BW GM GH KE LS MW MZ NA SL GILL, GODLONTON & GERRANS SD SZ TZ UG ZM ZW ZIMBABWE The invention provides the use of at least one plant selected from plants of the family Zingiberaceae in the preparation of a medicament for use in the treatment or prophylaxis of allergic diseases. The plant is optionally selected from the genera Siphonochilus, Kaempferia, Cienkowskia and Cienkowskiella and the species is optionally selected from Siphonochilus aethiopicus, Siphonochilus natalensis, Kaempferia aethiopica, Kaempferia natalensis, Kaempferia ethelae, Cienkowskia aethiopica and Cienkowskiella aethiopica. The allergic disease is selected from asthma and atopy. CLAIMS: 1. Use of an extract of at least one plant selected from plants of the family Zingiberaceae in the preparation of a medicament for use in the treatment or prophylaxis of allergic diseases. 2. Use as claimed in Claim 1 , in which the at least one plant is selected from the genera Siphonochilus, Kaempferia, Cienkowskia and Cienkowskiella. 3. Use as claimed in Claim 2, in which the at least one plant is selected from the species Siphonochilus aethiopicus, Siphonochilus natalensis, Kaempferia aethiopica, Kaempferia natalensis, Kaempferia ethelae, Cienkowskia aethiopica and Cienkowskiella aethiopica. 4. Use as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the extract includes, as an active ingredient, a compound selected from compounds having the structural formula 1 , (1 ) (4a-S,5R,8a-R or 4a-R,5S,8a-S) stereoisomers thereof and mixtures of stereoisomers thereof. 5. Use as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the allergic disease is selected from asthma and atopy.
6. Use as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the extract is an essential oil obtained by steam distillation of plant material from the at least one plant. 7. Use as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, in which the extract is an organic solvent extract obtained by extraction of plant material of the at least one plant with an organic solvent. 8. Use as claimed in any claim 7, in which the organic solvent is an ether selected from diethyl ether, diisopropyl ether, t-butyl methyl ether, t-amyl methyl ether and t-butyl ethyl ether. 9. Use as claimed in claim 7, in which the organic solvent is an ester selected from methyl acetate, ethyl acetate and benzyl acetate. 10. Use as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 9, in which the plant material is obtained from roots or rhizomes of the plant. 11 . A composition for use in a method of treatment or prophylaxis of allergic diseases, the composition including an extract of at least one plant selected from plants of the family Zingiberaceae. 12. A composition as claimed in Claim 1 1 , in which the at least one plant is selected from the genera Siphonochilus, Kaempferia, Cienkowskia and Cienkowskiella. 13. A composition as claimed in Claim 12, in which the at least one plant is selected from the species Siphonochilus aethiopicus, Siphonochilus natalensis, Kaempferia aethiopica, Kaempferia natalensis, Kaempferia ethelae, Cienkowskia aethiopica and Cienkowskiella aethiopica. 14. A composition as claimed in any one of claims 1 1 to 13, in which the extract includes, as an active ingredient, a compound selected from compounds having the structural formula 1 ,
(1 ) (4a-S,5R,8a-R or 4a-R,5S,8a-S) stereoisomers thereof and mixtures of stereoisomers thereof. 15. A composition as claimed in any one of claims 1 1 to 14, in which the allergic disease is selected from asthma and atopy. 16. A composition as claimed in any one of claims 1 1 to 15, in which the extract is an essential oil obtained by steam distillation of plant material from the at least one plant. 17. A composition as claimed in any one of claims 1 1 to 15, in which the extract is an organic solvent extract obtained by extraction of plant material of the at least one plant with an organic solvent. 18. A composition as claimed in any claim 17, in which the organic solvent is an ether selected from diethyl ether, diisopropyl ether, t-butyl methyl ether, t-amyl methyl ether and t-butyl ethyl ether. 19. A composition as claimed in claim 17, in which the organic solvent is an ester selected from methyl acetate, ethyl acetate and benzyl acetate. 20. A composition as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 19, in which the plant material is obtained from roots or rhizomes of the plant. 21 . Use of an extract of at least one plant selected from plants of the family Zinqiberaceae in the preparation of a medicament for use in any one or more of the downregulation of glucocorticoid receptors, the inhibition of phospholipase A2, the
downregulation of allergy mediators, the downregulation of cytokines, the inhibition of phosphodiesterase 4, the inhibition of 5-lipoxygenase or leukotriene biosynthesis, and the inhibition of specific activity of the NF-κB Transcription Response. 22. Use as claimed in claim 21 in which the allergy mediators are selected from prostaglandins and leukotrienes. 23. Use as claimed in claim 21 or claim 22, in which the cytokines are selected from IL-4, IL-5 and IL-8. 24. Use as claimed in any one of claims 21 to 23, in which the at least one plant is selected from the genera Siphonochilus, Kaempferia, Cienkowskia and Cienkowskiella. 25. Use as claimed in Claim 24, in which the at least one plant is selected from the species Siphonochilus aethiopicus, Siphonochilus natalensis, Kaempferia aethiopica, Kaempferia natalensis, Kaempferia ethelae, Cienkowskia aethiopica and Cienkowskiella aethiopica. 26. Use as claimed in any one of claims 21 to 25, in which the extract includes, as an active ingredient, a compound selected from compounds having the structural formula 1 , (1 ) (4a-S,5R,8a-R or 4a-R,5S,8a-S) stereoisomers thereof and mixtures of stereoisomers thereof.
27. Use as claimed in any one of claims 21 to 26, in which the allergic disease is selected from asthma and atopy. 28. Use as claimed in any one of claims 21 to 27, in which the extract is an essential oil obtained by steam distillation of plant material from the at least one plant. 29. Use as claimed in any one of claims 21 to 27, in which the extract is an organic solvent extract obtained by extraction of plant material of the at least one plant with an organic solvent. 30. Use as claimed in any claim 29, in which the organic solvent is an ether selected from diethyl ether, diisopropyl ether, t-butyl methyl ether, t-amyl methyl ether and t-butyl ethyl ether. 31 . Use as claimed in claim 29, in which the organic solvent is an ester selected from methyl acetate, ethyl acetate and benzyl acetate. 32. Use as claimed in any one of claims 21 to 31 , in which the plant material is obtained from roots or rhizomes of the plant. 33. Use of a compound selected from compounds having the structural formula 1 , (1 ) (4a-S,5R,8a-R or 4a-R,5S,8a-S) stereoisomers thereof and mixtures of stereoisomers thereof in the preparation of a medicament for use in the treatment or prophylaxis of allergic diseases.
34. Use as claimed in claim 33, in which the allergic disease is selected from asthma and atopy.