Ancile Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Other

Trega Biosciences, Inc.

Lion Bioscience Ag

Amaresh Basu

Beverly E Girten

Michael J Andrews

John S Kiely

Michael C Griffith

Sandra R Slivka

Curtis C Hecht

Richard Allen Houghten

Mark J Suto

Ronald R Tuttle

Timothy Gahman

Costas C Loullis

Patricia A Weber

Paul Omholt

Timothy C Gahman

Patrick Fagan

Ali Andalibi

A process for preparing a pharmaceutically-active extract of the root of a plant of the family Valerianacae, specifically,L., is described. This process comprises the steps of adding the roots to an alcoholic extraction solvent to form a mixture, wherein the alcoholic extraction solvent comprises between approximately 50% to approximately 100% (v/v) in a remainder of water, and heating the mixture to a temperature of between approximately 70&#xb0; C. to approximately 80&#xb0; C. for a period of at least approximately two hours. By this process valerenic acid is obtained in the extract, and the extract has a content of valepotriates and valepotriate degradation products or derivatives that is substantially reduced with respect to the content of valepotriates in the roots, and has a content of valerenic acids that is not substantially reduced with respect to the content of valerenic acids in the roots. Also preferably, the content of volatile oils in the extract is also not substantially with respect to the content of volatile oils in the roots. A pharmaceutically-active extract of the root of a plant of the family Valerianaceae is also described. This extract is obtained by a process comprising the steps of adding the roots to an alcoholic extraction solvent to form a mixture, wherein the alcoholic extraction solvent comprises between approximately 50% (v/v) to approximately 100% (v/v) in a remainder of water, and heating the mixture to a temperature of between approximately 70&#xb0; C. to approximately 80&#xb0; C. for a period of at least approximately two hours. This extract may be used in the formulation of an ingestible form, preferably exhibiting sedative and/or muscle relaxant, and/or anxiolytic activity.

Process for the extraction of valerian root

A pharmaceutical composition comprising extracts of the root of a plant of the family Valerianacae, and methods of using such composition and/or extracts of the root of a plant of the family Valerianacae to improve sleep quality and sleep efficiency and to improve sleep structure and sleep architecture, are described. Sleep quality, sleep efficiency, sleep structure and sleep architecture may be in the context of various criteria or parameters, as described herein. Specifically, a pharmaceutical composition that reduces wake after sleep onset, increases total sleep time, increases sleep efficiency, and/or increases sleep time spent in sleep stages three and four, in a normal adult is described, the composition comprising therapeutically effective amounts of valerenic acid and its derivatives, kessane derivatives, valeranone, valerenal, and amino acids. The composition may be prepared by the steps of (i) adding the roots to an alcoholic extraction solvent to form a mixture, wherein the alcoholic extraction solvent comprises between approximately 50% (v/v) to approximately 100% (v/v) ethanol in a remainder of water, and (ii) heating the mixture to a temperature of between approximately 70&#xb0; C. to approximately 80&#xb0; C. for a period of at least two hours; wherein valerenic acid is present in the extract, the content of valepotriates in the extract is substantially reduced with respect to its content in the root, and the content of valerenic acids in the extract is not substantially reduced with respect to its content in the root; and minimizing the yield of unstable valepotriates. The valerenic acid derivative, where present, is preferably selected from acetoxyvalerenic acid, hydroxyvalerenic acid, valerenal, valerenol.

Composition for improving sleep quality and efficiency, and methods of preparing and using the composition

Methods for treating erectile dysfunction using tetrahydroisoquinoline aromatic amines that function as melanocortin receptor ligands.

Treatment of erectile dysfunction using isoquinoline compound melanocortin receptor ligands

A process for preparing a pharmaceutically-active extract of the root of a plant of the family Valerianacae, specifically, L., is described. This process comprises the steps of adding the roots to an alcoholic extraction solvent to form a mixture, wherein the alcoholic extraction solvent comprises between approximately 50% to approximately 100% (v/v) in a remainder of water, and heating the mixture to a temperature of between approximately 70&deg; C. to approximately 80&deg; C. for a period of at least approximately two hours. By this process valerenic acid is obtained in the extract, and the extract has a content of valepotriates and valepotriate degradation products or derivatives that is substantially reduced with respect to the content of valepotriates in the roots, and has a content of valerenic acids that is not substantially reduced with respect to the content of valerenic acids in the roots. Also preferably, the content of volatile oils in the extract is also not substantially with respect to the content of volatile oils in the roots. A pharmaceutically-active extract of the root of a plant of the family Valerianaceae is also described. This extract is obtained by a process comprising the steps of adding the roots to an alcoholic extraction solvent to form a mixture, wherein the alcoholic extraction solvent comprises between approximately 50% (v/v) to approximately 100% (v/v) in a remainder of water, and heating the mixture to a temperature of between approximately 70&deg; C. to approximately 80&deg; C. for a period of at least approximately two hours. This extract may be used in the formulation of an ingestible form, preferably exhibiting sedative and/or muscle relaxant, and/or anxiolytic activity.

The invention relates to melanocortin receptor ligands and methods of using the ligands to alter or regulate the activity of a melanocortin receptor. The invention further relates to tetrahydroisoquinoline aromatic amines that function as melanocortin receptor ligands and as agents for controlling cytokine-regulated physiologic processes and pathologies, and combinatorial libraries thereof.

Isoquinoline compound melanocortin receptor ligands and methods of using

The present invention relates to novel peptides that are potent cytokine regulatory agents. In addition, the present invention relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and a cytokine regulatory agent. Administration of such a cytokine regulatory agent to a subject can enhance or restrain cytokine activity. Thus, the present invention provides a method of regulating cytokine activity in a subject having a condition characterized by aberrant or altered cytokine activity. The invention also provides methods of treating such conditions, including, for example, disuse deconditioning, diseases mediated by nitric oxide and cytokines, adverse drug reactions, obesity, septic shock, and adverse side effects due to cancer chemotherapy or occurring as in response to organ transplantation.

Cytokine regulatory agents and methods of use in pathologies and

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San Diego, CA, United States of America

Amaresh Basu