Hauser, Inc., the American supplier of herbal extracts and nutritional supplements, announced on May 31 that the United States Patent Office issued a new patent to Botanicals International Extracts, a Hauser subsidiary. The patent covers a process that purifies active compounds in green tea leaves. The process was developed by Hauser's research and development team. It purifies and isolates catechins, the active compounds found in green tea. Catechins are the most prominent one being epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg). Studies have shown that they provide benefits to conditions including cancer prevention and ulcer treatment. EGCg has also been shown in several animal studies to have cardio-protective and thermogenic effects, possibly making it a suitable replacement to Ephedra, a commonly used and controversial herb in diet formulations. Hauser's green tea extract has been used in long-term chemo-prevention studies at the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Dean Stull, Ph.D., Senior Executive Vice President of Technology and Hauser founder, commented, "Our technology provides for significant product advantages over other standardized extracts. We are able to remove caffeine and other tannins from green tea, which contribute to the body's high excretion rate. This should also enhance the tea's bioavailability and activity within the body and reduce the negative side effects commonly associated with higher caffeine intakes. Hauser's process for caffeine removal is accomplished using only ethanol and water as solvents, unlike traditional processes which use harsh solvents." Hauser is currently scaling-up operations and claims it will have commercial quantities available by the end of the Summer 2001. Source: Hauser, Inc.
