Modification of plant extracts from zygophyllaceae and pharmaceutical use therefor

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 wherein the mixture comprises an extract form a plant which is a species of the Larrea genus, the extract contains at least one phenolic composition having at least one hydroxy substituent attached directly to a benzene ring or a hydroxy substitutent adjacent to a carbonyl grouping conjugated to a benzene ring.

Claim 4

The method of claim 2 wherein said metal halide is zinc chloride.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1 wherein the extract contains at least one phenolic composition selected from the group consisting of guaiacol; guaiaconic acid; nordihydroguaiaretic acid; guaiaretic acid; norisoguaiacin; 3'-demethoxyisoguaiacin; dihydroguaiaretic acid; partially demethylated dihydroguaiaretic acid; 1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-6,7-dihydroxy-2,3-dimethyl-1,2,3,4,-tetrahydronaphthalene; 1-(3-hydroxyphenyl)-6,7-dihydroxy-2,3-dimethyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene; 1-(3,4-dihydroxyphenol)6,7-dihydroxy-2,3-dimethyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene; 1-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-2,3-dimethyl-4-(3-hydroxyphenyl) butane; 1-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-2,3-dimethyl-4-(4-hydroxyphenyl) butane; 1-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-2,3-dimethyl-4-(3,4,5-trihydroxyphenyl) butane; 1-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-2,3-dimethyl-4-[3-(4-hydroxy-3-methylbenzyloxy)-4-hydroxyphenyl] butane; 1-)3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-2,3-dimethyl-4-[3-(3-hydroxy-4-methylbenzyloxy)-4-hydroxyphenyl] butane; 1-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-2,3-dimethyl-4-[4-(4-hydroxy-3-methylbenzyloxy)-3-hydroxyphenyl] butane; 1-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-2,3-dimethyl-4-[4-(3-hydroxy-4-methylbenzyloxy)-3-hydroxyphenyl] butane; 1-(3-acetoxy-4-hydroxyphenyl)-2,3-dimethyl-4-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl) butane; 1-(4-acetoxy-3-hydroxyphenyl)-2,3-dimethyl-4-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl) butane; quercetin; quercetagetin; gossypetin-3,7,3'-trimethyl esther; gossypetin-3,7-dimethyl ether; herbacetin-3,7-dimethyl ether; quercetin-3,7,3',4'-tetramethyl ether; quercetin-3,7,3'-trimethyl ether; quercetin-3,3',4'-trimethyl ether; quercetin-3,7-dimethyl ether; quercetin-3,3'-dimethyl ether; quercetin-7,3'-dimethyl ether; quercetin-3'-methyl ether; kaempferol-3,7-dimethyl ether; kaempferol-3,4'-dimethyl ether; kaempferol-3-methyl ether; kaempferol-7-methyl ether; kaempferol; luteolin-7,3'-dimethyl ether; luteolin-3'-methyl ether; apigenin-7-methyl ether; apigenin; dihydromyricetin-3,5'-dimethyl ether; vicenin; chrysoeriol-6,8-di-C-glucoside; kaempferol-30-rhamnosylglucoside; isoquercetin; and rutin- and isohamnetin-3-O-rhamnosylglucoside.

Claim 6

The method of claim 4 wherein said metal halide is selected from the group consisting of chloride of copper, manganese, cadmium, antimony and zinc.

Claim 7

The method of claim 5 wherein said metal halide is zinc chloride.

Claim 8

The method of claim 1 wherein the metal halide comprises from about 20 to about 40 weight percent of the mixture and the plant extract contains at least one phenolic composition selected from the gorup consisting of guaiacol; nordihydroguaiaretic acid; guaiaretic acid; norisoguaiacin; 3'-demethoxyisoguaiacin; dihydroguaiaretic acid; partially demethylated dihydroguaiaretic acid; 1,4-bis (3-hydroxy-4-methoxyphenyl) butane; 1,4-bis(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl) butane; 1-(3-4-dihydroxyphenyl)-4-(3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenyl) butane; 1-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-4-(4-methoxy-3-hydroxyphenyl) 4-tetrahydronaphthalen; 1-(3-hydroxyphenyl)-6,7-dihydroxy-2, 3-dimethyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene; 1-(4,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-6,7-dihydroxy-2,3-dimethy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene; 1-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-2,3-dimethyl-4-(4-hydroxyphenyl) butane; 1-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-2,3-dimethyl-4-(3-hydroxyphenyl) butane; 1-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-2,3-dimethyl-4-(3,4,5-trithydroxyphenyl) butane; 1-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-2,3-dimethyl-4-[3-(3-methylbenzyloxy)-4-hydroxyphenyl] butane; 1-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-2,3-dimethyl-4-[4-(3methylbenzyloxy)-4-hydroxyphenyl] butane; 1-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-2,3-dimethyl-4-[3-(4-methylbenzyloxy)-3-hydroxyphenyl] butane; 1-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-2,3-dimethyl-4-[4-(4methylbenzyloxy)-3-hydroxyphenyl] butane; and quercetin.

Claim 9

The method of claim 7 wherein said metal halide is selected from the group consistin of chloride of copper, manganese, cadmium, antimony and zinc.

Claim 10

The method of claim 8 wherein said metal halide is zinc chloride.

Claim 11

The method of claim 1 wherein said metal halide is a zinc halide.

Claim 14

The method according to claim 11 wherein said metal halide is zinc chloride.

Claim 15

The method according to claim 11 wherein the mammalian tumors are selected from the group consisting of adenomas, sarcomas, melanomas, basal cell carcinoma and epidermoid carcinoma.

Claim 18

The method according to claim 14 wherein the zinc metal salt is zinc chloride.

Claim 21

The method according to claim 16 wherein the zinc metal salt is zinc chloride.

Claim 22

A composition comprising nordihydroguaiaretic acid and a nonalkali metal halide selected from the group consisting of copper, manganese, cadmium, antimony and zinc.

Claim 23

A composition comprising nordihydroguaiaretic acid and a nonalkali metal halide selected from the group consisting of copper, manganese, cadmium, antimony and zinc.

Claim 24

The composition according to claim 18 wherein the nonalkali metal halide is zinc chloride.

Claim 25

A pharmaceutical composition comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and the composition of claim 18.

Claim 26

A pharmaceutical composition comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and the composition of claim 19.