Method of treatment of diseases using hoodia extracts

Abstract

A method for treating a disease comprising administering to a mammal in need thereof an effective dosage of an extract of a plant of the genus Hoodia , wherein the disease is selected from the group consisting of immune-mediated disorders, immune-associated disorders, inflammatory diseases, coronary disease, insulin resistance and liver-related diseases. In a preferred embodiment, the Hoodia is Hoodia parviflora . Also disclosed is a pharmaceutical composition for treating the above diseases comprising an effective dosage of an extract of a plant of the genus Hoodia.

1 . A method for treating at least one disease, comprising:
 administering to a mammal in need thereof an effective dosage of an extract of a plant of genus  Hoodia , wherein the at least one disease is selected from the group consisting of immune-mediated disorders, immune-associated disorders, inflammatory diseases, coronary disease, insulin resistance and liver-related diseases.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the genus  Hoodia  includes at least one  Hoodia  species selected from the group consisting of  Hoodia parviflora, Hoodia macrantha, Hoodia currorii, Hoodia lugardii, Hoodia ruschii, Hoodia tugardii  and  Hoodia gordonii.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the at least one  Hoodia  species is  Hoodia parviflora.    
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the extract is administered orally. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the liver-related diseases include at least one member selected from the group consisting of hyperlipidemia, fatty-infiltration, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), cirrhosis of the liver, end stage liver disease, non alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), hepatitis B, hepatitis C, autoimmune hepatitis, primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), inflammation of and decrease in liver function and any type of liver disease including immune mediated, viral, metabolic and drug induced. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the immune-mediated and/or immune-associated disorders include at least one member selected from the group consisting of rheumatoid arthritis, acute and chronic graft versus host disease, systemic lupus erythmatosus, scleroderma, multiple sclerosis, non alcoholic fatty liver disease, hyperlipidemia, coronary heart disease, the metabolic syndrome or any of the diseases comprising the same, obesity, inflammatory bowel disease and immune mediated hepatitis, and any brain, lung, heart, gastrointestinal system, kidney, skin, muscle and nerve disorders that are mediated at least in part by the immune system, whether adaptive or innate. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the coronary disease is atherosclerosis or hypertriglyceridemia. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the disease is not type II diabetes. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the disease is not obesity. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the disease is not metabolic syndrome. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the extract is a compound isolated from the  Hoodia  plant, and wherein said compound is not P57. 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the effective dosage of the extract of the plant of the genus  Hoodia  is in the form of an edible composition selected from the group consisting of a dietary supplement, a nutraceutical, a food additive, a food product, and a beverage. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the food product is an ice-cream or a frozen-cube. 
     
     
         16 . (canceled)