Anxioytic marcgraviaceae compositions containing betulinic acid, betulinic acid derivatives, and methods

Abstract

Pharmaceutical compositions for preventing or treating anxiety, comprising betulinic acid or derivatives thereof are provided. Methods for preventing or treating anxiety with betulinic acid or derivatives thereof are also provided. The invention further provides betulinic-acid containing preparations of plants of the family Marcgraviaceae having anxiolytic activity and methods for making such extracts and using them to prevent or treat anxiety in a subject.

1 . A betulinic acid-containing composition obtained from of a plant of the family Marcgraviaceae. 
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition is an extract of Marcgraviaceae, prepared by a method comprising:
 (a) contacting a Marcgraviaceae plant, or part thereof, with a first solvent in which betulinic acid is soluble, to form a betulinic acid-containing extract; and   (b) recovering the betulinic acid-containing extract from the first solvent, thereby preparing a betulinic acid-containing composition.   
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 2 , wherein (b) further comprises:
 (a) filtering the betulinic acid-containing extract from (a); and   (b) evaporating the first solvent.   
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 2 , wherein (b) further comprises:
 (a) filtering the betulinic acid-containing extract from (a),   (b) evaporating the solvent,   (c) extracting by stirring with a second solvent; and   (d) evaporating the second solvent.   
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 1 , comprising at least about 0.1% to 90% by weight betulinic acid. 
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 1 , comprising at least about 0.5% by weight betulinic acid. 
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 1 , comprising at least about 1% by weight betulinic acid. 
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 1 , comprising at least about 5% by weight betulinic acid. 
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the plant is of a genus selected from the group consisting of  Marcgraviastrum, Norantea, Ruyschia, Sarcopera, Marcgravia, Pseudosarcopera, Souroubea,  or  Schwartzia.    
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the plant is a  Souroubea  species. 
     
     
         11 . The composition of  claim 11 , wherein the  Souroubea  species is selected from the group consisting of  Souroubea gilgii, Souroubea sympetala, Souroubea loczyi, Souroubea venosa,  and  Souroubea vallicola.    
     
     
         12 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the plant is selected from the group consisting of  Marcgraviastrum subsessile, Marcgravia schipii, Marcgravia nepanthoides, Marcgravia browneii, Sarcopera sessiflora, Sarcopera resulata, Schwartzia tarrazuentis, Schwarzia costaricensis,  and  Schwarzia brazilenses.    
     
     
         13 . The composition of  claim 3 , wherein the first solvent is water, ethyl acetate, dichloromethane, methanol, ethanol, propanol, or butanol. 
     
     
         14 . The composition of  claim 3 , wherein the first solvent is ethanol and the second solvent is ethyl acetate. 
     
     
         15 . A pharmaceutical composition or a supplement comprising the composition of  claim 1 .