Use of Extracts or Materials Extracted From Piper Cubeba L. as an Effective Component in a Drug for the Treatment of Cancer Diseases

Abstract

Disclosed is a method for the preparation of a dry extract from the fruit of Piper cubeba L. In the disclosed method, in a first step, the fruit of Piper cubeba L. either is subjected to a steam distillation for the removal of essential oils and the distillate is removed or extracted at least once with a lipophilic phase and the lipophilic extract or extracts are removed; in a second step, the fruit, so treated, is extracted at least once either with at least one alcohol or with a mixture of at least one alcohol and water; and, in a third step, the extracted fruit parts are removed and an auxiliary material is added to the extract so obtained, which is then concentrated to a thick extract with an alcohol concentration of 0.1 to 10% (w/w), then dried and recovered.

1 . A process for the preparation of a dry extract of fruits of  Piper cubeba  L. as active component in a medicament,
 characterized in that
 in a first step for the removal of the essential oils the fruits of  Piper cubeba  L. either
 are subjected to a steam distillation and the distillate is removed, or 
 are extracted at least once with a lipophilic phase and this lipophilic extract or these lipophilic extracts is (are) removed, 
 
 in a second step the so treated fruits are extracted at least once either with at least one alcohol or with a mixture of at least one alcohol and water, and 
 in a third step the extracted fruit parts are removed, the so obtained extract after the addition of an auxiliary agent is first concentrated to a concentration of alcohol between 0.1 and 10 m/m % to a spissum extract, is then dried and obtained. 
   
     
     
         2 - 7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . The process according to  claim 17 , wherein the extracting defatted fruit is conducted at a temperature from 20° C. to 60° C. and for 2 to 4 hours. 
     
     
         9 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . A method of treating cancer comprising the administration of an extract from  Piper cubeba  L., to a patient in need of such treatment. 
     
     
         12 . A method of treating at least one disease, selected from the group consisting of prostate cancer, testicles cancer, breast cancer, uterus cancer, including their metastases, and benign prostate hyperplasia, comprising the administration of an extract prepared according to the method of  claim 17  to a person in need of such treatment. 
     
     
         13 . A method for antagonizing the activities of the sex hormone dihydrotestosterone comprising the administration of an extract prepared according to the process of claim  17  to a patient in need of such treatment. 
     
     
         14 . A pharmaceutical composition for the treatment of a disease selected from the group consisting of cancer diseases, prostate cancer, testicles cancer, breast cancer, uterus cancer, including their metastases, and of benign prostate hyperplasia, comprising an extract prepared according to the process of  claim 17 . 
     
     
         15 - 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . A process for the preparation of a dry extract of fruit of  Piper cubeba  L. as active component in a medicament, comprising extracting defatted  Piper cubeba  L. fruit material with at least one alcohol or with a mixture of at least one alcohol and water. 
     
     
         18 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising an extract prepared according to the process of  claim 17  and a carrier.