Research

Selected Publications

08/24/10: Health Benefits from Tea: Perception vs. Reality

WellGen’s own Dr. Shiming Li presented research about the analytical method for measuring polyphenols and the polyphenol content in ready-to-drink tea beverages at the American Chemical Society (ACS) meeting that began August 22 [...]

Natural Products Chemistry

Understanding the impact of a natural product at multiple steps in the inflammatory network helps reduce risk and increase our understanding of what therapeutic targets it may benefit the most (“Alignomx”). Using our extensive knowledge of food and pharmacological chemistry, emphasis is placed on natural materials that have a history of human consumption.

At WellGen, our Natural Products Chemistry department develops a deep knowledge of the polymolecular compositions that are the nutraceuticals in our medical food products. This depth of understanding provides the information necessary to ensure production of a consistent, effective and safe product while providing additional opportunities to develop intellectual property.

Natural product chemistry involves isolating and analyzing the chemical constituents of natural products in a way that enables their identification, purification and further testing for bioactivity. Understanding the chemical composition of a natural extract is essential for developing efficient and reliable processing and quality control processes, and protecting the unique extract that our research has demonstrated to be safe and effective. An important part of our work involves developing analytical methods for isolation and identification of novel bioactive compositions, and synthesis of standards for subsequent use in validating new batches of natural products, tracking the impact of manufacturing and storage effects, and intellectual property protection.

Publications from our Scientists: Natural Product Chemistry and Analytical Techniques
Cao, G.; Verdon, C. P.; Wu, A. H. B.; Wang, H.; Prior, R. L. Automated assay of oxygen radical absorbance capacity with the COBAS FARA II. Clin. Chem. 1995, 41(12): 1738-1744.

Li, S.; Lambros, T.; Wang, Z.; Goodnow, R.; Ho, C-T. An efficient and scalable method in isolation of polymethoxyflavones from orange peel extract by supercritical fluid chromatography, J. Chromatogr., B, 2007, 846(1-2), 291-297.

Li, S.; Lo, C-H.; Ho, C-T. Hydroxylated polymethoxyflavonoids and methylated polyphenols in sweet orange peel, J. Agri. Food Chem., 2006, 54(12), 4176-4185.

Li S, Pan MH, Lai CS, Lo CY, Dushenkov S, Ho C-T. Isolation and syntheses of polymethoxyflavones and hydroxylated polymethoxyflavones as inhibitors of HL-60 cell lines. Bioorg Med Chem. 2007 May 15;15(10):3381-9.

Li S, Wang Z, Sang S, Huang MT, Ho C-T. Identification of nobiletin metabolites in mouse urine. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2006 Mar;50(3):291-9.

Li S, Yu H, Ho CT. Nobiletin: efficient and large quantity isolation from orange peel extract. Biomed Chromatogr. 2006 Jan;20(1):133-8.

Wang, Z.; Li, S.; Ferguson, S.; Goodnow, R.; Ho, C-T. Validated reversed phase LC method for quantitative analysis of polymethoxyflavones in citrus peel extracts. J. Separation Sci. 2008, 31(1), 30-37.

Wang Z, Li S, Jonca M, Lambros T, Ferguson S, Goodnow R, Ho C-T. Comparison of supercritical fluid chromatography and liquid chromatography for the separation of urinary metabolites of nobiletin with chiral and non-chiral stationary phases. Biomed Chromatogr. 2006 Nov;20(11):1206-15.

Clinical support for WellGen^® theaflavin- rich black tea concentrate:

Human Clinical Study 1:

Systemic Inflammation Study LPS (lipopolysaccharide)- mediated challenge exposes the inflammation cascade and is a fundamental pharmaceutical inflammation probe.

Key findings

Reduces expression of pro-inflammatory mRNA and cytokines/chemokines proteins
Inflammatory biomarker levels ranging between two-to-four fold less than the placebo group
Elevation of immuno-modulatory cytokine IL-10

Human Clinical Study 2:

Exercise-induced Inflammation - Test the effects in high-intensity anaerobic exercise on:

Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS)
Oxidative stress
Cortisol response
Inflammatory biomarkers