InterHealth patent protects Super CitriMax process
manufacturing process behind Super CitriMax with the award of a new
US patent, reports Jess Halliday.
Launched as a natural weight loss ingredient in 2002, Super CitriMax is a form of hydroxycitric acid (HCA) bound to the minerals calcium and potassium. It is said to reduce appetite and body weight and is marketed as an alternative to stimulants such as ephedra and caffeine, which can cause changes in heart rate and blood pressure or interfere with sleep.
HCA is derived from a South Asian fruit called Garcinia cambogia but, according to the company, it is usually bound to calcium in relatively insoluble form, which renders it less effective and useless for most beverage applications.
InterHealth says that its manufacturing process makes Super CitriMax 100 percent soluble, bioavailable and effective.
"This patent is the latest addition to our expanding intellectual property portfolio on Super CitriMax," said president William Seroy.
He added that patents such as this fuel growth for manufacturers, distributors and retailers, and gives consumers further proof of the safety and efficacy of the product.
Super CitriMax was affirmed GRAS (generally recognized as safe) for use in functional foods and beverages in 2003.
The company cites a number of human clinical trials, which affirm the bioavailability of Super Citrimax and point to its ability to curb appetite, burn fat and promote normal cholesterol levels.
A study published in Gene Expression last year (11:251-62, 2004) showed that Super Citrimax's weight-reducing effect may be attributed to the induction of activity on more than 90 genes involved with fat and carbohydrate metabolism, and others involved in the signaling activity of serotonin.
Another, conducted at the University of Houston and presented at Experimental Biology in March, indicated that it reduces levels of neuropeptide Y in the hypothalamic tissue of animals, a chemical involved in appetite control and eating behavior.
