The Piscataway, N.J-based botanical extracts specialist firm already had four US and international patents for its ingredient, known as GarCitrin.
To these, it now adds a new patent in Japan (4205943), giving it protection in the high potential – and highly innovative – nutrition market.
The ingredient uses garcinol to boost the action of the HLA. Sabinsa draws attention to a 12-week, double-blind study involving more than 40 patients, which indicated that the combination was statistically more effective than HLA alone at reducing total body weight, body mass index, and body fat.
It was also seen to have a boosted effect on lean body mass, and to reduce levels of appetite perception more effectively than just HLA.
Garcinol is a polyisoprenylated benzophenone which is isolated from garcinia cambogia and Garcinia indica fruits.
The full methodology and results of the study have not been seen by NutraIngredients-USA.com and the publication status is not known.
According to industry analyst Paul Yamaguchi, the Japanese nutrition market was worth $25.9bn in 2006.
Curcumin patent
Sabinsa has also been granted a new patent for its Curcumin powder in Australia, for “the use of tretrahydrocurcuminoids to regulate physiological and pathological events in the skin and the mucosa”.
The composition is said to support healthy aging of skin tissues, by regulating random intracellular protein crosslinking, optimising cell electric potential, increasing intracellular transglutaminase activitiy, and reducing age spots.
It is suitable for use in cosmetics applications where a superior antioxidant load is desired, according to Sabina.
Sabinsa has a history of bringing botanical extracts to the market dating back 20 years. It privately funds clinical studies on their effectiveness, working with scientific institutions in the US and India.