There is described a process for preparing proanthocyanidine A2 by extraction from cortex or fruits of Aesculus hippocastanum and related species and its activity for stimulating healing processes, e.g. healing wounds and injuries of various origins, gastric and duodenal ulcers for modifying conditions of impaired capillary permeability and resistance and for obtaining an anti-lipid peroxidation effect. There are also described pharmaceutical formulations suitable for use by topical and systemic routes.
The anthocyanidins pelargonidin and delphidin, have been found to possess novel and unexpected activity in the ophthalmic field, specifically that they are active in reducing the permeability of ciliary body vessels. According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of reducing the hyperpermeability of the ciliary body ocular vessels in a subject which comprises administering to the subject an effective dose of pelargonidin or delphidin. The invention further provides the use of pelargonidin or delphidin in the manufacture of pharmaceutical compositions for carrying out the method of treatment referred to above.
The present invention relates to the use of coumarins such as esculoside, esculetin, extracts containing them and mixtures thereof, in combination with dimeric and oligomeric proanthocyanidins, in topical formulations for the treatment of peripheral vasculopathies, including the complications of acute venous stasis, or of the unesthetisms related to capillary alterations, or to improve the cicatrization processes. These coumarins, alone or in combination with proanthocyanidins, are also useful in atopical dermatitis and in the treatment of the haematomas.
Described are a lipoprotein (a) lowering agent and a cholesterol lowering agent each comprising as an effective ingredient a proanthocyanidin contained in a grape extract or the like; and medicaments comprising the lowering agents, respectively.
The present invention provides for proanthocyanidin polymers with significant antiviral activity. The proanthocyanidin polymers can be chemically synthesized or can be isolated from a Croton or a Calophyllum plant species. The present invention encompasses methods of using proanthocyanidin polymers in treating warm-blooded animals, including humans, infected with a respiratory virus.
A process for the preparation of extracts with high content in anthocyanosides consists in treating plants, parts of plants or crude extracts with bisulfite ions to give anthocyanoside-bisulfite adducts. Said adducts are then eluted on non ionogenic resins at pH 5-6 and the obtained solution is extracted with polar organic solvents immiscible in water. The obtained extracts have a constant and standardized composition in anthocyanosides.
