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Rune Blomhoff
From:
Asim Duttaroy [a.k.duttaroy@basalmed.uio.no]
Sent:
18. august 2003 16:20
To:
rune.blomhoff@basalmed.uio.no
Subject: Antioxidant study
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FRUIT JUICE OF THEIR LABOURS MAY
HELP YOU STAY HEALTHY
MORAG LINDSAY
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09:00 - 15 August 2003
The millions of people who regularly pop an aspirin pill to cut down on
their risk of strokes or heart attacks could soon be enjoying the same
benefits from a simple glass of orange juice.
Scientists at the Rowett Research Institute in Aberdeen are about to
conduct the final trials on a new orange drink which has been shown to
reduce the chance of blood clots and could also prevent people
developing deep vein thrombosis.
It's hoped the drink, which contains a clot-busting extract harvested from
tomatoes, will be on supermarket shelves by next July.
The company behind it, Provexis, is an offshoot of the Rowett and the
breakthrough could generate millions of pounds for future research into
human nutrition in the city.
The blood-thinning qualities of tomatoes were first identified by Professor
Asim Dutta-Roy of the Rowett in 1998. Unfortunately, he also discovered
people would have to consume three litres of tomato juice and huge
quantities of tomatoes to get the benefits. Instead, his research team
isolated the blood-thinning component and concentrated it into a product
called CardioFlow.
Early tests showed a marked thinning in the blood of 80 of the people who
volunteered for the first round of trials at the Rowett.
In the most recent trials which took place earlier this year, around 60
volunteers were given the substance, which is tasteless and colourless, in
an orange drink. Scientists tested the volunteers' blood every 45 minutes
and found it was still having an effect six hours after they'd drunk it,
13.09.2003
this is north scotland - news, entertainment, jobs, homes and cars
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although the optimum benefits appeared to materialise after three hours.
Now the research team are seeking another 150 volunteers for a largescale trial, which will give them the information they need to market the
product as "clinically proven". In the first phase of the trial, participants will
be asked to drink CardioFlow at the Rowett's human nutrition unit and
have blood tests done three hours later. In the second, they'll be given
samples to take away - 6,000 bottles have already been produced - and
drink at home every day for four weeks. This will allow researchers to
examine for other effects.
Dr Niamh O'Kennedy, principal scientist with Provexis, said she'd been
overwhelmed with the level of interest in the product in previous trials and
expected many past volunteers to come forward again.
"The final trial is critically important to us as it will provide the level of
evidence required to gain approval for the use of a health claim on the
labelling of our product," she explained.
Provexis is currently in talks with a number of global food firms, who
specialise in healthy products and are interested in putting CardioFlow on
the market.
Dr Stephen Franklin, chief executive of Provexis, explained: "The main
market will be those people who take aspirin every day - not because their
doctors prescribe it, but because they've heard it can help to thin the
blood.
"Unlike aspirin, which can cause gastric bleeding and different responses
in different people, CardioFlow is not a drug. It's a natural product."
Dr Franklin was reluctant to put a figure on what Provexis and the Rowett
might gain from sales of CardioFlow, but with the sale of the technology
and royalty payments for every bottle sold, the proceeds are likely to run
into millions of pounds.
He's already eyeing his next project - another form of CardioFlow, possibly
in sachet or capsule form, for medicinal use by people who have been
diagnosed with heart disease.
Volunteers should be healthy men or women, aged between 45 and 70. If
you would like to take part in the final trials, contact Vanessa Luther on
01224 715753 or at v-luther@ rowett.co.uk
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13.09.2003
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