Printer Friendly
The Free Library
11,463,296 articles and books
Member login
User name  
Password 
 
Join us Forgot password?

Dr. George Kraus, a Sloan Research Fellow, Part of PhytoMedical's Growing Group of Collaborating Scientists Developing New Type 2 Diabetes Compound.


VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- Among Many Achievements, Dr. Kraus Has Directly Trained Over 50 Master's Level and PhD Graduates, Including One Who is Widely Acknowledged for the Discovery of Lipitor(R)

PhytoMedical Technologies, Inc. (OTCBB OTCBB

See OTC Bulletin Board (OTCBB).
:PYTO)(FWB (Fixed Wireless Broadband) See fixed wireless. :ET6), an early stage research-based biopharmaceutical company focused on the identification, development, and eventual commercialization of innovative plant derived pharmaceutical and nutraceutical compounds, is pleased to acknowledge the ongoing efforts of Professor George A. Kraus and Dr. Yi Yuan, part of PhytoMedical's growing team of collaborating scientists developing a new compound for type-2 diabetes.

Diabetes, which results from the body's inability to produce enough insulin or use it efficiently, affects 18.2 million people in the United States, or 6.3% of the population (American Diabetes Association The American Diabetes Association, or the ADA, is an American health organization providing diabetes research, information and advocacy. Founded in 1940, the American Diabetes Association conducts programs in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, reaching hundreds of ). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), agency of the U.S. Public Health Service since 1973, with headquarters in Atlanta; it was established in 1946 as the Communicable Disease Center.  expects this number to rise to over 30 million by 2030. Generally regarded as the leading cause of end-stage renal disease End-stage renal disease (ESRD)
Total kidney failure; chronic kidney failure is diagnosed as ESRD when kidney function falls to 5-10% of capacity.

Mentioned in: Chronic Kidney Failure

end-stage renal disease 
, blindness and lower limb amputations, diabetes now costs the health care system over $132 billion each year -- nearly one out of every ten health care dollars spent in the United States.

"In people with type-2 diabetes, either the pancreas doesn't make enough insulin or the body is unable to use it correctly. Without sufficient insulin, a hormone that helps the body use glucose (sugar) for energy, glucose accumulates in the blood and urine, effectively starving the cells of the body and resulting in a condition known as diabetes," states Mr. Harmel S. Rayat, President of PhytoMedical Technologies. "Our new compounds have been found to increase insulin sensitivity by activating key enzymes that stimulate insulin receptors while inhibiting those enzymes that deactivate de·ac·ti·vate  
tr.v. de·ac·ti·vat·ed, de·ac·ti·vat·ing, de·ac·ti·vates
1. To render inactive or ineffective.

2. To inhibit, block, or disrupt the action of (an enzyme or other biological agent).

3.
 them, basically resulting in insulin being more efficiently used by the body. In fact, in lab tests, we were able to increase sugar metabolism by a factor of twenty."

Through a three-way Cooperative Research and Development Agreement “CRADA” redirects here. For other uses, see CRADA (disambiguation).

A Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) is an agreement between a government agency and a private company to work together.
 with the USDA's Agricultural Research Service and Iowa State University Academics
ISU is best known for its degree programs in science, engineering, and agriculture. ISU is also home of the world's first electronic digital computing device, the Atanasoff–Berry Computer.
, PhytoMedical's team of collaborating scientists is working to synthesize several polyphenolic compounds originally isolated and characterized from cinnamon bark which increase sugar metabolism by a factor of 20 in test tube assays using fat cells.

Further evidence of the efficacy these compounds has been presented in a study published in Diabetes Care, a journal of the American Diabetes Association, on 60 people with type-2 diabetes who ingested small amounts of cinnamon daily. This study showed that as little as one gram of cinnamon per day -- one-fourth of a teaspoon twice a day -- can lower blood sugar by an average of 18 to 29 percent, triglycerides (fatty acids in the blood) by 23 to 30 percent, LDL LDL - ["LDL: A Logic-Based Data-Language", S. Tsur et al, Proc VLDB 1986, Kyoto Japan, Aug 1986, pp.33-41].  (or "bad") cholesterol by 7 to 27 percent and total cholesterol by 12 to 26 percent. Changes in HDL (Hardware Description Language) A language used to describe the functions of an electronic circuit for documentation, simulation or logic synthesis (or all three). Although many proprietary HDLs have been developed, Verilog and VHDL are the major standards.  ("good") cholesterol were not significant. Amazingly, the study found that the beneficial effects of cinnamon lasted for at least 20 days after people stopped taking it.

Professor George A. Kraus

Leading PhytoMedical's efforts to synthesize new, cinnamon-derived compounds is Dr. George A. Kraus, a widely published and acclaimed Professor of Chemistry at Iowa State University. Among his many achievements, Dr. Kraus has directly trained over 50 Master's level and PhD graduates, including one who is widely acknowledged for the discovery of Lipitor(R), a cholesterol lowering drug ranked as the world's top selling medicine. Last year, Lipitor(R) accounted for nearly 70 million prescriptions in the United States alone, generating sales worth $11.07 billion.

Dr. George Kraus received a B.S. degree in chemistry from the University of Rochester The University of Rochester (UR) is a private, coeducational and nonsectarian research university located in Rochester, New York. The university is one of 62 elected members of the Association of American Universities.  in 1972, and earned his PhD degree in chemistry from Columbia University in 1976. Immediately thereafter, Dr. Kraus undertook research efforts at Iowa State University (Ames, Iowa), where he is now tenured as a University Professor of Chemistry. Additionally, at the Ames Laboratory, Dr. George Kraus serves as the Assistant Director of Bio-Related Initiatives, and is also the Director of the IPRT IPRT Institute for Physical Research and Technology (Iowa State University)
IPRT Intensive Psychiatric Rehabilitation Treatment
IPRT Industrial Quality Platinum Resistance Temperature Detector
IPRT In-Process Review Team
 Center for Catalysis and the Biorenewable Resources Consortium.

Among his areas of research interest, Dr. Kraus has applied his expertise to the development of new synthetic methods and their application to the synthesis of biologically active natural products; his key research areas include the chemistry of botanicals, and the chemistry of bio-based products.

With over 250 publications in referred journals, Dr. George Kraus is also distinguished as a Sloan Research Fellow, an honor unique to those who have been identified and credited by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation is a philanthropic non-profit organization in the United States. It was established in 1934 by Alfred P. Sloan, Jr., then-President and Chief Executive Officer of General Motors.  as research scientists who "... show the most outstanding promise of making fundamental contributions to new knowledge."

Among his numerous career honors, Dr. Kraus has received: the American Soybean Association Production Research Award in 1998; the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Award for Excellence in Research/Artistic Creativity in 2001; the Iowa State University Extension Team Achievement Award in 2002; the ISU ISU Iowa State University
ISU Issue
ISU Idaho State University
ISU Illinois State University
ISU Indiana State University
ISU International Skating Union
ISU International Space University
ISU I-Shou University (Taiwan) 
 Regents Faculty Excellence Award in 2004; and, the Distinguished Service Award from the Federated Connected and treated as one. See federated database and federated directories.  Laboratory Consortium in 2005.

Dr. George Kraus is a member of several, distinguished national and international research societies, including: the American Chemical Society The American Chemical Society (ACS) is a learned society (professional association) based in the United States that supports scientific inquiry in the field of chemistry. Founded in 1876 at New York University, the ACS currently has over 160,000 members at all degree-levels and in , ACS (Asynchronous Communications Server) See network access server.  Division of Organic Chemistry, ACS Division of Medicinal Chemistry, and the International Society for Antiviral Research.

"This has been a fascinating and challenging research problem," comments Dr. Kraus. "The molecules we are synthesizing are complex, yet we need to devise direct synthetic routes. I am indebted to Dr. Yi Yuan for his tenacity, his outstanding experimental skills and his many contributions to the project. He has been a pleasure to work with."

Dr. Yi Yuan

Working under the auspices of Dr. George Kraus to synthesize new, cinnamon-derived compounds is Dr. Yi Yuan, an expert in natural products chemistry and associated sciences.

Dr. Yuan received his BS degree in Chemistry in 1994, subsequently studying natural organic chemistry and obtaining a Masters of Science degree in 1997.

Specializing in selective organic synthesis and bioorganic chemistry, Dr. Yuan continued his graduate studies, and in 2000 earned a PhD in chemistry from Sichuan University (SCU SCU Santa Clara University
SCU Southern Cross University (New South Wales, Australia)
SCU Southern California University of Health Sciences (Whittier, California)
SCU Serious Crimes Unit
SCU Special Care Unit
), home to over 600,000 animal and organic plant specimens and a globally-reputed research center credited with publishing more than 3,000 scientific papers annually and generating over 100 invention-oriented patents per year.

During his graduate work at SCU, Dr. Yi Yuan commenced studies to investigate the chemical components of several Chinese herbs, traditionally dispensed for medicinal and therapeutic applications, including:

--Thymus quinquecostatus, recognized for its antiseptic and antifungal qualities;

--Penthorum, a perennial herb believed to reduce acute inflammation of mucous membranes and used for the treatment of intestinal dyspepsia and other forms of atonic a·ton·ic
adj.
Relating to, caused by, or exhibiting lack of muscle tone.



ato·nic
 indigestion;

--Lysimachia, a genus of flowering plants known for its hemostatic hemostatic /he·mo·stat·ic/ (he?mo-stat´ik)
1. causing hemostasis, or an agent that so acts.

2. due to or characterized by stasis of the blood.


he·mo·stat·ic
adj.
 activity, or the ability to stop bleeding by assisting with coagulation coagulation (kōăg'ylā`shən), the collecting into a mass of minute particles of a solid dispersed throughout a liquid (a sol), usually followed by the precipitation or  and purification of blood;

--Girardinia, a naturally occurring weed which yields histamine, a chemical involved in signaling for immune and allergic reactions; and,

--Shikonin, a major component of the herbal medicine 'Zicao', identified by research scientists at NCI See Liberate.  (National Cancer Institute, US National Institutes of Health) for its biological activity, including inhibition of human immunodeficiency virus human immunodeficiency virus
n.
HIV.


Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
A transmissible retrovirus that causes AIDS in humans.
 (HIV HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus), either of two closely related retroviruses that invade T-helper lymphocytes and are responsible for AIDS. There are two types of HIV: HIV-1 and HIV-2. HIV-1 is responsible for the vast majority of AIDS in the United States. ) type 1 (HIV-1), and credited by Japanese researchers for its insulin-like qualities and ability to stimulate glucose uptake.

Among his research accomplishments, Dr. Yuan successfully synthesized numerous novel imidazole imidazole /im·id·az·ole/ (im?id-az´ol)
1. a heterocyclic organic compound in which two of five ring atoms are nitrogen; used as an insecticide.

2. any of a class of antifungal compounds containing this structure.
 functionalized ligands and cyclophanes, and undertook comprehensive investigation of their molecular recognition activities.

Upon completion of his work at SCU, Dr. Yi Yuan initiated postdoctoral training at the University of Rouen's, Research Institute of Fine Organic Chemistry (IRCOF) in France. In joint research supported by the National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS CNRS Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (National Center for Scientific Research, France)
CNRS Centro Nacional de Referencia Para El Sida (Argentinean National Reference Center for Aids) 
) Dr. Yuan studied the asymmetric induction of chiral chi·ral
adj.
Of or relating to the structural characteristic of a molecule that makes it impossible to superimpose it on its mirror image.



chi·ral
 organolithium amides using multinuclear mul·ti·nu·cle·ar
adj.
Multinucleate.



multinuclear, multinucleate

cells having more than one nucleus.


multinuclear chondrone
 NMR NMR: see magnetic resonance.  and other advanced analysis techniques.

Subsequently, Dr. Yi Yuan commenced his study of asymmetric cyclopropanation and epoxidation of unfunctionalized olefins at Colorado State University Colorado State University, at Fort Collins; land-grant with state and federal support; chartered 1870, opened 1879 as an agricultural college, assumed present name in 1957. There is a veterinary teaching hospital, an agricultural campus, and a research campus. , notably ranked among America's top national universities for academic achievement, quality of education, and value by U.S. News and World Report (2006), Kiplinger's, and the Princeton Review.

Today, credited with numerous publications in the prestigious Journal of the American Chemical Society
For the Joint Academic Classification of Subjects system, see Joint Academic Classification of Subjects.

The Journal of the American Chemical Society (usually abbreviated as J. Am. Chem. Soc.
, Tetrahedron tetrahedron: see polyhedron. , Synlett, and others, Dr. Yuan maintains major research interests in the synthesis of bioactive compounds, asymmetric catalysis and natural products chemistry. Working under the guidance of Dr. George A. Kraus at Iowa State University, Dr. Yi Yuan continues his active research into the synthesis of complex molecules and biologically interesting polyphenols.

About PhytoMedical Technologies, Inc.

PhytoMedical Technologies, Inc. (OTCBB:PYTO)(Frankfurt Stock Exchange Frankfurt Stock Exchange

The largest of Germany's eight securities exchanges, operated by Deutsche Borse AS.
: ET6), together with its wholly owned subsidiaries, is an early stage research based biopharmaceutical company focused on the identification, acquisition, development and eventual commercialization of innovative plant derived pharmaceutical and nutraceutical compounds targeting cachexia cachexia /ca·chex·ia/ (kah-kek´se-ah) a profound and marked state of constitutional disorder; general ill health and malnutrition. , obesity and diabetes.

An estimated 300 new drugs of world-wide importance, worth over $150 billion, still remain to be discovered amongst the 250,000 species of higher plants found on earth, of which less than 15% have been investigated for bioactive compounds. Presently, twenty of the best selling drugs come from natural sources and 25% of all prescription drugs contain active compounds originally derived from or patterned after compounds derived from plants.

BDC-03 Successful in Increasing Lean Muscle Mass and Reducing Body Fat Percentage

Named BDC-03, PhytoMedical's first plant derived compound has pharmacologically active elements that have been successful in reducing body fat percentage, increasing lean muscle mass and lowering cholesterol in studies of growing animals.

For obese or overweight individuals, BDC-03's potential capacity to decrease the deposition of fat and lower cholesterol would be a vitally important therapeutic outcome. However, its prospective ability to induce overall weight gain in the form of lean muscle mass may well be the difference between life and death for individuals suffering from cachexia.

Cachexia, which is characterized by dramatic weight loss, not only of fatty tissue, but also muscle tissue and bone, is among the most devastating and life-threatening aspects of AIDS and cancer. Once the body loses 30% of its lean muscle mass, major organs are affected, resulting in death.

Sadly, cachexia afflicts 25% of all AIDS patients and upwards of 90% of all advanced cancer patients. In fact, half of all cancer related deaths are a result of cachexia, not the cancer itself.

Polyphenolic Compounds Increase Sugar Metabolism by a Factor of 20

Diabetes, which results from the body's inability to produce enough insulin or use it efficiently, affects 18.2 million people in the United States, or 6.3% of the population (American Diabetes Association). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention expects this number to rise to over 30 million by 2030. As the leading cause of end-stage renal disease, blindness and lower limb amputations, diabetes now costs the health care system over $132 billion each year -- nearly one out of every ten health care dollars spent in the United States.

While the causes of diabetes are not entirely clear, it is known that diet plays a key role in the prevention and cure of diabetes. In fact, research studies have shown that aqueous extracts of the most commonly consumed spice, cinnamon, improves the action of insulin and helps to control risk factors associated with diabetes including, glucose, insulin, cholesterol, triglycerides and related variables.

A study published in Diabetes Care, a journal of the American Diabetes Association, showed that as little as one gram a day of cinnamon -- one-fourth of a teaspoon twice a day -- can lower blood sugar by an average of 18 to 29 percent, triglycerides (fatty acids in the blood) by 23 to 30 percent, LDL (or "bad") cholesterol by 7 to 27 percent and total cholesterol by 12 to 26 percent. Changes in HDL ("good") cholesterol were not significant. Amazingly, the study found that the beneficial effects of cinnamon lasted for at least 20 days after people stopped taking it.

Through a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement, PhytoMedical is working towards synthesizing the active components found in cinnamon and characterizing their beneficial health effects in cell cultures systems, animals and ultimately humans.

At present, the Company does not currently have commercial products intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. The statements contained in this press release regarding our ongoing research and development and the results attained by us to-date have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.

For additional information, please visit www.PhytoMedical.com.

To receive future press releases via email, please visit: http://www.PhytoMedical.com/Alerts-Index.asp.

To view the full HTML HTML
 in full HyperText Markup Language

Markup language derived from SGML that is used to prepare hypertext documents. Relatively easy for nonprogrammers to master, HTML is the language used for documents on the World Wide Web.
 text of this release, please visit: http://www.PhytoMedical.com/IR/PressReleases/20051024-1.html.

Legal Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

No statement herein should be considered an offer or a solicitation of an offer for the purchase or sale of any securities. This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are based upon current expectations or beliefs, as well as a number of assumptions about future events. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements and the assumptions upon which they are based are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations and assumptions will prove to have been correct. The reader is cautioned not to put undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, as these statements are subject to numerous factors and uncertainties, including but not limited to adverse economic conditions, intense competition, lack of meaningful research results, entry of new competitors and products, adverse federal, state and local government regulation, inadequate capital, unexpected costs and operating deficits, increases in general and administrative costs, termination of contracts or agreements, technological obsolescence ob·so·les·cent  
adj.
1. Being in the process of passing out of use or usefulness; becoming obsolete.

2. Biology Gradually disappearing; imperfectly or only slightly developed.
 of the Company's products, technical problems with the Company's research and products, price increases for supplies and components, litigation An action brought in court to enforce a particular right. The act or process of bringing a lawsuit in and of itself; a judicial contest; any dispute.

When a person begins a civil lawsuit, the person enters into a process called litigation.
 and administrative proceedings involving the Company, the possible acquisition of new businesses or technologies that result in operating losses or that do not perform as anticipated, unanticipated losses, the possible fluctuation and volatility of the Company's operating results, financial condition and stock price, losses incurred in litigating and settling cases, dilution in the Company's ownership of its business, adverse publicity and news coverage, inability to carry out research, development and commercialization plans, loss or retirement of key executives and research scientists, changes in interest rates, inflationary factors, and other specific risks. We currently have no commercial products intended to diagnose, treat, prevent or cure any disease. The statements contained in this press release regarding our on going research and development and the results attained by us to-date have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. There can be no assurance that further research and development, and /or whether clinical trial results, if any, will validate and support the results of our preliminary research and studies. Further, there can be no assurance that the necessary regulatory approvals will be obtained or that PhytoMedical will be able to develop commercially viable products on the basis of its technologies. In addition, other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially are discussed in the Company's most recent Form 10-QSB and Form 10-KSB filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly release the results of any revisions to these forward looking statements that may be made to reflect the events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.
COPYRIGHT 2005 Business Wire
No portion of this article can be reproduced without the express written permission from the copyright holder.
Copyright 2005, Gale Group. All rights reserved. Gale Group is a Thomson Corporation Company.

 Reader Opinion

Title:

Comment:



 

Article Details
Printer friendly Cite/link Email Feedback
Publication:Business Wire
Date:Oct 24, 2005
Words:2524
Previous Article:mPhase Technologies Announces General Availability of Broadband Loop Watch System; Remote Test and Maintenance System Specifically Optimized for...
Next Article:Dallas Biotech Attracts Pharmaceutical Veteran.



Related Articles
High-carbohydrate diet may pose heart risks.
Vietnam Flashback.(diabetes-Agent Orange connection-)
Stem Cells Controversy.
Inflammatory ideas: new thoughts about causes of diabetes.
Blood sugar fix: can novel drugs rescue insulin-making cells?
Polyphenols in cinnamon mimic insulin.
Improve health by exploiting the whole grain.
Dark side of a blood builder: hormone linked to diabetic blindness.(erythropoietin)
Ancient wisdom: Chinese extract may yield diabetes treatment.(SCIENCE NEWS This Week)
PhytoMedical Continues to Strengthen Research and Development Team with Key Appointment.

Terms of use | Copyright © 2009 Farlex, Inc. | Feedback | For webmasters | Submit articles