TNS files Provisional Use Patent application on the ability of a natural organic mushroom formula

Nov 9 2009

Total Nutraceutical Solutions, Inc. (TNS) (OTCBB:TNUS), announced that it has filed a Provisional Use Patent application on the ability of a proprietary natural organic mushroom formula to control oxidative stress. Oxidative or inflammatory stress is caused by the release of free radicals or reactive oxygen species (ROS) within cells and tissues of the body. Healthy cells and tissues normally neutralize ROS in order to stay alive. When production of ROS overwhelms the body’s normal defense mechanisms, oxidative damage to cellular DNA occurs and can lead to cell death. Research indicates a strong link between oxidative stress, release of ROS and inflammation and disease, examples being diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, fibromyalgia, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer and even early aging.

Oxidative or inflammatory stress was dramatically induced in the Drosophila melanogaster fruitfly model by the toxic agent, Paraquat, and the end-point of death was evaluated. The proprietary formula consisted of the organic edible mushroom Agaricus blazei Murill (AbM) produced by Sylvan Bio, Inc. that was stimulated with Ultraviolet-B light to produce a specific amount of increased natural Vitamin D2. This TNS investigator-blinded study showed that AbM with D2 was able to counteract and/or neutralize the oxidative stress effect and resulted in a 30% increase in survival. Vitamin D2 by itself had no effect on survival.

TNS has acquired, from The Penn State Research Foundation, an option to license the technology used to stimulate increased levels of Vitamin D2 within mushrooms, such as AbM. This patent, “Methods and Compositions For Improving The Nutritional Content of Mushrooms and Fungi,” was published in the United States on October 29, 2009 and has an initial filing date of April 23, 2008.

Paraquat is a toxic chemical that is widely used as an herbicide and produces oxidative stress by creating unstable reactive oxygen species. When reactive oxygen species contact cells in the body, or the DNA within cells, the reaction is damaging and can cause the cell to die or the DNA to mutate. The results of this study suggest that antioxidants, such as those contained within Vitamin D2 enriched AbM mushrooms can absorb the reactive oxygen molecules before they are able to cause damage.

“These study results open the door to a new whole food natural approach to combating inflammation, oxidative stress, and associated diseases,” stated Marvin S. Hausman, MD, CEO, Total Nutraceutical Solutions, Inc. “This study and previous TNS studies with Vitamin D2 enriched Agaricus blazei Murill validates the commercial potential of our company’s technology in producing a whole, natural food that supports a person’s mission to live a long and healthy life. The fact that a single nutrient, such as vitamin D2, was ineffective is further acknowledgement that single nutrients are not the answer to health; whole foods are! TNS has under development a natural Vitamin D2 mushroom-based whole food nutritional supplement that it plans to release in the first quarter 2010. This innovative organic plant-based form of natural vitamin D2 will provide an alternative to traditional vitamin D3 supplements which are animal-based.”