Natreon gets US patent for shilajit-derived urolithin B, marketed for weight management

26-Mar-2018 - Last updated on 26-Mar-2018 at 16:33 GMT

The bioactive urolithin B is found in shilajit, a tar-like, mineral-rich substance found in the Himalayas. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Ingredient company Natreon received a US patent for a natural bioactive found in shilaji—3-hydroxy-dibenzo-α-pyrone, or urolithin B for short—which may aid consumers in weight management.

This latest US patent (US 9,901,596) adds to the number of patents held by New Jersey-based Natreon Inc. relating to shilajit—a sticky, tar-like, mineral-rich substance found in Himalayan and Altai mountain areas traditionally used in Ayurvedic medicine.

Back in 2014, Natreon was issued a US patent 8,894,993 on a combination of 3,8-dihydroxydibenzo-α-pyrone (3,8-(OH)2-DBP), also known as Urolithin A, or 3-OH-DBP (Urolithin B) and CoQ10/Ubiquinol, as mitochondria-targeted antioxidants for treatment of mitochondrial disorders.

“There has been a significant amount of research conducted on urolithins recently,” according to the company.

It cited a study published last year by researchers from Spain and Turkey, which reported that ellagitannins from the diet, especially fruits such as pomegranate, are converted to urolithins by the microbiome in the gastrointestinal tract, which are then absorbed into the blood stream, providing immunity.

Studies on Natreon’s branded shilajit itself include one from 2016 that supports its skeletal muscle benefit in obese adults, and another from 2015 linking it to testosterone boosts in healthy men.

The company is an industry partner of the Ohio State University, and studies at its Wexner Medical Center has shown that DBPs are present in animal tissue and have significant mitochondrial activity. Natreon is planning clinical studies on these compounds.