Medicinal Compositions of Salts, Chelates and/or Free Acids of Alpha Hydroxyl Organic Acids and Related Processes and Methods

A process for the production of an isolated medicinal composition which comprises an effective amount of a salt or chelate of a free acid of at least one naturally occurring form of an alpha hydroxyl organic acid comprising:

• combining an aqueous extract of plant material, wherein a total content of alpha hydroxyl organic acids in the extract amounts to between about 0.2% and about 35% w/v of the extract, with an amount of base in an aqueous solution for a time to hydrolyse substantially all forms of alpha hydroxyl organic acids present,
• neutralizing the solution to a pH between about 6.9 and about 7.6 to yield a free acid, salt or chelate of free acids of substantially all naturally occurring forms of alpha hydroxyl organic acids, and optionally
• lyophilizing the solution to produce an isolated medicinal composition.

A process for the production of an isolated medicinal composition which comprises an effective amount of a quinic acid chelate comprising:

• combining substantially pure quinic acid, with ammonium hydroxide in an aqueous solution for a time sufficient to reach a pH between about 6.9 and about 7.6, to yield an ammonium chelate of quinic acid wherein a ratio of quinic acid to ammonium ion is about 1:1.54.

A process for the production of a functional food which comprises an effective amount of a free acid, salt or chelate of at least one naturally occurring form of an alpha hydroxyl organic acid comprising:

• combining a food, which comprises an amount of alpha hydroxyl organic acids in the food between about 0.2% and about 35% w/w, with a base in an aqueous solution for a time to hydrolyse substantially all forms of alpha hydroxyl organic acids in the food,
• neutralizing the solution to a pH between about 6.9 and about 7.6 to yield a free acid, salt or chelate of free acids of substantially all naturally occurring forms of alpha hydroxyl organic acids in the food, and optionally lyophilizing the solution to produce an isolated medicinal composition.