6 kilogram of fresh washed corms of hypoxis rooperi were treated for 20 minutes at 120 ° c . with super - heated steam and then cut directly into 12 liter of 60 % aqueous ethanol . this mixture was allowed to stand for 7 days at 28 ° c . and stirred twice daily for about 5 minutes . 12 liter of an extract are obtained , preferably by means of filtration . ( a ) six liter of this extract yielded after spray drying , 180 gram of a powder which corresponds to a 6 % yield . this powder contained per 100 gram 2 . 5 mg of sterolins calculated as sitosteryl β - d - glucoside . the so obtained dried extract can be incorporated according to examples 2 and 3 into capsules , tablets , dragees , ointments and creams . ( b ) six liters were diluted with a further 3 liter of 60 % ethanol to a solids content of 4 %. the adjusted extract was bottled and each bottle provided with the instructions to use one teaspoon full of the contents as a single dose . a teaspoon contains on an average 2 . 5 ml of liquid ; this corresponds in the present case to a content of 100 mg hypoxis extract with 0 . 0025 mg of sterolins . the hypoxis extracts produced according to the process described in example 1 ( a ) can be incorporated by known methods into capsules , tablets and dragees . the content of extract in a single dose is preferably 100 mg and usually together with up to to 100 mg of lactose or glucose as carrier and 1 to 2 mg aerosil ®( pyrogenic silica ) or magnesium sterate as disintegrating agent or lubricant . the final extract , mixed with the additives is filled into plug capsules . 800 gram of hypoxis extract , 752 gram of lactose with a preferred particle size of not over 0 . 15 mm and 1400 gram of potato starch were intimately mixed . this mixture was granulated with a solution of 243 . 2 gram of gelatin and 4 . 8 gram of glycerine and 2500 ml of water and the granulate was dried under reduced pressure at room temperature . the granulate was then worked to about 8000 tablets with a tablet weight of 400 mg . each tablet contained accordingly 100 mg of hypoxis extract , 94 mg of lactose , 175 mg of potato starch , 30 . 4 mg of glycerine and 0 . 6 mg of glycerine . 420 grams of hypoxis extract , 2310 gram of lactose and 420 gram of sucrose , both having a preferred particle size of not over 0 . 15 mm were intimately mixed . this mixture was granulated with a solution of 63 gram of gelatin in 2 . 1 liter of water . the granulate formed was dried under reduced pressure at 45 ° c . and intimately mixed with 16 . 8 gram of magnesium stearate . this mixture ( 3125 gram ) was moulded to about 4000 kernels which were subsequently coated with , a suitably coloured dragee coating . each dragee contained 100 mg hypoxis extract , 550 mg lactose , 100 mg sucrose , 15 mg gelatin and 4 mg magnesium stearate . a melted mixture of 90 gram of emulsifying cetyl - stearyl alcohol , 100 gram of viscous liquid paraffin and 100 gram of white vaseline ( petroleum jelly ) were heated to 60 ° c . and treated with similarly warmed solution of 30 gram hypoxis extract prepared according to example 1a in 680 gram of water . the mixture was stirred until it had reached ambient temperature and yielded an ointment containing 3 % of hypoxis extract . 500 gram of wool wax alcohol were warmed to 50 ° c . and treated in small amounts with a equally warmed solution of 30 gram of hypoxis extract prepared according to example 1 ( a ) in 470 gram of water . the cream was stirred until it had reached ambient temperature , whereupon the vaporised portion of water was replenished . the cream contained 3 % of hypoxis extract . pharmacological test of the anti - inflammatory effect of the extract produced according to example 1 24 male rats of the sprague - dawley stock with an average weight of 230 gram were accustomed to the test conditions . the liquid extract was then given in 3 equal doses 48 , 24 and 1 hour before administering the inflammation causing agent . doses of 1 ml or 2 ml of the extract per 100 gram of body weight were administered by force feeding . the inflammation causing agent , namely , fresh chicken egg white , was homogenised in 0 , 9 % nacl solution to a concentration of 12 . 5 volume % and 0 . 1 ml of the resulting solution was injected into the plantar area of the right hind paw . half of the test animals were killed after 5 hours to determine the acute inflammation ; the rest after 24 hours to determine the residual inflammatory action . the resulting edema were compared by weight with the left hind paw into which a similar volume of the saline solution only had been injected as a control . the average change in weight of the group was compared with a control group which in place of the test compound had only received water in an amount of 1 . 0 ml per 100 gram of body weight . the average reduction of the inflammatory reaction is seen from the following table wherein the formation of edema in the animals of the control group was established as 100 %. ______________________________________i . reduction of the acute inflammatory response 5 hoursafter administration of inflammatory agent1 ml / 100 gram 2 ml / 100 gram11 % 17 % ii . reduction of the residual inflammatory response 24hours after administration of inflammatory agent1 ml / 100 gram 2 ml / 100 gram31 , 7 % 33 , 6 % ______________________________________ the investigation of the chronic toxicity was carried out with young male rats of the sprague - dawley stock having an average initial weight of about 175 gram . the control group and the treated groups always consisted of 12 animals . the control group received pure water while the test groups were given water containing liquid extract prepared according to example 1 , that is , one test group received a supplement of 25 %, another a supplement of 50 % and a last group a supplement of 100 % of extract , thus in effect the extract of the invention in place of pure water . the study was carried out with all groups for 49 days . after ending the test it was established that with the exception of the test group which contained 100 % extract and in which one animal died of unknown causes , all animals showed a normal increase in weight and no macro - or microscopic pathological changes were observed . __________________________________________________________________________ control 25 % 50 % 100 % group supplement supplement supplement__________________________________________________________________________average body weight after 49 days 326 g 327 g 313 g 321 ginitial body weight 177 g 174 g 177 g 175 gaverage gain in weight 149 g 153 g 136 g 146 g 1 diedtotal intake in liquid / kg 4966 ml 5541 ml 5185 ml 4464 mlaverage daily intake of liquid / kg 101 ml 113 ml 106 ml 91 mlconversion value of the daily intake fora person weighing 50 kg 5050 ml 5650 ml 5300 ml 4550 mlconversion value for a person weighing50 kg based on the 49 days totalintake 247 . 45 l 276 . 45 l 259 . 7 l 222 . 95 l__________________________________________________________________________ g = gram l = liter ml = milliliter in the clinical trials liquid extracts according to example 1 ( b ) were used and capsules according to example 1 ( a ) and example 2 . in all 1198 patients between the ages of 52 and 89 years were treated with these preparations . the average age of the patients was 69 years . the patients received 30 drops 3 times a day , that is , after meals . the capsules were also dispensed 3 times daily after meals . these dosages were found to be particularly favourable although in several cases higher doses were also dispensed . the preparations were prescribed for some patients in combination with antibiotics , sulfonamides , furantoins , cardiac and circulatory agents ; even with the combined administration of these agents an excellent tolerance was established . the duration of the treatment generally extended over several months , in several cases a long - term treatment of over 11 / 2 years was carried out . already after 14 days the patients consistently showed a distinct subjective relief . ( 1 ) residual amounts of urine of up to 100 ml regressed completely in 100 % of the cases . ( 2 ) residual amounts of urine between 100 and 200 ml regressed in about 90 % of the cases . ( 3 ) residual amounts of urine between 200 and 500 ml regressed in 72 % of the group . 10 % of these patients retained residual amounts of urine of 100 ml , the remainder had to be operated or had to be electroresectioned . in 1150 cases the size of the gland had decreased distinctly by using the rectal touch test as a criterion . in only 4 % of the investigated cases were no changes observed when measuring the colliculus interval . on average an interval reduction of 0 . 6 to 0 . 8 cm was achieved . in many cases the interval was reduced from 4 . 2 to 3 . 2 cm , in several patients from 3 . 2 to 2 . 4 cm and in others from 3 . 0 to 2 . 0 cm . in 88 % of the manometrically investigated patients an increase of the micturition pressure resulted under the influence of the preparations . low initial values of 40 to 60 mm hg increased after a treatment period of 3 months to 80 to 100 mm hg . as a rule the resistance pressure was lowered by 10 to 20 mm hg . in 12 % of the investigated patients no change of the bladder pressure could be observed while under the medication . but the measurements showed that no further deterioration took place . it is understood that an improvement of the urine condition is reflected by a decline of the number of leucocytes in the sediment , that is huge to large amounts of leucocytes before treatment , while at the end of the treatment only isolated leucocytes are detectable . a decline of the number of leucocytes was obtained in 96 % of all of the cases . in those cases in which the urinary tract infection was produced by coli or proteus bacteria the cultures of 863 patients ( 72 % of all cases ) were sterile at the end of the treatment period . in 156 patients ( about 13 %) this outstanding result was not produced but a clear improvement of the bacteriological condition was obtained , i . e . only isolated germs were still detectable after the treatment . the remainder of the infections were caused by pyocyaneus infections and they could not be influenced by medication . no deterioration in any of the examined parameters ( sediments , bacteriological ) was observed even after prolonged treatment . because of the inability to empty the bladder by reason of the enlarged prostate at the neck of the bladder in the patients residual urine collection usually occurs and results in a urine build up in the upper urinary tract , and thus give rise to a well - defined dilation of the ureters , the renal pelvis and the cups . this can be observed by means of x - rays , through a separating urograph or an infusion urograph . theoretically these obstructions retrogress once the obstacle at the neck of the bladder has retrogressed . in many cases the retrogression can also be clearly established on suitable x - ray pictures . in 72 patients the interpretation of the x - ray pictures showed that obstructions formed in the upper urinary tract due to the prevention of discharge at the neck of the bladder through the enlarged prostate had plainly retrogressed . in several cases a clear retrogression was recognized within 4 to 6 weeks . in the majority of the cases a three - month treatment was necessary to detect a distinct retrogression of the obstruction by x - ray examination . in none of the cases investigated and controlled by x - ray was there an enlargement of the upper urinary tract when they were treated with the preparations . patients with chronic polyarthritis , morbus reiter and various diseases of the rheumatic cycle were treated with 3 capsules according to example 1 ( a ) and example 2 . with these a distinct retrogression of inflammation could be observed . because of the subjective freedom from pain and the objective detection of reduction of the inflammatory symptoms even with patients who had received anti - corticosteroid hormones for years the administration of cortisones could be stopped . likewise the administration of socalled symptomatic antirheumatics could be stopped in most cases . patients with various manifestations of chronic gout were treated daily over a period of 6 months with 3 capsules according to example 1 ( a ) and example 2 . the capsules were given before each main meal . already after the first month of treatment none of the patients suffered a further gout attack .
plant material derived from the family hypoxidaceae is heated at a temperature of at least 60 ° c . for a sufficient period to ensure enzyme destruction and is then extracted at a temperature of 0 °- 30 ° c . with aqueous alcohol containing 30 - 75 volume percent ethanol for about 1 to 15 days to obtain a pharmaceutically active material .