Research Indicates It Holds Promise for Athletes and
At-Risk-For-Diabetes Population

MISSOULA, Mont. (October 24, 2002) – Technical Sourcing International, Inc. (TSI), a leading producer and supplier of raw material ingredients to the nutraceutical industry, today announced a new, patent-pending ingredient that promotes healthy glucose and insulin utilization.  The trademarked ingredient Promilin™ is a complex of bioactive amino acids including the extraordinary amino acid derivative, 4-hydroxyisoleucine (4-OH-Ile).  Promilin is extracted from Trigonella foenum-graecum utilizing proprietary processing techniques at TSI’s own botanical extraction facility. 

Remarking on the new ingredient, Dick Hynson, TSI’s Vice President of Business Development said, “We’ve had very positive feedback in pre-launch discussions from consumer product manufacturers representing medical food, dietary supplement, and sports nutrition.”  Among the first consumer products to include the Promilin brand, in the latter, is Thermo-Cuts by Optimum Nutrition.    

Scientific studies in France, both in vitro and in vivo, have shown the 4-OH-Ile compound, found in Promilin, to be effective in selectively potentiating insulin secretion from the pancreas in response to an increase in glucose levels, and consequently have suggested it may increase insulin sensitivity.1,2,3 

The University of Montana Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences has conducted bioactivity testing on Promilin utilizing pancreatic beta cells isolated from non-diabetes-prone Syrian hamsters.  “Results of our work are consistent with the published European research and demonstrate that Promilin stimulates insulin secretion across a wide range of concentrations.  Even more promising, in our pilot study with healthy (non-diabetic) individuals, Promilin was actually shown to help reduce glucose concentrations without affecting insulin levels, indicating that it may be enhancing natural metabolic sensitivity,” said Jerry Robert Smith, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Pharmacology/Toxicology at UM School of Pharmacy.  Results of these studies will be published early next year.  Encouraged on all fronts, Smith offered too, that when administering Promilin, “At no time have we observed hypoglycemia.”  He concluded “The lack of hypoglycemia indicates an acceptable safety profile for this agent and is critical for normal glucose metabolic control.”

TSI is sponsoring a handful of clinical studies to further understand and validate benefit claims surrounding glucose transport / glycogen re-synthesis, weight management, and glucose metabolism in healthy, as well as, individuals with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT).

“TSI is committed to developing and producing groundbreaking ingredients to provide our manufacturing partners a significant advantage in bringing sound and clinically-substantiated products to consumers worldwide,” said Larry Kolb, President. 

About Technical Sourcing International, Inc.
Technical Sourcing International, Inc. (TSI) is a leading researcher, producer, and marketer of nutraceutical ingredients to the dietary supplement, pharmaceutical, and food and beverage industries.  Among the numerous botanical, marine, and natural product extracts, as well as, synthesized compounds in its ingredient portfolio, the company also offers several trademarked consumer ingredient brands, including OstivoneÒ, MSV 60Ò, Rusperin C™ and PUREFLEXä Chondroitin Sulfate and Glucosamine.  The company is based in Missoula, Mont., and can be reached at (406) 549-9123 or www.tsiinc.com.

References:
1. Broca C, Manteghetti M, Gross R, Baissac Y, Jacob M, Petit P, Sauvaire Y, Ribes G., 4-Hydroxyisoleucine: effects of synthetic and natural analogues on insulin secretion, Eur J Pharmacol 2000 Mar 3;390(3):339-45
2. Broca C, Gross R, Petit P, Sauvaire Y, Manteghetti M, Tournier M, Masiello P, Gomis R, Ribes G., 4-Hydroxyisoleucine: experimental evidence of its insulinotropic and antidiabetic properties, Am J Physiol 1999 Oct;277(4 Pt 1):E617-23
3. Sauvaire Y, Petit P, Broca C, Manteghetti M, Baissac Y, Fernandez-Alvarez J, Gross R, Roye M, Leconte A, Gomis R, Ribes G., 4-Hydroxyisoleucine: a novel amino acid potentiator of insulin secretion, Diabetes 1998 Feb;47(2):206-10

Contact:
Liz Smith, Marketing Manager
Technical Sourcing International, Inc.
(406) 549-9123
lsmith@tsiinc.com