it is disclosed that broad classes of carbonaceous organic compounds can be converted into immuno - modulators . the immuno - modulating substances accelerate restoration of cytokine balance and thereby favorably alter the course of particular disease states . a carbonaceous organic compound can be converted into an immuno - modulator by suspension and dissolution in a solvent of a suitable carbonaceous organic compound having predominantly negative valency substituents together with a cation and an avid cation chelator . a carbonaceous organic compound with mostly positive valency substituents can be converted into an immune - modulator by suspending and dissolving it in a solvent together with an anion and an anion chelator . the carbonaceous organic compounds can be naturally occurring ones such as tannins , resveratrol , mucilages , gums , bile acids , and starches , as well as their chemically altered derivatives . other compounds that can be used include tetracycline , doxycycline , poly sulfates , poly phosphonates , fluoroquinolones , benzydamine , cefditoren pivoxil , rifaximin , benzydamine , cefuroxime axetil , ezetimibe , and compounds similar to these in nature . the carbonaceous organic compounds can contain polar substituents covalently attached such that they have a minimally restrictive stereographic ability of rotation . polar substituents can include bi , tri -, quadric - oxygenated metallic elements such as phosphates , sulfates , and nitrates . in one embodiment , the carbonaceous organic compound is combined with multi - dentate chelators and multi - valent ions . in an alternate embodiment , uni - dentate chelators and uni - valent ions can be used . multi - dentate chelators that can be used include carboxylic acids ( e . g ., edta , dpta , malate , oxalate , citrate ), multi - phenyl compounds , organic diamines ( e . g ., eda , bda , dta , mdta , tepa , dap , pda , hda , ibpa , mibpa , bpeta , dmpda , and pip ) and polyphosphonates such as methlylene diphosphonate , hydroxyl ethylene diphosphonates , and amino ethylene diphosphonates . transitional metal oxides , fluorides , chlorides , or sulfides can act as multi - dentate chelators as well , particularly if the carbonaceous compound carrier is heterocyclic , such as tetracycline or doxycycline . uni - dentate chelators that can be used include , but are not limited to , mesalamine ; short chain fatty acids such as butyric , proprionic , acetic , and formic acids ; and gabapenitin . multivalent metal ions that can be used include those elements that have a single charge , preferably more than one , attributable to its atomic polarity . the charge polarity of the metal ion should be opposite that of the ionic charge of the chelator and carbonaceous compound . a suitable cation chelator ideally should have a binding capacity closely equivalent to the valence charge of the cation which it will chelate . the ratio of admixture depends upon the polarity of the substituents on the carbonaceous organic compound and the association avidities of the cation and its cation chelator or the anion and its anion chelator . in general the carbonaceous organic compound should be in a 1 : 1 : 1 to 10 : 1 : 1 admixture ratio of carbonaceous organic compound : chelator : cation or anion , determined by the molar contribution of the valency charge of the substitutents compared to the valency charge of the cation or anion . for example if the carbonaceous organic compound contains 1 substituent with an equivalent negative polarity valency charge approximating 1 , then the cation valency charge should also approximate 1 in the opposite polarity and its chelator should should have a negative valency charge that does not exceed negative 1 . multivalent cations ( 2 + , 3 + ) are preferred and should be matched with multi - dentate chelators containing at least 2 areas of chelation equidistantly spaced from each other and capable of chelating 1 cation . to this cation and chelator mixture is added a carbonaceous organic compound containing 1 to 4 or more electronegative substituents spaced evenly throughout the compound . the spatial appointment of substituents throughout the compound is matched by the areas of dentition spatially distributed along the axis of the cationic chelator . the conversion reaction occurs at the instant of the addition of a multivalent cation to a solution containing the carbonaceous compound and the chelator , the latter two components characterized , respectively , by a favorable distribution of electronegative substituents ( throughout the carbonaceous compound ) and the chelating dentition ( across the length of the cation - avid multi - dentate chelator ). larger carbonaceous organic compounds require more cation / cation chelator mixed with it to accommodate the increased number of polar substituents within the compound . the amount of cation / cation chelator used is sufficient to permit the formation of an incomplete ( non - closing ) clathrate - type of structure suspended in solution . the non - closing clathrate - type structure containing cation , cation chelator , and substituent - studded carbonaceous compound will reversibly form a clathrate - type super - structure that can efficiently carry a growth factor ( better than the carbonaceous compound alone ), thereby driving the growth factor to its receptor site where the growth factor will effect a more smooth , orderly metabolic tissue process within the mucosa , more smooth and orderly than otherwise possible without the above - described compositions . in an alternative embodiment , the carbonaceous organic compound is in a 1 : 1 to 10 : 1 admixture ratio of carbonaceous organic compound to chelator and the cation or anion is omitted . in another embodiment , the admixture can contain the carbonaceous organic compound and the cation or anion in a 1 : 1 to 10 : 1 ratio and lacks the chelator . in one embodiment , the compositions of this invention can be administered as a treatment for patients with a variety of ailments that are governed by effectively controlled or ineffectively controlled tissue cytokine imbalance . when effectively controlled cytokine imbalance is a means to restore homeostasis then such processes or ailments are considered “ repair ”. when ineffectively controlled cytokine imbalance fails to restore homeostasis and proceed as a state of chronic defense or chronic repair then this persistence lead to tissue dysfunction giving rise to well - defined disorders or disease causing morbidity and suffering . ailments are either healed , with periods of repair wherein homeostasis is completely restored , or persist , with periods of chronic dysfunction wherein homeostasis is never completely restored . each is an ailment wherein cytokine imbalance drives the process . treatment according to this invention of either type of ailment results in either the acceleration of the healing process which restores homeostasis sooner than otherwise possible or the complete amelioration of chronic tissue and organ dysfunction , restoring homeostasis to conditions defined by failure to return to normal function . for example , in clinical remission of inflammatory bowel disease , gut function appears grossly intact , while cytokine imbalance persists . ailments in which cytokine imbalance plays a significant role can be treated by administering the compositions described above . these ailments , also known as functional epithelial syndromes , include but are not limited to epithelial lacerations , wounds , burns and ulcerations , chemo - radiation oral ulcerations , oral mucositis , alimentary mucositis , gastroesophageal reflux disorder ( gerd ) or reflux esophagitis , barrett &# 39 ; s esophagitis , functional heartburn or nerd ( non - erosive reflux disorder ), gastritis , gastroenteritis , enteritis , enterocolitis , functional dyspepsia , celiac sprue , collagenous or lymphocytic colitis , chemo - radiation enteritis , crohn &# 39 ; s disease , irritable bowel syndrome ( all forms ), chemo - radiation colitis , ulcerative colitis , minimal colitis , and atherosclerosis . other inflammatory disorders treatable by administering the compositions described above are defined by domination by cytokine imbalance . these include but are not limited to chronic hepatitis , muscle strains , myositis , tendoligamentous strains , tendonitis , fibrositis , fibrosis , myotendonitis disorders like fibromyalia , osseous injuries , post - surgical states , mechanical post - traumatic states , cystitis ( urinary or biliary ), prostatitis , prostatic hypertrophy , orchitis , pelvic inflammatory disease , scours , enterocolitis , parvoenteritis , hemorrhagic gastroenteritis , veterinary peptic ulcer , gastritis , enteritis , or colitis . additionally , the above - described compositions can be used to treat disorders in livestock , such as gastrointestinal mucosal disorders in pigs , cows , horses , sheep , goats , and wild animals . the specific examples below are to be construed as merely illustrative , and not limitative of the remainder of the disclosure in any way whatsoever . without further elaboration , it is believed that one skilled in the art can , based on the description herein , utilize the present invention to its fullest extent . all publications cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety . treatment of lacerations with immuno - modulating tetracycline , inulin , and fructo - oligosaccharde suspensions three embodiments of this invention were tested against saline placebo to assess the healing rate of experimental epithelial wounds in the forearm of a 58 year old male volunteer . the tested embodiments included three carbonaceous organic compounds , i . e ., tetracycline , inulin and fructo - oligosaccharide , combined with a dicarboxylic acid chelator ( malate ) and a divalent cation ( calcium ) in a 1 : 1 : 1 ratio for tetracycline , a 4 : 1 : 1 ratio for inulin , and a 4 : 1 : 1 ratio for fructo - oligosaccharide . four superficial wounds of equal length and depth were created on the volar surface of the forearms of the volunteer in the following manner . following cleansing of the skin with isopropyl alcohol and the injection of 1 ml of 2 % lidocaine subcutaneously , a sterile no . 11 blade was used to incise the skin , creating 4 equal wounds measuring 6 mm long , 2 mm deep with a gaping width of 3 mm . spontaneous bleeding slowed in 4 minutes and stopped completely by 7 minutes . a sterile sodium chloride solution was applied to wound 1 using a cotton - tipped applicator . the immuno - modulating fructo - oligosaccharide suspension described above in example 3 was applied to wound 2 , the immuno - modulating inulin suspension of example 2 was applied to wound 3 , and the immuno - modulating tetracycline suspension of example 1 was applied to wound 4 . healing of the wounds was monitored for 7 days . a summary of the results is presented in the table below . each of the three embodiments of the invention tested , i . e ., immune - modulating tetracycline , inulin , and fructo - oligosaccharde suspensions , as compared to the saline control , resulted in ( i ) accelerated healing , ( ii ) spontaneous wound closure and dryness within the first 3 hours of injury , ( iii ) less induration of the wound , ( iv ) no tenderness at any time during healing , and ( v ) completed healing by day 7 . on the other hand , the wound treated with sterile sodium chloride solution persisted , with signs of inflammation and adherent scab formation still present at day 7 . patients with irritable bowel syndrome ( ibs ) treated with immuno - modulating polysulfate disaccharide suspension sixty bangladeshi patients randomized in a double - blinded placebo - controlled dyspepsia trial were treated for 28 days with either a ten percent suspension of immuno - modulating ( im ) polysulfate disaccharide suspension twice daily ( 1 . 5 g of sucralfate per dose ) or placebo consisting of the identical suspension devoid of sucralfate . fifty patients completed the trial , 28 of whom had comorbid ibs , as defined by the rome ii classification . of these 28 ibs patients , ten were constipation dominant ( cibs ), four of whom received placebo and six had received immuno - modulating ( im ) polysulfate disaccharide suspension . eighteen of the 28 were diarrhea dominant ibs ( dibs ), eight of whom received placebo and ten had received immuno - modulating polysulfate disaccharide suspension . a number of patients treated with immune - modulating polysulfate disaccharide suspension reported improved boewl movements . those with diarrhea reported less frequent stools that were not loose , and had no urgency or cramps . those with constipation reported more frequent bowel movements , less bloating , and no pain . of those receiving placebo , one of four with cibs ( 25 %) and two of eight with dibs ( 25 %) responded as just described . in contrast , among those treated with immuno - modulating polysulfate disaccharide , five of six with cibs ( 83 %) and eight of ten with dibs ( 80 %) responded as described . a 38 year old female diagnosed with slow transit constipation and ibs was constipated for 21 days . despite the use of cathartics , laxatives , and stool softeners , she had managed to pass only small amounts of hardened stool . for two nights she took 2 capsules of immuno - modulating polysulfate disaccharide containing a total of 500 mg of sucralfate . on the third day she experienced a bowel movement , with relief of discomfort and bloating . she had regular bowel movements every 2 days as she continued to take 1 - 2 capsules nightly . a 47 year old woman diagnosed with cibs using escalating doses of laxative to maintain regularity of movements without the sense of complete evacuation with movements . she had bowel movements every 4 - 5 days with incomplete partial moments every other day if aggressive with oral laxatives or enemas . taking 60 ml of immuno - modulating polygalacturonic - rhamnose suspension , i . e ., slippery elm complex , made in accordance to this invention the first day then 30 ml each evening before bed , she experienced a full bowel movement within 2 days . continued administration of 30 ml of im polygalacturonic - rhamnose suspension nightly resulted in regular movements once daily accompanied by the sense of complete evacuation . a 32 year old woman presented with a 12 year history of constipation alternating with urgent diarrhea , both associated with discomfort that can be partially relieved with bowel movements . she used a combination of laxative and anti - diarrheals to control her symptoms . due to this stomach problem she never really felt well . she was diagnosed with ibs . after taking 2 capsules of immuno - modulating polygalacturonic - rhamnose powder containing a total of 600 mg of slippery elm complex , she experienced regularity of bowel movements within 3 days with no discomfort or bloating . as she continued on 1 - 2 capsules nightly , she had no recurrence of diarrhea or associated urgency . use of capsules containing immuno - modulating polysulfate disaccharide in 129 individuals with a personal history of ibs one hundred twenty nine individuals with a personal history of ibs requested and administered to themselves capsules of immuno - modulating polysulfate disaccharide ( sucralfate complex ), taking 2 capsules nightly for 2 nights followed by 1 - 2 capsules nightly . among the 129 individuals , 51 were adult males and 78 were adult females . all individuals self - medicated for years with over - the - counter ( otc ) laxatives and anti - diarrhea remedies with suboptimal results . all patients experienced an improvement of bowel movements beyond that achieved with otc remedies following self - administration of the immuno - modulating polysulfate disaccharide of the current invention . over seventy - five percent of the patients ( 40 of 51 males and 59 of 78 females ) stopped taking otc medications . following 2 years of treatment , 3 males and 4 females stopped taking the capsules claiming that their irregular bowel habits were completely resolved and that they did not require otc remedies . one year later , 2 of the 3 males resumed taking the capsules but at a reduced frequency of every 2 - 4 days with satisfactory restoration of bowel regularity without bloating and pain . treatment of a patient with functional dyspepsia using immuno - modulating polygalacturonic - rhamnose suspension a 38 year old man diagnosed with functional dyspepsia according to the rome ii criteria suffered from post - prandial early satiety , bloating , and stomach indigestion . administration of omeprazole , esomeprazole , pantoprazole , raberazole , and sucralfate suspension failed to improve his symptoms . administration of 15 ml of a suspension of immuno - modulating polygalacturonic - rhamnose prior to each meal prevented the experience of early satiety , bloating and indigestion . initially , there was only a lessening of post - prandial indigestion . continued administration over a 1 - 2 week period led to a disappearance of functional dyspepsia altogether . treatment of non - acidic nocturnal heartburn with immuno - modulating sucralfate or immuno - modulating polygalacturonic - rhamnose suspension a 48 year old man was diagnosed with non - acidic nocturnal heartburn unresponsive to proton pump inhibitors or histamine - 2 acid blockers . he experiences subxiphoid to substernal discomfort that causes him to wake between 1 am and 4 am 1 - 3 times per week . the discomfort transiently responds for 2 - 3 minutes to chewable calcium carbonate tablets . the patient noted relief of discomfort while swallowing 30 ml of an immuno - modulating poly - sulfate suspension , with a complete cessation of discomfort by 5 minutes that lasted through the night . he experienced a similar response after swallowing the same dose of an immuno - modulating polygalacturonic - rhamnose suspension . treatment of a patient with chemo - radiation ulcers and enteritis using immuno - modulating polysulfate suspension following surgery , a male patient with stage ivb head and neck squamous cell carcinoma underwent six weeks of chemotherapy and radiation including administration of paclitaxel , carboplatin , and treatment with 201 gy of radiation . he received a gastrostomy feeding tube in anticipation of developing oral mucositis ( om ) and alimentary mucositis ( am ), which he did develop by the end of the second week of chemotherapy / radiation treatment . administration of three daily doses of immuno - modulating polysulfate suspension ( 1 . 5 g per dose ) initially reduced and then eliminated painful oral ulcerations , difficulty swallowing and loose stools . the patient remained free of ulcers , nausea , and loose stools , required no narcotic analgesia , and tolerated a normal diet without need of the gastrostomy tube feeding . his symptoms returned 1 week following cessation of treatment with immuno - modulating polysulfate suspension while receiving chemo - radiation , but abated within three days following resumption of the immuno - modulating polysulfate suspension . treatment of a patient with an acute skin wound with immuno - modulating polysulfate suspension a 16 year old male was diagnosed with a 2 cm by 0 . 4 cm beveled flap laceration to the middle phalanx of the right 4th finger . the wound was 0 . 3 cm deep . typically , a wound of this type would require 10 - 12 days for complete healing if sutured and 21 days if simply bandaged and kept dry . his wound was treated with a bandage saturated with an immuno - modulating polysulfate suspension . the bandage was changed daily for 5 days . by day 6 , complete healing was observed , far sooner than the 10 days normally required for healing of a sutured wound . treatment of a patient with acute skin wounds with immuno - modulating polygalacturonic - rhamnose suspension a 25 year old male diagnosed with a 0 . 3 cm by 1 cm avulsion type laceration of the tip of the left thumb had his wound treated with a bandage saturated with an immuno - modulating polygalacturonic - rhamnose suspension . initial scabbing of the laceration occurred in 2 days and the wound was completely healed in 6 days . a wound of this type and size typically requires 7 days before initial scabbing occurs and 16 - 20 days for complete healing . accelerated healing of esophageal erosions and clinical relief by administering an immuno - modulating polysulfate disaccharide suspension forty one patients having esophageal erosions were randomized to four treatment arms , with 39 patients ( 37 males and 2 females ) completing the study . there were 11 patients receiving immuno - modulating polysulfate disaccharide suspension ( average age 28 . 5 yrs ; 1 dropped out ), 10 in the omeprazole group ( average age 28 yrs ), 10 in the ranitidine group ( average age 28 . 8 yrs ; 1 dropped out ) and 10 in the antacid group ( average age 34 . 8 yrs ). the trial period was seven days . there were two primary end points , i . e ., healing and no healing , and three secondary end points , i . e ., no relief , partial relief , and complete relief of pain . healing was defined as no evidence of erosions by endoscopy at day 8 that were present on day 0 . no healing was defined as evidence of erosions remaining on day 8 . no relief was defined as the persistence of symptoms regardless of severity ; partial relief was defined as the loss of 1 or more symptoms and the persistence of those noted at day 0 ; and complete relief was defined as the loss of all symptoms by day 8 that had been present on day 0 . eighty percent of patients who were administered an immuno - modulating polysulfate disaccharide suspension demonstrated complete healing of erosions within 7 days , far better than omeprazole ( 30 %), ranitidine ( 0 %) and antacids ( 0 %). fifty percent of patients treated with immuno - modulating polysulfate disaccharide suspension experienced complete symptomatic relief within 7 days , better than treatment with omeprazole ( 40 %) or ranitidine ( 30 %), and similar to antacids ( 50 %). treatment of scours in livestock with a suspension of immuno - modulating polysulfate and immuno - modulating polygalacturonic - rhamnose a 3 week old calf diagnosed with scours ( diarrhea ) by a veterinarian was found to be dehydrated and required aggressive oral rehydration . administration of bismuth - containing compounds failed to stop the diarrhea which worsened by the third day of treatment . oral administration of 10 ml of an immuno - modulating polysulfate suspension three times daily stopped the diarrhea within 24 - 36 hours . the calf resumed suckling and grazing by day 4 while continuing the treatment with immuno - modulating polysulfate suspension . a 5 week old weanling pig also diagnosed with scours by a veterinarian was found to have non - bloody diarrhea , dehydration , and poor appetite . the pig was treated orally with 5 ml of an immuno - modulating polygalacturonic - rhamnose suspension three times daily . this treatment resulted in the cessation of diarrhea within 36 - 48 hours . during an endemic outbreak of parvo in the community , a 1 year old 30 lb canine puppy presented with 4 - 5 daily episodes of vomiting and 3 - 4 daily bouts of non - bloody diarrhea and was diagnosed with parvo - enteritis by the veterinarian . the puppy was treated with 8 ml of immuno - modulating polysulfate suspension twice daily , resulting in relief of vomiting episodes within 12 hours and cessation of diarrhea within 24 - 36 hours . by day 3 the puppy &# 39 ; s appetite had returned . a 4 year old mixed breed canine presenting with high fever , elevated white blood cell count , bloody diarrhea , anorexia , and dehydration was diagnosed with hemorrhagic gastroenteritis by a licensed veterinarian . this case was severe , and if the dog was to survive , it would take 5 - 7 days of hospitalization , intravenous hydration , antibiotics , tube feeding , and 8 - 9 days before a regular diet could be re - introduced . the animal was hydrated and treated intravenously with antibiotics . oral administration of 10 ml of immuno - modulating polygalacturonic - rhamnose suspension every 8 hours resulted in cessation of diarrhea in 48 hours and return of appetite in 72 hours . treatment of equine right dorsal colitis with immuno - modulating polygalacturonic - rhamnose suspension an 8 year old quarter horse diagnosed with right dorsal colitis by an equine veterinarian had been on high doses of bananime , a non - steroidal anti - inflammatory ( nsaid ) pain reliever . right dorsal colitis is known to be caused by ulcerations within the colon of the horse . treatment was initiated by cessation of the nsaid and administration of 8 - 12 grams sucralfate four times daily . the horse worsened after 2 days and required intravenous hydration . oral administration to the horse of 30 ml of an immuno - modulating polygalacturonic - rhamnose suspension every 8 hours led to an improvement in attitude and appetite within 24 hours , a complete cessation of diarrhea in 36 hours , and the resumption of a regular diet in 72 hours . a 3 week old equine foal was diagnosed by a large animal veterinarian with gastroduodenal ulceration following 3 days of poor appetite . the foal &# 39 ; s condition worsened rapidly , and by day 5 , the foal was completely anorexic and demonstrated signs of colicky abdominal discomfort and diarrhea . treatment with a proton - pump inhibitor and plain sucralfate failed to alleviate the symptoms . oral administration of 10 ml of immuno - modulating polygalacturonic - rhamnose suspension every 8 hours resulted in the disappearance of signs of colicky abdominal discomfort within 36 hours , the tolerance of a light grain diet within 48 hours , and cessation of diarrhea after 1 day of treatment . the foal resumed normal diet and activity by day 4 of treatment . an open - label field test of treatments for ulcer colic in horses was conducted . of the 209 horses in the study , 173 failed to respond to standard treatment regimens including a combination of proton pump inhibitor ( omeprazole ), histamine 2 blocker ( ranitidine or cimetidine ), or antacids . twenty - three of the non - responder horses were found to have ulcers by endoscopy . 8 of the non - responders were then treated with an immuno - modulating polygalacturonic - rhamnose suspension ( 30 ml 3 times daily for 1 day then twice daily ) while the other 15 were treated with omeprazole , ranitidine , or antacids , together with an immuno - modulating polygalacturonic - rhamnose suspension . fda approved omeprazole ( gastrogard ®) typically heals ulcers in 70 % of subjects after 28 days of treatment ( nda 141 - 123 , mar . 16 , 1999 ). ulcers in all 23 horses receiving immuno - modulating polygalacturonic - rhamnose suspension were completely healed following 14 - 20 days of treatment . this represents an 8 - 14 day acceleration of healing as compared to the typical 28 days for gastrogard ® treatment . of note , this acceleration of healing occurred with ulcers in horses which were on immuno - modulating polygalacturonic - rhamnose suspension alone . all of the features disclosed in this specification may be combined in any combination . each feature disclosed in this specification may be replaced by an alternative feature serving the same , equivalent , or similar purpose . thus , unless expressly stated otherwise , each feature disclosed is only an example of a generic series of equivalent or similar features . from the above description , one skilled in the art can easily ascertain the essential characteristics of the present invention , and without departing from the spirit and scope thereof , can make various changes and modifications of the invention to adapt it to various usages and conditions . thus , other embodiments are also within the scope of the following claims .
an immuno - modulating composition including an organic compound and a metal chelator or a metal ion . also disclosed is a method for treating a disease or condition in man and animals with the composition . further , a method for delivering a growth factor or a homeostasis - maintaining factor to its receptor is provided .