Abstract: Processes for polyphase fluid extraction of concentrated, active therapeutic components from parts of selected medicinal plants which have been identified chemotaxonomically are described. The resulting products-by-processes are defined as Concentrated Fluid Therapeutic Extracts, CFTE, of the selected plant types, where T represents a specific herbal plant family such as Symphytum, SYM, Taxus, TAX, Panax, PAN or Aloe, ALO. The process disclosed for CFTE preparation includes multiple/sequential stages of diffusional transfer of bioactive constituents from plant tissue into liquid and/or vapor extraction phases under contact conditions of forced convection at controlled temperature and pressure. Therapeutic formulations based on CFTE including emulsions, aerosols, liposomes and controlled-release devices are presented. Treatment methods for a variety of mammalian diseases and conditions and complications of specific diseases are described.

Abstract: A blood filter in which the pore size of the filtering media generally decreases through a series of at least three stages where the filtering capacity of at least the first stage is chosen so as to accommodate without substantial impairment of function the quantity of large particle size debris which is normally present in a predetermined amount of blood. The filtering media is composed of several plies of porous material including both depth and screen filter elements. These filter elements are arranged in one or more elongated bands. The bands are spirally wound into a cylindrical form around a generally rigid, perforate core. The ends of the spirally wound cylindrically configured filter are sealed to produce a filter cartridge. The filter cartridge is in turn sealed into a container which has blood inlet and outlet ports arranged so that blood normally flows radially inwardly through the filter.

Abstract: A free floating pivoting disc heart valve in which the disc has a generally arcuate segment configuration positioned so as to present a generally convex surface toward the outflow side of said base and a generally concave surface toward the inflow side of the base when viewed in the closed configuration.