Compositions for treatment of disorders of the oesophagus

• Main Authors: PAUL ANDREW DICKSON, IAN GORDON JOLLIFFE, FRANK CHADWICK HAMPSON, PETER WILLIAM DETTMAR
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 08.11.2000
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: HUMAN NECESSITIES; HYGIENE; MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL, OR TOILET PURPOSES; SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS ORMEDICINAL PREPARATIONS

A pharmaceutical composition suitable for treatment of disorders of the oesophagus, especially those associated with reflux such as dyspepsia, oesophagitis and gastritis, comprises (a) 0.1-11% (by weight) of an alginate salt, most preferably sodium alginate; (b) 0.01-3.0% (by weight) of xanthan gum, carrageenan gum or mixtures thereof; and (c) 0.01-3.0% (by weight) of a glucomannan, a galactomannan or mixtures thereof. The preferred galactomannan is locust bean gum. The proportion of alginate salt added to the composition is chosen to ensure that, when the composition is prepared in the preferred aqueous liquid form, the viscosity of the composition remains in the range 1000 to 8000 mPa.s. which, in turn, ensures that the liquid composition obtained may be easily poured and dispensed in measurable volume amounts. The composition may also contain a source of carbon dioxide for, example sodium bicarbonate, which is released when the composition finally enters and contacts the acidic stomach environment. Any one of a range of pharmaceutically active compounds, such as cough suppressants or anti-ulcer drugs, may be included in the composition. The composition when applied in liquid form serves as a bioadhesive material which coats the mucosal surface of the oesophagus and thus provides a physical protection of the surface from reflux and also provides the means to deliver a pharmaceutically active agent to the surface.