Iron compositions
Compositions in solid form, such as powders, comprising a mixture of a ferrous salt and a hydroxypyrone maybe used to increase the level of iron in a patient's bloodstream or to treat and/or prevent gastrointestinal infection.
1. A pharmaceutical composition which is in the form of a solid that is in the form of a powder and which comprises a mixture of a ferrous salt and a hydroxypyrone, in an amount effective to increase the level of iron in a patient's bloodstream, together with a pharmaceutically acceptable diluent or carrier.
2. A pharmaceutical composition as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said ferrous salt is an iron (II) carboxylate.
3. A pharmaceutical composition as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said ferrous salt is selected from the group consisting of iron (II) gluconate, iron (II) succinate and iron (II) fumarate.
4. A pharmaceutical composition as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said ferrous salt is iron (II) carbonate.
5. A pharmaceutical composition as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 , wherein said hydroxypyrone is a 3-hydroxy-4-pyrone.
6. A pharmaceutical composition as claimed in claim 5 , wherein said hydroxypyrone is maltol or ethylmaltol.
7. A pharmaceutical composition as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the molar ratio of ferrous salt to hydroxypyrone is from 1:1 to 1:4.
8. A pharmaceutical composition as claimed in claim 7 , wherein said molar ratio of ferrous salt to hydroxypyrone is about 1:3.
9. A pharmaceutical composition as claimed in claim 7 , wherein said molar ratio of ferrous salt to hydroxypyrone is from 1:1 to 1: less than 3 and the composition further comprises a carboxylic acid.
10. A pharmaceutical composition as claimed in claim 9 , wherein said carboxylic acid is citric acid or tartaric acid.
11. A pharmaceutical composition as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the molar ratio of carboxylic acid to ferrous salt is from 0.01:1 to 3:1.
12. A pharmaceutical composition as claimed in claim 1 which further comprises a wetting agent or surfactant.
13. A pharmaceutical composition as claimed in claim 1 for use in medicine.
14. A pharmaceutical composition as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the powder is formulated into a tablet or capsule for oral administration.
15. A method of use of a pharmaceutical composition as claimed in claim 1 in the manufacture of a medicament for increasing the level of iron in a patient's bloodstream which comprises mixing said mixture of ferrous salt and hydroxypyrone in an amount effective to increase the level of iron in a patient's bloodstream with a said pharmaceutically acceptable diluent or carrier.
16. A method of making a pharmaceutical composition of claim 1 which is in the form of a solid that is in the form of a powder, which comprises mixing said ferrous salt with said hydroxypyrone in an amount effective to increase the level of iron in a patient's bloodstream, together with a pharmaceutically acceptable diluent or carrier.
17. A method of increasing the level of iron in a patient's bloodstream which comprises administering a composition of claim 1 to the patient.
18. A pharmaceutical composition as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising one or more compounds for the treatment of anaemia.
19. A pharmaceutical composition as claimed in claim 18 , wherein said one or more compounds comprises folic acid.
20. A pharmaceutical composition as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising zinc.
21. A method of increasing the level of iron in a patient's bloodstream which comprises administering to said patient a pharmaceutical composition which is in the form of a solid and which comprises a mixture of a ferrous salt and a hydroxypyrone in an amount effective to increase the level of iron in the patient's bloodstream, together with a pharmaceutically acceptable diluent or carrier, wherein said composition is administered orally on an empty stomach without food.