Metal ion-functional fiber component complex compositions, preparation and uses thereof

1. A water-insoluble composition comprising a metal ion M in an oxidation number of Z (M(Z)) or mixtures thereof complexed to gum Arabic, with at least 2 wt % of metal ion bound in the complex, wherein Z is an integer selected from 1 to 8 (I to VIII) or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof.

2. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the metal ion (M) is selected from the group consisting of lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, cesium, francium, beryllium, magnesium, calcium, strontium, barium, radium, scandium, yttrium, lanthanum, actinium, titanium, zirconium, hafnium, vanadium, niobium, tantalum, chromium, molybdenum, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, aluminum, bismuth and mixtures thereof.

3. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the metal ion (M) is iron in the form of a Fe (II) and/or Fe(III) salt selected from the group consisting of iron(II) acetate, iron(III) acetate, iron(II) citrate, iron(III) citrate, iron(II) ascorbate, iron(III) ascorbate, iron(II) oxalate, iron(III) oxalate, iron(II) oxide, iron(III) oxide, iron(II) carbonate, iron(III) carbonate, iron(II) carbonate saccharate, iron(III) carbonate saccharate, iron(II) formate, iron(III) formate, iron(II) sulfate, iron(III) sulfate, iron(II) chloride, iron(III) chloride, iron (II) bromide, iron (III) bromide, iron (II) iodide, iron (III) iodide, iron (II) fluoride, iron (III) fluoride, iron(II) acetylacetonate, iron(III) acetylacetonate, iron (II) phosphate, iron (III) phosphate, iron (II) pyrophosphate, iron (III) pyrophosphate, and combinations thereof.

4. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the oxidation number of the metal ion is selected from +1, +2 and +3 or mixtures thereof.

5. The composition of claim 1 comprising Fe(II) and/or Fe(III) complexed to gum Arabic, wherein the both the Fe(II) and/or Fe(III) are bound to gum Arabic without iron release/availability to affect systemic iron levels.

6. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition is a water-insoluble metal ion gum Arabic complex, having a density of >1.1 g/ml in a loose powder form and a density of >1.5 g/mL in its compressed dry form.

7. The composition of claim 1 , wherein gum Arabic is water soluble before reacting with metal ions.

8. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the metal ion-gum Arabic component complex comprises at least 2 wt % of the one or more metal ions and at least 10 wt % of gum Arabic, 2 to 50 wt % of the metal ions and 50 to 98 wt % of gum Arabic, 10 to 50 wt % of the metal ions and 50 to 90 wt % of gum Arabic, 10 to 40 wt % of the metal ions and 60 to 90 wt % of gum Arabic, or 15 to 30 wt % of the metal ions and 70 to 85 wt % of gum Arabic.

9. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the complex is crystalline, amorphous or comprises microdomains of both amorphous and crystalline regions ranging from 10% to 90% amorphous and 10% to 90% crystalline.

10. The composition of claim 1 , wherein said metal ion-gum Arabic complex is capable of binding minerals, ions, toxins, metabolites within a pH range of about 1 to about 12, and/or wherein said metal ion-gum Arabic complex is capable of binding excess phosphates and toxins in GI tract, and/or wherein the metal ion-gum Arabic complex is stable at a pH 1 to 12, and remains efficacious at a pH range between 1 to 12.

11. A process for preparing a metal ion-gum Arabic complex comprising the steps of: (a) mixing gum Arabic and a metal ion compound or a mixture of metal ion compounds, at a pH <7; (b) maintaining a temperature of reaction mixture of step (a) between ambient and 100° C.; (c) cooling the reaction mixture of step (b) to be <40° C.; (d) adjusting the pH using base until precipitates are formed; and (e) washing until pH is neutral; and (f) isolating the metal ion-gum Arabic complex formed, wherein the metal ion content is in an amount of from 2 to 50 wt %.

12. The process of claim 11 , wherein the pH at step (a) is between about 1 and about 4, and wherein a pH <7 is reached by addition of an acid selected from the group consisting of: hydrochloric acid (HCl), hydrobromic acid (HBr), hydroiodic acid (HI), hypochlorous acid (HClO), chlorous acid (HClO 2 ), chloric acid (HClO 3 ), perchloric acid (HClO 4 ), and corresponding acids for bromine and iodine, sulfuric acid (H 2 SO 4 ), fluorosulfuric acid (HSO 3 F), nitric acid (HNO 3 ), phosphoric acid (H 3 PO4), fluoroantimonic acid (HSbF 6 ), fluoroboric acid (HBF 4 ), hexafluorophosphoric acid (HPF 6 ), chromic acid (H 2 CrO 4 ), and boric acid (H 3 BO 3 ) and/or wherein the step (d) comprises addition of a base selected from LiOH, KOH, NaOH, NaHCO 3 , Na 2 CO 3 , Ca(OH) 2 , Mg(OH) 2 , Li 2 CO 3 , K 2 CO 3 , CaCO 3 , and MgCO 3 , and/or wherein the reaction mixture is optionally exposed to pressure during step (b).

13. A pharmaceutical composition comprising (i) a compound or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof of claim 1 and (ii) a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

14. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition is formulated as a nutritional supplement, a beverage, a snack bar, or a cereal, or a medicament, or a medical food, suitable for oral administration.

15. The composition of claim 13 in a method of treating a subject suffering from hyperphosphatemia, hyperkalemia, hypercalcemia, hyperlipidemia, toxins from infectious agents, fluid and salt overload, abnormal mineral homeostasis with elevated calcium, phosphate, potassium, sodium in blood outside the normal range, or abnormal metabolic parameters selected from glucose, insulin, GLP-1, glucagon, glycerol, triglycerides, cholesterol, NEFA and leptin levels, the method comprising administering to the subject an effective amount of the composition, wherein the effective amount is about 0.005 g/kg/day to about 50 g/kg/day.

16. The composition of claim 1 , formulated for use according to extracorporeal, ex vivo, or in vitro administration to a subject in need thereof, the composition being optionally embedded in an extracorporeal system for adsorbing excess calcium, cholesterol, phosphate, potassium, sodium, or toxins.

17. An elemental medical food or food supplement comprising at least 10 mg of the composition of claim 1 in a physiological carrier, optionally formulated as a liquid solution, a pill, a tablet, a powder, a bar, a wafer, a suspensions in an appropriate liquid, or a suitable emulsion, and optionally further comprising one or more ingredients selected from the group consisting of natural flavors, artificial flavors, major trace and ultra-trace minerals, minerals, vitamins, oats, nuts, spice, milk, egg, salt, flour, lecithin, xanthan gum, and sweetening agents.

18. An elemental medical food or food supplement suitable for mammals comprising at least 10 mg of the metal ion-gum Arabic composition according to claim 1 for maintaining bone health, gastrointestinal tract health, normal mineral homeostasis with calcium, phosphate, potassium, sodium in blood in the normal range, a normal lipid profile and cardiovascular health, or normal weight or normal metabolic parameters (glucose, insulin, GLP-1, glucagon, glycerol, triglycerides, cholesterol, NEFA and leptin levels in the normal range) the method comprising providing an effective amount of the food supplement to a subject.