Active principle for mitigating undesired medical conditions
A composition for treating or preventing inflammatory-related conditions includes as an active principle a carrier which exhibits a plurality of a scavenger structure capable of mitigating the activity of a mediator of inflammatory-related conditions. The scavenger structure includes a nucleophilic center complying with the formula X 1 (—R″—)(—R′) m H n where: a) X 1 is a single-bonded heteroatom selected amongst N, O and S and exhibits a free electron pair; b) m is 0 or 1 and n is 1 or 2; c) —R″— is a bivalent organic group providing attachment to the carrier via one of its free valences and to X 1 at the other free valence; and d) R′— is a monovalent organic group attached to the X 1 via its free valence. A method for treating or preventing inflammatory-related conditions in an individual suffering from such conditions includes: providing the composition; and contacting the mediator within or separate from the individual.
1. A method for treating or preventing inflammatory-related conditions in an individual suffering from or being at risk for suffering from such conditions comprising the steps of:
i) providing a composition containing as an active principle (=AP) a carrier which exhibits a plurality of a scavenger structure which is capable of mitigating and/or neutralising the activity of a mediator of inflammatory-related conditions, and
ii) contacting the AP with said mediator a) within said individual, or b) separate from said individual,
wherein the composition comprises as an AP a carrier which exhibits a plurality of a scavenger structure which is capable of mitigating and/or neutralising the activity of a mediator of inflammatory-related conditions, said scavenger structure comprising a nucleophilic center complying with the formula
X 1 (—R″—)(—R′) m H n (formula I)
where
a) X 1 is a single-bonded heteroatom selected amongst N, O and S and exhibits a free electron pair,
b) m is 0 or 1 and n is 1 or 2 with the sum of m plus n being 2 for X 1 ═N and 1 for X 1 ═S and O,
c) —R″— is a bivalent organic group providing attachment to the carrier via one of its free valences and direct attachment to the heteroatom X 1 at the other one of its free valences, and
d) R′— is a monovalent organic group directly attached to the heteroatom X 1 via its free valence,
wherein the nucleophilic center is carabazate, and the carrier is polyvinyl alcohol.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises
i. a first subformulation containing polyvinyl alcohol as the carrier, and
ii. a second subformulation containing a cross-linking reagent, in the form of a polymer, exhibiting a plurality of a reactive electrophilic group which is capable of reacting in aqueous media with the reactive nucleophilic group of the first subformulation to the introduction of covalent cross-links in the carrier,
said nucleophilic group of the first subformulation being in excess in relation to said electrophilic group of the second subformulation.
3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein:
a) the cross-linking reagent comprises hyaluronic acid, and
b) the degree of substitution with respect to reactive electrophilic groups on the polymeric cross-linking reagent is sufficiently low for producing a carrier in dissolved form, when the two subformulations are mixed with each other upon injection.