Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum

1. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum comprising tobacco alkaloid, gum base, and chewing gum ingredients, said gum base comprising elastomer- and resin-compounds in an amount in the range of about 2 to 26.3% by weight of said chewing gum, wherein at least 50% of the tobacco alkaloid comprised in said chewing gum prior to chewing will be released within five minutes following initiation of chewing and wherein at least 75% of the tobacco alkaloid comprised in said chewing gum prior to chewing will be released within ten minutes following initiation of chewing.

2. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum according to claim 1 , wherein said chewing gum comprises tobacco alkaloid in an amount of 0.1 mg to 10 mg.

3. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum according to claim 1 , wherein said chewing gum comprises tobacco alkaloid in an amount of 0.1 mg to 10 mg in the gum base of the chewing gum.

4. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum according to claim 1 , wherein said tobacco alkaloid is in a form selected from tobacco alkaloid salts, tobacco alkaloid bound in a complex, or any combination thereof.

5. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum according to claim 4 , wherein said complex comprises an ion exchange resin.

6. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum according to claim 5 , wherein said ion exchange resin is a weakly acidic cation exchange resin.

7. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum according to claim 4 , wherein said complex comprises an adsorbent.

8. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum according to claim 7 , wherein said adsorbent is selected from the group consisting of finely divided silicic acid, amorphous silica, magnesium silicate, calcium silicate, kaolin, clays, crystalline aluminosilicates, macaloid bentonite, activated carbon, alumina, hydroxylapatite, microcrystalline cellulose, and any combination thereof.

9. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum according to claim 1 , wherein said tobacco alkaloid is nicotine.

10. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum according to claim 9 , wherein said nicotine is in a form selected from nicotine salts, nicotine free base, nicotine bound in a complex, or any combination thereof.

11. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum according to claim 10 , wherein said nicotine salts are selected from the group consisting of nicotine hydrochloride, nicotine dihydrochloride, nicotine monotartrate, nicotine bitartrate, nicotine sulfate, nicotine zinc chloride, nicotine salicylate, and any combination thereof.

12. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum according to claim 1 , wherein said chewing gum comprises emulsifiers in an amount in the range of 0.1% to 25% by weight of said chewing gum.

13. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum according to claim 12 , wherein at least 50% of said emulsifiers are comprised in said gum base.

14. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum according to claim 12 , wherein said emulsifiers are selected from the group consisting of cyclodextrins, polyoxyethylene castor oil derivatives, polyoxyethylene alkyl ethers, macrogol alkyl ethers, block copolymers of ethylene and propylene oxides, polyoxyethylene alkyl ethers, polyoxyethylene glycols, polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters, polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monostearates, polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monooleates, polyoxyethylene stearates, sobitan esters, diacetyl tartaric ester of monoglycerides, lactylated monoglycerides, and any combination thereof.

15. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum according to claim 12 , wherein said emulsifiers are selected from the group consisting of cyclodextrins, polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monostearates, sorbitan fatty acid esters, glycerol polyethyleneglycol oxystearate, glycerol monostearate, glycerol monooleate, block copolymers of ethylene and propylene oxides, and mixtures thereof.

16. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum according to claim 1 , wherein said chewing gum comprises an emulsifier having an HLB value of 7 or less.

17. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum according to claim 1 , wherein said chewing gum comprises one or more emulsifiers having an HLB value of at least 7.

18. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum according to claim 1 , wherein said chewing gum comprises one or more emulsifiers having an HLB value of at least 10.

19. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum according to claim 1 , wherein said chewing gum comprises one or more emulsifiers of HLB value below about 7 and one or more emulsifiers of HLB value above about 7, said emulsifiers of HLB value below about 7 being applied in the gum base, and said emulsifiers of HLB value above about 7 being applied in the final chewing gum composition along with the chewing gum ingredients.

20. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum according to claim 1 , wherein said resin compounds comprise natural resins in an amount in the range of 0.1 to 20% by weight of said chewing gum.

21. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum according to claim 20 , wherein said natural resins comprise ester gums.

22. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum according to claim 1 , wherein said resin compounds comprise natural resins in an amount in the range of 1 to 15% by weight of said chewing gum.

23. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum according to claim 1 , wherein said resin compounds comprise synthetic resins in an amount in the range of 0.1 to 20% by weight of said chewing gum.

24. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum according to claim 23 , wherein said synthetic resins comprise polyvinyl acetate (PVAc).

25. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum according to claim 1 , wherein said resin compounds comprise synthetic resins in an amount in the range of 1 to 15% by weight of said chewing gum.

26. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum according to claim 1 , wherein said resin compounds comprise terpene resins derived from alpha-pinene, beta-pinene and/or d-limonene.

27. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum according to claim 1 , wherein said elastomers comprise at least 1% by weight of said chewing gum.

28. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum according to claim 1 , wherein said elastomers constitute less than 20% by weight of said chewing gum.

29. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum according to claim 1 , wherein said elastomers constitute an amount in the range of about 0.001 to 20% by weight of said chewing gum.

30. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum according to claim 1 , wherein said elastomers are synthetic elastomers selected from the group consisting of butadiene-styrene copolymers, polyisobutadiene, isobutylene-isoprene copolymers, butyl rubber, polybutene, polybutadiene, polyisobutylene, polyvinyl acetate, polyethylene, vinyl acetate/vinyl laurate copolymer, vinyl acetate/vinyl stearate copolymer, ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer, polyvinyl alcohol, and any mixtures thereof.

31. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum according to claim 1 , wherein said elastomers are natural elastomers selected from the group consisting of natural rubber, latex, guayule, natural gums, jelutong, lechi caspi, perillo, sorva, massaranduba balata, massaranduba chocolate, nispero, rosidinha, chicle, gutta percha, gutta kataiu, niger gutta, tunu, chilte, chiquibul, gutta hang kang, and any combination thereof.

32. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum according to claim 1 , wherein said chewing gum comprises pH controlling components.

33. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum according to claim 32 , wherein said pH controlling components are selected from the group consisting of sodium carbonate, sodium hydrogen carbonate, potassium carbonate, potassium hydrogen carbonate, dipotassium phosphate, potassium citrate, and any combination thereof.

34. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum according to claim 32 , wherein said pH controlling components comprise an amount in the range of 0.1% to 5% by weight of said chewing gum.

35. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum according to claim 32 , wherein said pH controlling components provide a pH value in the range of 7.4 to 10 in the buccal cavity of a user of said chewing gum.

36. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum according to claim 1 , wherein said chewing gum comprises a coating.

37. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum according to claim 36 , wherein said coating is a hard coating.

38. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum according to claim 36 , wherein said coating is a soft coating or a film coating.

39. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum according to claim 36 , wherein said coating comprises a further amount of tobacco alkaloid.

40. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum according to claim 36 , wherein said coating has a weight above 20 mg.

41. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum according to claim 36 , wherein said coating makes up more than 2% by weight of the chewing gum.

42. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum according to claim 1 , wherein said chewing gum comprises a coating comprising a portion of at least 100 milligrams and wherein said portion comprises high-intensity sweetener.

43. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum according to claim 42 , wherein said coating comprises a portion of at least 100 milligrams and wherein said portion comprises bulk sweetener.

44. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum according to claim 42 , wherein said coating comprises a portion of at least 100 milligrams and wherein said portion comprises flavor.

45. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum according to claim 1 , wherein said chewing gum comprises sweeteners.

46. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum according to claim 45 , wherein said sweeteners comprise bulk sweeteners, sugar sweeteners, sugar substitute sweeteners, artificial sweeteners, high-intensity sweeteners, or any combination thereof.

47. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum according to claim 1 , wherein said chewing gum comprises one or more flavoring agents.

48. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum according to claim 47 , wherein said flavoring agents comprise natural and synthetic flavorings.

49. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum according to claim 47 , wherein said flavoring agents comprise essential oils, essences, extracts, powders, acids, coconut, coffee, chocolate, vanilla, grape fruit, orange, lime, menthol, liquorice, caramel aroma, honey aroma, peanut, walnut, cashew, hazelnut, almonds, pineapple, strawberry, raspberry, apple, pear, peach, apricot, blackberry, cherry, pineapple, plum essence, clove oil, bay oil, anise, thyme, cedar leaf oil, nutmeg, cinnamon, peppermint, wintergreen, spearmint, eucalyptus, mint, or any combination thereof.

50. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum according to claim 1 , wherein said chewing gum comprises filler.

51. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum according to claim 50 , wherein said filler is comprised within said gum base.

52. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum according to claim 50 , wherein said filler is incorporated in said chewing gum along with said chewing gum ingredients.

53. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum according to claim 1 , wherein said chewing gum has a weight in the range of 0.1 to 10 grams.

54. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum according to claim 1 , wherein said chewing gum is multimodular.

55. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum according to claim 1 , wherein said chewing gum comprises a tobacco alkaloid releasing module, which is a substantially gum base free module.

56. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum according to claim 1 , wherein said chewing gum is a chewing gum tablet.

57. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum according to claim 1 , wherein said chewing gum comprises further active ingredients.

58. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum according to claim 57 , wherein an amount of said further active ingredients is within the range of about 0.01 mg to 1000 mg.

59. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum according to claim 57 , wherein said further active ingredients are selected from the group consisting of dental agents and agents for treating pain, headache, or weight-gain.

60. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum according to claim 57 , wherein said further active ingredients are selected from the group consisting of cetirizine, loratadine, phenyleferin, paracetamol, ibuprofen, calciumcarbonat, vitamin D3, sumatriptan, ketoprofen, naproxen, morphine, cimetidine, famotidine, ranitidine, chlorpheneramine, dextrometorphane, metformine, and any combination thereof.

61. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum according to claim 1 , wherein said chewing gum is prepared by compression of said chewing gum.

62. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum according to claim 1 , wherein at least 85% of the tobacco alkaloid comprised in said chewing gum prior to chewing will be released within twenty minutes following initiation of chewing.

63. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum according to claim 62 , wherein at least 90% of the tobacco alkaloid comprised in said chewing gum prior to chewing will be released within thirty minutes following initiation of chewing.

64. Tobacco alkaloid releasing chewing gum according to claim 1 , wherein said tobacco alkaloid is comprised in tobacco powder.