ARTICLE AND METHOD FOR TREATING, PREVENTING AND AMELIORATING ALCOHOL-INDUCED WERNICKE-KORSAKOFF SYNDROME

The present invention includes a composition and method for treating, preventing and ameliorating alcohol-induced Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome using a carrier solution including ingestible ethanol and thiamine.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A thiamine dose in combination with alcohol according to the present invention is between about 2 mg and 15 mg per oz. of alcohol regardless of type of alcohol (beer, liquor etc.).

In a preferred embodiment, the dose is between about 2-5 mg per oz. of alcohol.

Wine and cordials contain significant amounts of sulfite, which degrades thiamine and present special formulation concerns. Beer, liquor, and other forms of alcohol have only negligible amounts of sulfite and thus would not significantly affect thiamine through degradation.

If wine and cordials are desired, the present invention provides a formulation of enteric-coated microspheres targeted for colonic delivery. Colonic delivery is preferred because the pH is slightly acidic, generally accepted to be about 6.8, and will allow absorption of thiamine without significant degradation.

Although wine and cordials would require use of encapsulated-enteric coated thiamine, the present invention contemplates that encapsulated thiamine being used in all alcohols and not being limited only to wine and cordials.

Thiamine has a half-life, in vivo, of approximately two weeks. Subsequently, it would still be present in the system long after the alcohol had been excreted making the length of time in the system a non-issue.

The method of the present invention includes: selecting an alcoholic beverage; determining common consumption volume of said beverage; adding thiamine to said beverage, wherein said adding results in a final composition having 2-15 mg per oz w/v.

This method, in one embodiment, includes steps of evaluating they type of alcohol consumed, determining the alcohol content by volume of the alcohol consumed, adding between about 2-15 mg of thiamine per ounce of alcohol, whereby ounce of alcohol is based on the alcohol content. As one, non-limiting example, an eighty proof whisky is about forty percent alcohol by volume. A 32 oz. bottle contains approximately 12.8 oz. of alcohol. Thiamine can be added to the bottle in the range of 25.6-192 mg according to the present invention. This is but one example as the thiamine is adjustable to deliver a desired amount of thiamine based on the alcoholic carrier being used.

While to some, the concept of adding thiamine to alcohol might be objectionable based on taste; it is known in the art that, at least in beer and hard alcohol, the taste is statistically imperceptible. Additionally, in providing a microencapsulated thiamine in alcohol there would be a minimal chance of any taste perception.

As discussed above, if microencapsulated thiamine is used, the pH of the drink would prevent release of the thiamin. The pH of beer is typically 3.5-4.2. The pH of wine is typically between about 2.9-3.9. Other hard alcohols generally are between about 3.5-5.5. Thus, known methods of enteric encapsulation whereby a delayed release is controlled until either a pH of 6.8 (small intestines) or 7.5 (large intestines) would ensure the thiamine is not released in the drink, yet is still released in the alimentary canal, thus providing the desired administration to a person drinking the alcohol.

The amount is adjustable dependent on beverage used. Beer drinkers consume greater volume of alcohol than those who consume whiskey or other alcohols having higher alcohol content.

While the invention has been described in its preferred form or embodiment with some degree of particularity, it is understood that this description has been given only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction, fabrication, and use, including the combination and arrangement of parts, may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.