Stabilization of polyprenyl compound

Abstract: A polyprenyl compound having the formula (1) is stabilized with a tocopherol, an organic acid, a neutral amino acid or a basic amino acid: in which n is an integer of 1 to 3.

Description: The present invention relates to a process for producing a stable polyprenyl compound-containing composition. In particular, the present invention relates to a process for producing a stable polyprenyl compound-containing composition by adding a tocopherol an organic acid or a neutral or basic amino acid. [ Prior Arts ] Polyprenyl compounds of the general formula (1): wherein n represents an integer of 1 to 3, were developed as prodrugs for Indometacin and have only a weak toxicity and a remarkable antiinflammatory effect. Various antiinflammatory agents such as steroid hormones, nonsteroid drugs and antiphlogistic enzyme preparations were developed and, recently, intensive investigations are being made for the purpose of developing nonsteroid antiinflammatory agents. They particularly include acidic compounds such as indoleacetic acids, e.g., Indometacin, phenylacetic acid compounds, e.g., Ibuprofen, and salicylic acid compounds, e.g., aspirin and salicylic acid. However, various clinical adverse reactions such as gastrointestinal and renal troubles caused by the nonsteroid compounds were reported. Indometacin which is a typical indoleacetic acid compound having a strong potency among the nonsteroid antiinflammatory agents is frequently used clinically as a remedy for rheumatism and its therapeutical effect has been recognized. However, repeated administration of the medicine for a long period of time is necessitated for the treatment of rheumatism or the like to cause serious side effects on the stomach, central nervous system, kidney, etc., thereby hindering the practical application thereof. In particular, since most of the prenyl compounds are fat-soluble, they are adsorbed on a powder having a large surface area suitably for the preparation of a solid product for oral administration. They are accordingly easy to be oxidized and get worse in quality. It is reported that the indometacin which is a typical indoleacetic acid compound is relatively stable in a neutral range, the N-amide bond was liable to be decomposed in a basic range [see Shigeru Goto et al., 'Yakuzaigaku (Pharmacology)', 33 (3), 139 (1973) and A. Cipiciani et al., J. Pharm. Sciences, 72 (9), 1975 (1983)]. 3,7,11,15-Tetramethyl-2,6,10,14-hexadecatetraenyl 1-(p-chlorobenzoyl)-2-methyl-5-methoxy-3-indolylacetate (hereinafter referred to briefly as Indometacin farnesyl) of the above general formula (1) which is a prodrug for Indometacin was developed as an antiinflammatory agent having a prolonged action and only a weak adverse effect (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 15940/1983). The polyprenyl compounds represented by the above general formula (1) are fat-soluble drugs. In producing a preparation of a fat-soluble medicine for oral administration, it is directly filled in a soft capsule or, alternatively, it is adosrbed on a powder having a large surface area and then filled in a hard capsule. It is known that the shell of the soft capsule has only an insufficient solubility and it is deteriorated with the lapse of time. In addition, it has defects in dispensing. There was disclosed a shell of the soft capsule prepared by adding tartaric acid or glycerol to gelatin as the main component to achieve the stabilization of the capsule (see Japanese Patent Publication No. 48909/1982). Further an acylated gelatin shell prepared by acylating an amino group of the gelatin molecule with an organic acid was also disclosed (see Japanese Patent Publication No. 103316/1983). However, many of the soft capsules have problems of the solubility and maintenance of the qualities. Under these circumstances, the inventors made pharmaceutical investigations on the production of a preparation of the polyprenyl compound of the above general formula (1) with a hard capsule. However, in the production of a solid preparation for oral administration containing a fat-soluble drug such as the polyprenyl compound, disintegration of the hard capsule is a problem in the pharmaceutical design thereof. Fat-soluble medicines such as the polyprenyl compounds are combined with bile or a triglyceride to form a complex micelle, from which the medicine is released and absorbed through microvilli of the small intestine into the blood or lymphatic vessels. It was reported that there is an interrelationship between the dispersibility of a medicine and the absorption thereof. The diameter of the particles of the medicinal agent must be reduced to form a dispersion. Emulsification processes for dispersing a fat-soluble medicine such as the polyprenyl compound in water include a process wherein a surfactant capable of forming a micelle having a stable interfacial film, such as Polysorbate 80, is used and a process wherein the coalescence of the particles of the fat-soluble medicine is prevented by adsorbing the medicine an solid particles such as silicon dioxide or by adding a hydrophilic colloid such as methylcellulose to form an emulsion. It is well known that a side chain having a double bond can be easily oxidized, and the inventors have found that a stable composition can be obtained by adding at least one compound selected from tocopherols and specific organic acids to the polyprenyl compound. The present invention has been completed on the basis of this finding. After the pharmaceutical investigations, the inventors have found that the disintegratability of the hard capsule can be improved by adding a neutral or basic amino acid to a polyprenyl compound. The inventors made investigations wherein a hydrophilic colloid such as silicon dioxide was used for improving the dispersibility of the polyprenyl compound. The polyprenyl compound was filled in a hard capsule and the disintegratability thereof was examined to reveal that although the outer wall of the capsule was dissolved, the inner wall thereof remained in jelly form to present a phenomenon of insufficient disintegration. It was found that gelatin in the capsule shell reacted with the polyprenyl compound to insolubilize the shell. Supposely, the amine or carbonyl compound present in the gelatin molecule in the capsule shell react with impurities contained in the polyprenyl compound or with acid decomposition products. Therefore, the amine or carbonyl compound in the gelatin molecules must be inactivated and so is the impurities contained in the polyprenyl compound. The inventors have found that the substances that cause the above defects can be inactivated by incorporating a neutral or basic amino acid into the polyprenyl compound. The present invention has been completed on the basis of this finding. The invention provides a method for stabilizing a polyprenyl compound having the formula (1), in which n is an integer of 1 to 3, comprising the step of mixing 1 part by weight of the polyprenyl compound with at least one stabilizing agent selected from dl-alpha-tocopherol, d-alpha-tocopherol and a natural tocopherol in an amount of 0.001 to 0.01 parts by weight, citric acid and tartaric acid in an amount of 0.0005 to 0.004 parts by weight, and a neutral or basic amino acid in an amount of 0.1 to 2.0 % by weight based on the polyprenyl compound. The most preferable polyprenyl compound is 3,7,11,15-tetramethyl-2,6,10,14-hexadecatetraenyl 1-(p-chlorobenzoyl)-2-methyl-5-methoxy-3-indolylacetate or indometacin farnesyl. The invention moreover provides (1) a stabilized composition as obtained by the method as defined above, (2) hard capsules comprising a shell and the stabilized composition, encapsulated in the shell, obtained by the method as defined above, in which the stabilizing agent is selected from a neutral amino acid and a basic amino acid, (3) a pharmacological composition which comprises a therapeutically effective amount of the polyprenyl compound as defined above and an effective amount of the stabilizing agent as defined above and (4) a pharmacological composition which comprises a therapeutically effective amount of the polyprenyl compound as defined above, an effective amount of the stabilizing agent as defined above and then a pharmacologically acceptable carrier. The invention further provides a process for producing pharmacological hard capsules, which comprises the steps of mixing the polyprenyl compound as defined above with a stabilizing agent selected from a neutral amino acid and a basic amino acid and encapsulating the resulting mixture. Thus the present invention provides a process for producing a stable polyprenyl compound-containing composition characterized in that at least one compound selected from dl-alpha-tocopherol, d-alpha-tocopherol, a natural tocopherol, citric acid, and tartaric acid is added to a polyprenyl compound of the above general formula (1). Among the compounds represented by the above general formula (1), a compound having a remarkable pharmacological effect is 3,7,11,15-tetramethyl-2,6,10,14-hexadecatetraenyl 1-(p-chlorobenzoyl)-2-methyl-5-methoxy-3-indolylacetate (hereinafter referred to briefly as Indometacin farnesyl) represented by the following formula (2): The amount of the tocopherol compound used is 0.001 to 0.01 part by weight, per part by weight of the polyprenyl compound of the above general formula (1). When the amount of the tocopherol is below this range, the effect is insufficient and, on the contrary, when it is above this range, an apparent discoloration is caused. The amount of citric acid and/or tartaric acid used in the present invention is 0.0005 to 0.004 part by weight, preferably 0.001 to 0.002 part by weight, per part by weight of the polyprenyl compound of the above general formula (1). In the present invention, a mixture of the tocopherol compound with the citric and/or tartaric acid may also be used. A particularly excellent stabilization effect can be obtained when the weight ratio of tocopherol to tartaric acid used is 1:1. Thus the present invention provides a process for producing a hard capsule containing a polyprenyl compound of the above general formula (1), characterized in that a neutral or basic amino acid is incorporated thereinto. The amino acids to be used in the present invention include neutral amino acids such as glycine, alanine, valine and leucine; and basic amino acids such as arginine. From the viewpoint of the solubility and stability of the amino acids, glycine, alanine and valine are preferred. The amount of the neutral or basic amino acid used in the present invention is preferably 0.1 to 2.0% by weight based on the polyprenyl compound. Since impurities contained in the polyprenyl compound and decomposition products thereof might affect the insolubilization of the capsule shell, it is preferred to use 0.3% by weight or more of the neutral or basic amino acid in order to inhibit the insolubilization of the shell when 1.0% by weight or more of the impurities or decomposition products are contained therein. A hydrophilic colloid, antioxidant and/or lubricant, usually used in the production of known hard capsules can be used in addition to the above-described indispensable components in the present invention. Brief Description of the Drawings: Fig. 1 is a graph showing the results obtained in Experimental Example 1 and Fig. 2 is a graph showing the results obtained in Experimental Example 2. The following Experimental Examples will further illustrate the effect of the present invention. In the Examples, the percentages are given by weight, unless otherwise stated. Experimental Example 1 Effect of addition of tocopherol : 0.1 to 1.0% (0.015, 0.03, 0.06, 0.09, 0.12 or 0.15 g) of natural tocopherol was added to 15.0 g of Indometacin farnesyl to obtain a solution at 60°C. A mixture of 8.92 g of silicon dioxide hydrate with 0.5 g of methylcellulose was added to the solution and the mixture was kneaded. Then a solution of 1 g of Macrogol (trademark) 6000 and 0.08 g of glycine in water was added thereto and the mixture was kneaded, granulated and dried at 60°C for 10 h. After the drying, the granules were sized to obtain those having a diameter of 1000 µm. 1.1 g of Carplex (trademark), 0.25 g of Avicel (trademark), 0.1 g of Aerosil (trademark) and 0.5 g of talc were added thereto as lubricants etc. and the mixture was filled in a hard capsule. The same procedure as that described above was repeated except that no natural tocopherol was used. The hard capsules thus obtained were stored at 60°C for one month and then the quantity of Indometacin farnesyl was determined to evaluate the stabilization effect of tocopherol. The results are given in Fig. 1. It is apparent from the Fig. 1 that when 0.1% or more, based on Indometacin farnesyl, of natural tocopherol is added, the stabilization effect is obtained. Experimental Example 2 Stabilization effect of tartaric acid : 15 g of Indometacin farnesyl was melted at 60°C. A mixture of 8.92 g of silicon dioxide hydrate with 0.5 g of methylcellulose was added thereto and the mixture was kneated. Separately, 1 g of Macrogol 6000 (trademark), 0.08 g of glycine and 0.05 to 0.4%, based on Indometacin farnesyl, i.e., 0.008, 0.0015, 0.003, 0.0045 or 0.006 g of tartaric acid were dissolved in water and added to the above mixture, and the resulting mixture was kneaded, granulated and dried at 60°C for 10 h. After the drying, the granules were sized to obtain those having a diameter of 1000 µm. 1.1 g of Carplex (trademark), 0.25 g of Avicel (trademark), 0.1 g of Aerosil (trademark) and 0.5 g of talc were added thereto as the lubricants etc. and the mixture was filled in a hard capsule. The same procedure as that described above was repeated except that no tartaric acid was used. The hard capsules thus obtained were stored at 55°C for one month and then the quantity, based on Indometacin farnesyl, of a product formed by the elimination of the benzoyl group from Indometacin farnesyl was determined to evaluate the stabilization effect of tartaric acid. The results are given in Fig. 2. It is apparent from the Fig. 2 that when 0.05%, based on Indometacin farnesyl, or more of tartaric acid is used, the elimination of the benzoyl group from the active ingredient is inhibited to exhibit a stabilization effect. Experimental Example 3 Synergistic stabilization effect of tocopherol and tartaric acid : Natural tocopherol and tartaric acid in a weight ratio of 1:1, 1:2, 1:5 or 1:11 as specified in Table 1 were added to 15 g of Indometacin farnesyl and the mixture was melted at 60°C. A mixture of 8.92 g of silicon dioxide hydrate with 0.5 g of methylcellulose was added thereto and kneaded together. A solution of 1 g of Macrogol 6000 (trademark) and 0.08 g of glycine in water was added to the mixture and the resulting mixture was kneaded together, granulated and dried at 60°C for 10 h. After the drying, the granules were sized to obtain those having a diameter of 1000 µm. 1.1 g of Carplex (trademark), 0.25 g of Avicel (trademark), 0.1 g of Aerosil (trademark) and 0.5 g of talc were added thereto as the lubricants etc. and kneaded together. The mixture was filled in a hard capsule. The hard capsules thus obtained were stored at 55°C for 13 days and the quantities of the debenzoylated product and other decomposition products were determined to evaluate the synergistic stabilization effect of tocopherol and tartaric acid. The results are given in Table 1. It is apparent from the Table 1 that a particularly excellent stabilization effect can be obtained when the ratio of tocopherol to tartaric acid is 1:1. [Examples] The following Examples will further illustrate the process of the present invention employed in producing hard capsules. Example 1 0.25 g of natural tocopherol was added to 150 g of Indometacin farnesyl and the mixture was heated to 60°C to form a solution. A mixture of 89.2 g of silicon dioxide hydrate with 5.0 g of methylcellulose was added thereto and kneaded together. A solution of 10 g of Macrogol 6000 (trademark) and 0.8 g of glycine in water was added to the mixture and the resulting mixture was kneaded together, granulated and dried at 60°C for 10 h. After the drying, the granules were sized to obtain those having a diameter of 1000 µm. 11 g of Carplex (trademark), 2.5 g of Avicel (trademark), 1.0 g of Aerosil (trademark) and 5.0 g of talc were added thereto as the lubricants etc. and mixed together. The mixture was filled in a hard capsule. Example 2. 0.16 g of natural tocopherol was added to 100 g of Indometacin farnesyl to obtain a solution at 60°C. A mixture of 67.95 g of silicon dioxide hydrate with 3.3 g of methylcellulose was added thereto and kneaded together. A solution of 6.6 g of Macrogol 6000 (trademark) and 0.53 g of glycine in water was added to the mixture and the resulting mixture was kneaded together, granulated and dried at 60°C for 10 h. After the drying, the granules were sized to obtain those having a diameter of 1000 µm. 8 g of Carplex (trademark), 1.5 g of Avicel (trademark), 0.7 g of Aerosil (trademark) and 3.5 g of talc were added thereto as the lubricants etc. and mixed together. The mixture was filled in a hard capsule. Experimental Example 4: Study of kinds of amino acids Method : 67.8 mg of silicon dioxide hydrate (Siloid 244 (trademark)) was added to 5.0 mg of methylcellulose (Methocel 25 (trademark)) and mixed well. 86.7 mg of Indometacin farnesyl and 0.2 mg of dℓ-α-tocophenol as an antioxidant were added thereto to effect adsorption. 1 mg of an amino acid was added to polyethylene glycol (PEG 6000) and then water was added thereto under heating to form a solution, which was added to the mixture obtained above. The obtained mixture was granulated and dried by an ordinary method. The granules were sized to obtain those of a predetermined diameter. They were filled in a hard capsule to obtain a sample. Aspartic acid and glutamic acid were used as the acidic amino acids and glycine and leucine were used as the neutral amino acids, while arginine was used as the basic amino acid. The amino acid-containing capsule was kept in a vial at 55°C for 5 days and 15 days to examine the dissolution of the capsule shell. Results : The contents of the vial were taken out and the capsule was stirred in the first solution according to The Pharmacopoeia of Japan at 37°C for 5 min to examine the extent of dissolution of the capsule. The results are given in Table 2. It is apparent from the Table 2 that neither the neutral nor the basic amino acid insolubilizes the capsules. Experimental Example 5: Study of the amount of glycine Method : 67.8 mg of silicon dioxide hydrate was added to 5.0 mg of methylcellulose and thoroughly mixed. 86.7 mg of Indometacin farnesyl containing 0.07, 0.36, 1.06 or 2.05% of impurities was added thereto and then 0.2 mg of dℓ-tocopherol as the antioxidant was added thereto to effect adsorption. 0.1, 0.3, 1.0 or 2.0 mg/C of glycine was added to polyethylene glycol and then water was added thereto under heating to obtain a solution, which was then added to the mixture obtained above. The obtained mixture was granulated and the granules were dried by an ordinary method. The granules were sized to obtain those having a predetermined diameter and filled in a hard capsule to obtain a sample. The hard capsule containing impurities and glycine was kept at 55°C or 40°C at a relative humidity of 75% for one month to examine the dissolution of the capsule shell. Results : The results are given in Table 3. It is apparent from the Table 3 that when the impurity content of Indometacin farnesyl is 1.0% or less, the insolubilization of the capsule shell can be inhibited with 0.3 mg/C of glycine. [Examples] The following Example will further illustrate the present invention, which by no means limits the invention. Example 3 0.32 g of natural tocopherol was added to 200 g of Indometacin farnesyl to obtain a solution at 60°C. A mixture of 135.9 g of silicon dioxide hydrate with 6.6 g of methylcellulose was added to the solution and kneaded together. A solution of 13.2 g of Macrogol 6000 (trademark), 1.06 g of glycine and 0.32 g of tartaric acid in water was added to the mixture, kneaded and granulated, and the obtained granules were dried at 60°C for 10 h. After the completion of the drying, the granules were sized to obtain those having a granule diameter of 1000 µm, and 1.5 g of Carplex (trademark), 3.0 g of Avicel (trademark), 1.5 g of Aerosil (trademark) and 0.6 g of talc were added thereto as the lubricants etc. The obtained mixture was filled in a hard capsule.

Claims: Claims for the following Contracting States : AT, BE, CH, DE, DK, FR, GB, IT, LI, LU, NL, SE A method for stabilizing a polyprenyl compound having the formula (1) in which n is an integer of 1 to 3, comprising the step of mixing 1 part by weight of the polyprenyl compound with at least one stabilizing agent selected from dl-alpha-tocopherol, d-alpha-tocopherol and a natural tocopherol in an amount of 0.001 to 0.01 parts by weight, citric acid and tartaric acid in an amount of 0.0005 to 0.004 parts by weight, and a neutral or basic amino acid in an amount of 0.1 to 2.0 % by weight based on the polyprenyl compound. The method as claimed in Claim 1, in which the polyprenyl compound is 3,7,11,15-tetramethyl-2,6,10,14-hexadecatetraenyl 1-(p-chlorobenzoyl)-2-methyl-5-methoxy-3-indolylacetate or indometacin farnesyl. A stabilized composition as obtained by the method as defined in Claim 1. The stabilized composition as obtained by the method as defined in Claim 1, in which the stabilizing agent is selected from dl-alpha-tocopherol, d-alpha-tocopherol, natural tocopherol, citric acid and tartaric acid. The stabilized composition as obtained by the method as defined in Claim 1, in which the stabilizing agent is selected from a neutral amino acid and a basic amino acid. Hard capsules comprising a shell and the stabilized composition, encapsulated in the shell, obtained by the method as defined in Claim 1, in which the stabilizing agent is selected from a neutral amino acid and a basic amino acid. A process for producing pharmacological hard capsules, which comprises the steps of mixing the polyprenyl compound as defined in the claim 1 with a stabilizing agent selected from a neutral amino acid and a basic amino acid and encapsulating the resulting mixture. A pharmacological composition which comprises a therapeutically effective amount of the polyprenyl compound as defined in Claim 1 and an effective amount of the stabilizing agent as defined in Claim 1. A pharmacological composition which comprises a therapeutically effective amount of the polyprenyl compound as defined in Claim 1, an effective amount of the stabilizing agent as defined in Claim 1 and then a pharmacologically acceptable carrier. Claims for the following Contracting States : GR, ES A method for stabilizing a polyprenyl compound having the formula (1) in which n is an integer of 1 to 3, comprising the step of mixing 1 part by weight of the polyprenyl compound with at least one stabilizing agent selected from dl-alpha-tocopherol, d-alpha-tocopherol and a natural tocopherol in an amount of 0.001 to 0.01 parts by weight, citric acid and tartaric acid in an amount of 0.0005 to 0.004 parts by weight, and a neutral or basic amino acid in an amount of 0.1 to 2.0 % by weight based on the polyprenyl compound. The method as claimed in Claim 1, in which the polyprenyl compound is 3,7,11,15-tetramethyl-2,6,10,14-hexadecatetraenyl 1-(p-chlorobenzoyl)-2-methyl-5-methoxy-3-indolylacetate or indometacin farnesyl. The method as defined in Claim 1, in which the stabilizing agent is selected from dl-alpha-tocopherol, d-alpha-tocopherol, natural tocopherol, citric acid and tartaric acid. The method as defined in Claim 1, in which the stabilizing agent is selected from a neutral amino acid and a basic amino acid. A process for producing pharmacological hard capsules, which comprises the steps of mixing the polyprenyl compound as defined in Claim 1 with a stabilizing agent selected from a neutral amino acid and a basic amino acid and encapsulating the resulting mixture. A process for preparing a pharmacological composition which comprises the steps of mixing a therapeutically effective amount of the polyprenyl compound as defined in Claim 1 and an effective amount of the stabilizing agent as defined in Claim 1. A process for preparing a pharmacological composition which comprises the steps of mixing a therapeutically effective amount of the polyprenyl compound as defined in Claim 1, an effective amount of the stabilizing agent as defined in Claim 1 and then a pharmacologically acceptable carrier.

Inventors: KAYANO MASANORI, NODA NOBUTAKA, TANAKA MICHIRU, UESUGI KEIZO, KAYANO, MASANORI, NODA, NOBUTAKA, TANAKA, MICHIRU, UESUGI, KEIZO
Applicants: EISAI CO LTD, EISAI CO., LTD.
Application year: 1990
Main classification: A61K31
IPC codes: A61K9, A61K31, A61K47