PROCESS FOR THE PREPARATION OF MEDICATED GUMS

Abstract: The invention concerns a process for the preparation ofmedicated chewing gums, wherein the base gum is a high concentration powdered base gum, which is mixed with one or more active principles and additives. Such a process is characterized in that the base gum before being powdered is freezed at a temperature between -70 DEG C and -50 DEG C through a freezing liquid positioned between the grinding chamber and the loading chamber, and wherein the freezing liquid keeps the product temperature during the grinding and at the outlet between -70 DEG C and -50 DEG C.

Description: "Process for the preparation of medicated gums" The present invention concerns a process for the preparation of medicated gums, particularly a process for the preparation of base gum suitable to the use as medicated gum. The base gum of the chewing gums is a mixture generally comprising elastomers, resins, plasticizers, insoluble audjuvants, food antioxidants. All the base gums addressed to the preparation of chewing gums clearly must be consistent with rules for the direct preparations for food use, and specifically in the case of the medicated chewing gums, the problems generated by the presence of active principle must be taken into consideration. In order to prepare the chewing gums there were two different approaches. The first one consisted of warming the base gum with the above indicated composition between 45 and 50°C in order to soften it and to put it in a kneading machine, heated by the circulation of jacket hot water or steam. Other components were then added in order to obtain the finished chewing gum. After the rest the mass was hence further heated and then subjected to treatments for the preparation of pieces of chewing gum of the desired shape. This process has been resulted inadequate for the preparation of medicated chewing gums, because the use of heat, which is inadvisable for thermolabile active principles, was requested and furthermore it allowed an amount of active principle not consistent with the therapeutical dose to be included. As a matter of fact the amount to be included was limited to 15/20% of the total mass. In the attempt of solving the above indicated problems, in the case of medicated chewing gums both for pharmaceutical use and for nutritional use, a second process for the preparation of chewing gums which consists of a technique of powder compression was envisaged. The base gum was powdered and then mixed with one or more active principles, sweeteners, fragrances and various other components in order to obtain a homogenous mixture. The obtained mixture was then passed to a tabletting machine, in order to be transformed into tablets. In such a way the heat is not used and the thermolabile active principles are preserved, but these processes presently used cannot allow an active principle amount more than 20% to be included. As a matter of fact there are active principles, which have to be in amount above 20%, and in some cases up to 30% to be effective. When a greater amount of active principle is tried to be included the percentage of the gum base has to be increased, thereby the finished medicated gum has such a size to be unsuitable for the prefixed use. Some powdered base gums, which are commercially available, contain only 50% of base gum, the remainder being excipients as sorbitol magnesium stearate, calcium carbonate, etc and such gums having a low percentage of pure gum allow a limited amount of active principle to be included. It was surprisingly found out that through a particular treatment of making in powder form of the base gum, which has to be subjected to the compression together with other ingredients for the preparation of medicated gums, a finished medicated gum is obtained which overcomes the drawback of maximum amount of the active principle to be included in the gum. The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a process which allows a base gum of high concentration to be obtained in such a way to include in the final chewing gum up to 30/35% of active principle and that the obtained gum has a size able to satisfy the compliance of the user. The above indicated object is attained through a process as indicated in claim 1. Further advantages of the invention are achieved through the characteristics indicated in the dependent claims. The process according to the present invention comprises the following steps: a) making in powder form the base gum in a grinding chamber. b) mixing the obtained gum with one or more active principles and additives in order to have an homogenous mixture c) compressing the obtained mixture in tablets of desired sizes, characterized in that the base gum before being made in powder form is freezed at a temperature between -70 to -50°C with a freezing liquid positioned between the grinding chamber and the loading chamber and wherein the freezing liquid keeps the product temperature during the grinding and at the output between -70°C and -50°C. The term "base gum" is intended as meaning an initial product of waxy appearance, said product being solid at room temperature and being softer and softer as the temperature increases, comprising elastomers, resins, plasticizers, insoluble audjuvants and food antioxidants. Advantageously the loading chamber according to the present invention is a mill hopper and the milling chamber is a hammer mill. Preferably the freezing liquid according to the invention is liquid nitrogen the temperature of which is -170°C. The ground base gum obtained by the process according to the present invention is in a concentration of gum comprised between 95 and 100%. It is therefore evident that the powdered gum according to the present invention is in such a gum concentration that this concentration allows it to include the active principles in amount above 20%. After the grinding step the powder has a granulometry which is dependent on the screen mesh used in the grinding chamber and it is preferably below 3 mm, and more preferably at least 50% of the obtained particles are below 1 mm. Advantageously during the grinding step the freezing liquid preferably liquid nitrogen, is continuously sprayed in order to prevent the grinding machine of the grinding chamber from being heated by friction. The regulation of the temperature of the ground product is carried out through a temperature sensing device suitable to adjust opening/closing of the freezing liquid inlet valve. Preferably the nitrogen flow is adjusted by a solenoid valve driven by a thermostatic probe positioned at the outlet of the grinding machine. According to the present invention the ground product has to be at a temperature between -70°C and - 50°C. If the temperature increases above -50°C the ground gum is coarser, while if the temperature decreases below -70°C the ground gum becomes finer. Therefore when the temperature increases above -50°C, the probe opens the valve which allows the freezing liquid to be passed in said freezing liquid decreasing the temperature of the product and when the temperature decreases below -70°C the probe closes the freezing liquid inlet valve. The base gum powder is then unloaded from the mill in a polyethylene bag placed in a suitable container, preferably of pressed cardboard. The amount for each container corresponds to about 20 kg. Due to the fact that the ground gum comes out from the grinding chamber at a temperature between -50°C and -70°C the container has to be closed and the gum is let reach the room temperature. Preferably the active principles mixed with the gum are selected from the group consisting of ascorbic acid, sodium ascorbate, acetyl salicilic acid, ibuprofen, paracetamol, Dextrometorfan bromide, dimenhydrinate, nicotine, thyrotricine, acetylcysteine, ginger, ephedrine, D-pseudo ephedrine, valerian, ranitidine, cethirizine, loratidine,chlorexidine, tibenzonium iodide, benzamidine, sucralfate, cetylpiridinium, hydropropizine, sodium flouride, benzetonium chloride, green tea. Preferably the additives mixed with the gum are selected from the group consisting of sweeteners, flavours, lubricants, antiadherents, fillers, etc. The mixing step b) is preferably carried out in a rotary powder mixer, selected between biconic mixer, "V" mixer or cubic mixer. The so obtained mixture is preferably pressed with a rotary tabletting machine which transforms said mixture into tablets of sizes comprised of 8-28 mm. Some illustrative embodiments now follow by way of not limitative example Example A Preparation of base gum Base gum, sold by GUM BASE S.p.A. of Lainate (Milano, Italy), is introduced in a loading hopper of a hammer mill, from which it is then passed to the grinding chamber. The grinding machine of the hammer mill is maintained at the temperature of -60°C through liquid nitrogen circulation, whose temperature is of -190°C. The grinding step is therefore carried out and at the output a base gum with a gum amount of 100% is obtained and the granule size for all the granulate is below 3 mm and the size of 50% of the granulate is below 1 mm. The gum is then unloaded and let reach the room temperature. Example n.1 In a "biconical" mixer the following powders are introduced: Base gum ground and obtained in Example A mg 1050 Gum Ascorbic acid mg 206 Active Principle Sodium ascorbate mg 331 Active Principle Aspartame mg 7 Sweetener Potassium Acesulphame mg 5 Sweetener Sorbitol mg 150 Sweetener Isomalt mg 41 Sweetener Silica Precipitate mg 40 antiadherent Talc mg 40 antiadherent Magnesium Stearate mg 30 Lubricant Powdered Orange flavour mg 60 Flavourant Powdered Tangerine Flavour mg 40 Flavourant mg 2000 All the above ingredients are mixed for 20 minutes and the obtained powder is pressed with a tabletting machine obtaining gums of 2 g. In such a case the amount of the active principle (mg 537) is 26.85 % of the total amount. Example n.2 In a "biconical" mixer the following powders are introduced: Base gum ground and obtained in Example A mg ' 1065 Gum Coated Salicic acid mg 516 Active Principle Aspartame mg 6 Sweetener Potassium Acesulphame mg 4 Sweetener Betacyclodextrin mg 74 Sweetener Silica Precipitate mg 40 antiadherent Talc mg 40 antiadherent Powdered Spearmint Flavour mg 50 Flavourant Ammonium glycirrinizate mg 5 Flavourant mg 1800 All the above ingredients are mixed for 20 minutes and the obtained powder is pressed with a tabletting machine obtaining gums of 1.8 g. In such a case the amount of the active principle (mg 516) is 28.7 % of the total amount Example n.3 In a "biconical" mixer the following powders are introduced: Base gum ground and obtained in Example A mg 950 Gum Partially Hydrolized guar gum mg 642 Active Principle Ascorbic acid mg 15 Active Principle Sorbitol mg 150 Sweetener Mannitol mg 87 Sweetener Aspartame mg 6 Sweetener Silica Precipitate mg 20 antiadherent Talc mg 30 antiadherent Magnesium Stearate mg 35 Lubricant Powdered Apple flavour mg 100 Flavourant Anhydrous Citric acid mg 15 Flavourant mg 2050 All the above ingredients are mixed for 20 minutes and the obtained powder is pressed with a tabletting machine obtaining gums of 2.05 g. In such a case the amount of the active principle (mg 657) is 32.05 % of the total amount. Example n.4 In a "biconical" mixer the following powders are introduced: Base gum ground and obtained in Example A mg 850 Gum Granulate acacia fiber mg 510 Active Principle Ascorbic acid mg 30 Active Principle Garcina Cambogia dry extract mg 26 Active Principle Glucomannose mg 34 Active principle Chromium Picolinate mg 0,5 Active principle Isomalt mg 30 Sweetener Aspartame mg 3 Sweetener Potassium Acesulphame salt mg 2 Sweetener Silica Precipitate mg 35 antiadherent Talc mg 35 antiadherent Magnesium Stearate g 30 Lubricant E110 Aluminium lacquer mg 4,5 Dye Powdered Orange flavour g 100 Flavourant anhydrous Citric acid mg 10 Flavourant mg 1700 All the above ingredients are mixed for 20 minutes and the obtained powder is pressed with a tabletting machine obtaining gums of 1.7 g. In such a case the amount of the active principle (mg 600,5) is 35.32 % of the total amount. Example n.5 In a "biconical" mixer the following powders are introduced: Base gum ground and obtained in Example A mg 645 Gum Magnesium Lactate mg 12 Active Principle Potassium Gluconate mg 12 Active Principle Xilitol mg 60 Sweetener Aspartame mg 2 Sweetener Potassium Acesulphame salt mg 2 Sweetener Silica Precipitate mg 30 antiadherent Talc mg 30 antiadherent Magnesium Stearate mg 25 Lubricant Powdered Lemon flavour mg 15 Flavourant Powdered grapefruit flavour mg 5 Flavourant Ammonium glycirrinizate mg 2 Flavourant anhydrous Citric acid mg 10 Flavourant mg 1150 All the above ingredients are mixed for 20 minutes and the obtained powder is pressed with a tabletting machine obtaining gums of 1.15 g. In such a case the amount of the active principle (mg 324) is 28.17 % of the total amount.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A process for the preparation of medicated gums comprising the steps of: a) making in powder form the base gum in a grinding chamber; jb) mixing the obtained gum with one or more active principles and additives in order to have a homogenous mixture c) compressing the obtained mixture in tablets of desired sizes, characterized in that the base gum before being made in powder form is freezed at a temperature between -70 to -50°C with a freezing liquid positioned between the grinding chamber and the loading chamber and wherein the freezing liquid keeps the product temperature during the grinding and at the output between -70°C and -50°C. 2. The process according to claim 1 the ground base gum obtained by the step a) has a concentration of gum comprised of 95-100%. 3. The process according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the freezing liquid is liquid nitrogen. 4. The process according to anyone of the preceding claims wherein the loading chamber according to invention is a mill hopper and the grinding chamber is a hammer mill. 5. The process according to anyone of the preceding claims wherein the powder entering into step b) has a granulometry below 3mm, more preferably wherein at least 50% of obtained particles is below 1 mm. 6. The process according to anyone of the preceding claims wherein during the grinding step a freezing liquid is continuously sprayed to stop the heat produced by friction. 7. The process according to anyone of the preceding claims wherein the regulation of the temperature of the ground product is carried out through a temperature sensing device able to regulate opening/closure of inlet valve of the freezing liquid. 8. The process according to claim 7 wherein the flow of the freezing liquid is regulated by a solenoid valve guided by a thermostatic probe placed at the outlet of the grinding chamber. 9. The process according to anyone of the preceding claims wherein the obtained base gum powder is unloaded from the mill into a suitable container and the product reaches the temperature suitable for the mixing step b). 10. The process according to anyone of the preceding claims wherein the active principles mixed with the gum are selected from the group consisting of ascorbic acid, sodium ascorbate, acetyl salicilic acid, ibuprofen, paracetamol, Dextrometorfan bromide, dimenhydrinate, nicotine, thyrotricine, acetylcysteine, ginger, ephedrine, D- pseudo ephedrine, valerian, ranitidine, cethirizine, loratidine,chlorexidine, tibenzonium iodide, benzamidine, sucralfate, cetylpiridinium, hydropropizine, sodium flouride, benzetonium chloride, green tea. 11. The process according to anyone of the preceding claims wherein the additives mixed with the gum are selected from the group consisting of sweeteners, flavours, lubricants, antiadherents, fillers. 12. The process according to anyone of the preceding claims wherein the mixing step b) is carried out in a rotary powder mixer, preferably selected between biconic mixer, "V" mixer or cubic mixer and the pressuring step c) is carried out in a rotary tabletting machine.

Inventors: BADETTI ROLANDO, BADETTI, ROLANDO
Applicants: ATP AVANT GARDE TECHNOLOGIES P, BADETTI ROLANDO, ATP AVANT-GARDE TECHNOLOGIES PRODUCT, BADETTI, ROLANDO
Application year: 2001
Main classification: A61K9
IPC codes: A23G4, A61K9