Physiologically compatible, phospholipid-containing, stable and hard matrix

Physiologically compatible, phospholipid-containing, stable and hard matrix

Agent: Fitch Even Tabin And Flannery - Chicago, IL, US
Inventors: Martin Purpura, Dirk Cremer, Ralf Jager, Michaela Thalhammer
Class: 424450000 (USPTO)
Related Patents: Drug, Bio-affecting And Body Treating Compositions, Preparations Characterized By Special Physical Form, Liposomes
#20050220857
10/06/05
The invention concerns a physiologically compatible, phospholipid-containing, stable and hard matrix consisting of a supporting material and a bioactive component which has a total diameter of between 0.1 and 5000 ?m and contains ?5% by weight, based on the starting material, of acetone-insoluble components as the bioactive component, which are in particular phosphatidyl serine, phosphatidyl choline and such like, as well as lyso variants and/or derivatives thereof. This matrix which preferably has a supporting material consisting of carbohydrates and/or proteins and preferably additional bioactive substances as ingredients such as amino acids, vitamins, trace elements and similar substances, can have liquid contents and is used in particular in functional foods, special foods and dietary supplements.
[0001] The present invention concerns a physiologically compatible, phospholipid-containing, stable and hard matrix in particular a microcapsule consisting of a supporting material and a bioactive component.
[0002] The phospholipid class of substances are so-called complex lipids having amphiphilic properties i.e. they are at the same time lipophilic and hydrophilic which, among others, enables them to form lipid bilayers in aqueous media.
[0003] Phospholipids (also referred to as phosphatides) are chemically phosphodiesters in which the phosphoric acid is esterified, on the one hand, with a sphingosine or glyceride residue and, on the other hand, with choline, ethanolamine, serine, inositol or glycerol. Phosphatidyl choline is also known as lecithin and at the same time is an eponym for a large group of special phospholipids, the lecithins. Phosphatidyl serine and phosphatidyl ethanolamine are also referred to as cephalins.
[0004] The lyso derivatives which also belong to this group are formed by hydrolytic cleavage with specific phospholipases.
[0005] Phospholipids are typically insoluble in acetone which is why they are also referred to as acetone-insoluble phosphatides or acetone-insoluble substances. Lecithins are mixtures or fractions of phosphatides which are isolated by physical processes from animal or vegetable foods; lecithins contain at least 60% substances that are insoluble in acetone. Due to this property lecithin-containing products can be tested for their actual phosphatide or phospolipid content with the aid of the so-called acetone solubility test.
[0006] Phospholipid-containing capsules are well-known from the prior art and contain phospholipids usually as a coating substance. If phospholipids are used in the filling, i.e. in the core of the capsule, they usually act there in small amounts as a formulation adjuvant usually having solubilizing properties.
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