Sleep-inducing pharmaceutical composition and method

• US 4,419,345 A
• Filed: 07/20/1981
• Issued: 12/06/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/1981
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kinetic Systems Incorporated (Kinetics Holding GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Kinetic Systems Incorporated (Kinetics Holding GmbH)
• Inventors: Wyatt, Richard J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Friedman, Stanley J.
• Application Number:
  US06/284,684
• Time in Patent Office: 869 Days
• Field of Search: 424/319, 424/153, 424/154
• US Class Current: 424/678
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 2300/00 Mixtures or combinations of active ingredients, wherein at least one active ingredient is fully defined in groups A61K31/00 - A61K41/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/19 Carboxylic acids, e.g. valproic acid salicylic acid A61K31/60
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/405 Indole-alkanecarboxylic acids; Derivatives thereof, e.g. tryptophan, indomethacin
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 33/06 Aluminium, calcium or magnesium; Compounds thereof , e.g. clay

Abstract

A highly effective sleep-inducing pharmaceutical composition that causes few, if any, side-effects contains an amino acid and a cation in certain proportions. The amino acid may be tryptophan, cystathionine, or lysine, preferably tryptophan, and most preferably L-tryptophan, and the cation may be calcium, magnesium, manganese, or lithium, preferably calcium or magnesium, and most preferably calcium. The ratio of amino acid to cation is about 0.02:1 to 1.0:1 when the cation is calcium or magnesium, 5:1 to 100:1 when the cation is manganese, and 0.02:1 to 100:1 when the cation is lithium. The pharmaceutical composition may be administered in any conventional manner.

Claims

1. A pharmaceutical composition for inducing sleep, comprising a sleep-inducing effective amount of a combination of tryptophan or a non-toxic salt thereof and a calcium cation, wherein the weight ratio of the tryptophan or a non-toxic salt thereof to the cation is about 0.02:

1 to 1.0;

1.

2. A pharmaceutical composition according to claim 1, wherein said amino acid is L-tryptophan.

3. A pharmaceutical composition according to claim 2, wherein the ratio of tryptophan to calcium is 0.17:

1 to 1.0;

1.

4. A pharmaceutical composition according to claim 3, wherein said ratio is between 0.50:

1 and 0.84;

1.

5. A method for inducing sleep in warm blooded animals, comprising administering thereto a sleep-inducing effective amount of a combination of tryptophan, or a non-toxic salt thereof and a calcium cation wherein the weight ratio of the tryptophan or a non-toxic salt thereof to the cation is about 0.02:

1 to 1.0;

1.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein said amino acid is L-tryptophan.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the ratio of L-tryptophan to calcium is 0.17:

1 to 1.0;

1.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein said ratio is between 0.50:

1 and 0.84;

1.