Process for treatment and prevention of ventricular fibrillation

• US 4,470,987 A
• Filed: 05/18/1981
• Issued: 09/11/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/1980
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Wurtman, Richard J., Lown, Bernard
• Primary Examiner(s): Schwartz, Richard A.
• Application Number:
  US06/264,522
• Time in Patent Office: 1,212 Days
• Field of Search: 424/259, 424/263, 424/324, 424/330, 424/319
• US Class Current: 514/305
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/195 having an amino group

Abstract

The risk of ventricular fibrillation in animals is reduced by administering tyrosine, a tyrosine precursor, threonine or mixtures thereof, either alone or in combination with a substance which is known to reduce the risk of ventricular fibrillation. A novel composition is provided comprising a unit dosage form of tyrosine, a precursor for tyrosine, threonine or mixtures thereof and a substance which is known to reduce the risk of ventricular fibrillation.

Claims

1. The process for preventing or treating ventricular fibrillation in an animal having a condition associated with ventricular fibrillation which comprises administering to the animal a mixture of (a) a compound selected from the group consisting of tyrosine, phenylalanine, threonine or mixtures thereof and (b) a drug selected from the group consisting of procaine amide, quinidine, propranolol, disopyramide, or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof and mixtures thereof in an amount effective to prevent or treat ventricular fibrillation wherein the dosage of (a) is between about 0.5 and about 20 mg/kg body weight.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein the animal is a human.

3. The process of any one of claims 1 or 2 wherein the compound is threonine.

4. The process of any one of claims 1 or 2 wherein the compound is tyrosine.

5. A composition comprising a mixture of (a) a compound selected from the group consisting of tyrosine, phenylalanine, threonine or mixtures thereof and (b) a drug selected from the group consisting of procaine amide, quinidine, propranolol, disopyramide or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof and mixtures thereof in an amount effective to prevent or treat ventricular fibrillation wherein the dosage of (a) is between about 0.5 and about 20 mg/kg body weight.

6. The composition of claim 5 wherein the compound is tyrosine.

7. The composition of claim 5 wherein the compound is threonine.