GB978485A — Iron preparations for intramuscular injection

USPTO Abstract

A dry iron-containing preparation suitable for the preparation of compositions for intramuscular injection comprises as the active constituent a complex of ferric iron with two non-toxic iron complex-forming components, one of which is a hexitol, e.g. mannitol, sorbitol, dulcitol or ibitol or a uronic acid derivable from a hexitol, or a hydroxy lower alkyl hexitol, the other being an a -hydroxycarboxylic acid, e.g. citric, tartaric, gluconic, malic or lactic acid. It may be prepared by adding an aqueous solution of a ferric compound, e.g. FeCl3 (preferred), water-soluble ferric salts, basic ferric salts or ferric compounds which form ferric hydroxide when made alkaline in the presence of dextrin, to an aqueous solution of the hexitol and carboxylic acid components optionally containing a dispersion stabilizer, e.g. dextrin, glucose, saccharose or a low molecular weight dextran fraction, the ferric solution being added portion-wise and the pH being adjusted to between 5 and 10 (preferably 7) between additions. The active material is precipitated by addition of ethanol or other non-solvent therefor and purified by repeated re-solution and precipitation, the final product either being precipitated and dried or used directly in solution for the preparation of compositions for injection.