Abstract: The invention pertains to a highly efficient process for preparing a very pure food-grade organic acid salt of a cationic surfactant derived from the condensation of a fatty acid with an esterified dibasic amino acid. The process involves the following steps: (a) providing a reaction mixture comprising a mineral acid salt of the cationic surfactant and an alkali and/or alkaline earth metal salt of the food-grade organic acid; (b) allowing the reaction between the mineral acid salt of the cationic surfactant and the alkali and/or alkaline earth metal salt of the food-grade organic acid salt to proceed until substantially all of the mineral acid salt of the cationic surfactant has been converted to the food-grade organic acid salt of the cationic surfactant; and (c) recovering the food-grade organic acid salt of the cationic surfactant from the reaction mixture.

Abstract: A salt of a glucosamine base having a purity of at least about 99 wt. % and a maximum halide content of about 0.01 wt. %, and an organic acid. The organic acid that is saltified with the glucosamine base is preferably a hydroxyacid or a ketoacid. Preferably, the salt is stabilized by coating the salt with at least one pharmaceutically acceptable polymer comprising a water-soluble, water-immiscible and/or water-swellable homopolymer and/or copolymer. Suitable polymers include carboxypolymethylene homopolymers and copolymers; polyethylene glycol homopolymers and copolymers; polypropylene glycol homopolymers and copolymers; ethylcellulose; povidone homopolymers and copolymers; polyacrylic acid homopolymers and copolymers; polyacrylamide homopolymers and copolymers; polysaccharides; and mixtures of two or more of the foregoing polymers. The resultant coated salt composition will be stable at ambient temperatures and upon exposure to the atmosphere.

Abstract: A stabilized glucosamine base composition comprising a glucosamine base having a purity level of at least 99.0 wt. % and a maximum halide content of about 0.01 wt. % coated with at least one pharmaceutically acceptable polymer comprising a water-soluble, water-immiscible and/or water-swellable homopolymer and/or copolymer. The resultant coated glucosamine base composition will be stable at ambient temperatures and upon exposure to the atmosphere. Suitable polymers include carboxypolymethylene homopolymers and copolymers; polyethylene glycol homopolymers and copolymers; polypropylene glycol homopolymers and copolymers; ethylcellulose; povidone homopolymers and copolymers; polyacrylic acid homopolymers and copolymers; polyacrylamide homopolymers and copolymers; polysaccharides; and mixtures of two or more of the foregoing polymers.

Abstract: A complex of glucosamine having a purity of at least about 99 wt. % and a maximum halide content of about 0.01 wt. %, and a therapeutic drug having a pKa of less than 7. Preferably, the complex is stabilized by coating it with at least one pharmaceutically acceptable polymer comprising a water-soluble, water-immiscible and/or water-swellable homopolymer and/or copolymer. Suitable polymers include carboxypolymethylene homopolymers and copolymers; polyethylene glycol homopolymers and copolymers, povidone homopolymers and copolymers; polyacrylic acid homopolymers and copolymers; polyacrylamide homopolymers and copolymers; polysaccharides; and mixtures of two or more of the foregoing polymers. The resultant coated complex will be stable upon exposure to ambient temperature and/or the atmosphere.

Abstract: A method of treating a warm-blood vertebrate. The vertebrate may be a human being or a lower animal. The treatment method involves administering to the vertebrate in need of such treatment a pharmaceutically effective amount of a complex of halide-free glucosamine and a therapeutic drug having a pKa of less than 7. Preferably, the complex is stabilized by coating it with at least one pharmaceutically acceptable polymer comprising a water-soluble, water-immiscible and/or water-swellable homopolymer and/or copolymer. Suitable polymers include carboxypolymethylene homopolymers and copolymers; polyethylene glycol homopolymers and copolymers, povidone homopolymers and copolymers, polyacrylic acid homopolymers and copolymers; polyacrylamide homopolymers and copolymers; polysaccharides; and mixtures of two or more of the foregoing polymers. The resultant polymer-coated complex will be stable upon exposure to ambient temperature and/or the atmosphere.

Abstract: A glucosamine base having a pure level of at least about 99.0 wt. % and a maximum halide content of 0.01 wt. %. The pure glucosamine base is prepared by reacting a glucosamine halide, e.g., glucosamine hydrochloride, with a lithium base in the presence of a C1-C4 alcohol to thereby generate a C1-C4 alcohol solution of a lithium halide and an insoluble halide-free glucosamine base and thereafter separating the insoluble halide-free glucosamine base from the C1-C4 alcohol solution of the lithium halide. Preferably, the lithium base comprises anhydrous lithium hydroxide and the preferable alcohol comprises methanol.

Abstract: The solubility/dissolution rate of a poorly soluble drug is enhanced by a process that utilizes a twin-screw extruder containing (i) a feed zone containing a first liquid and powder feed stations; (ii) a grinding/mixing zone containing a second liquid feed port located at an upstream portion of such zone; (iii) a granulation zone containing a second powder feed station located at an upstream portion of such zone and a third liquid feed port located at a downstream portion of such zone; and (iv) a wet milling zone.

Abstract: A method for preparing n-acetylglucosamine starting from glucosamine base having a purity level of at least about 99 wt. % and a maximum halide content of about 0.01 wt %. The glucosamine base is slurried in a diluent comprising a C1-C4 straight or branched-chain alcohol, e.g., isopropyl alcohol, sec. butyl alcohol, tert. butyl alcohol, etc. Thereafter, an acylating agent, e.g., acetic anhydride, present in at least a stoichiometric amount, is slowly added to the slurry while maintaining the reaction mixture at a temperature below about 20° C. The n-acetylglucosamine prepared by the process of the invention will be quite pure, e.g., it will have a purity of at least 98%, as measured by HPLC, a melting point in the range of 196-205° C. and a specific rotation, measured at room temperature after standing in water for several hours, of [?]D=39-43°.

Abstract: Glucosamine sulfate having a purity of at least about 99 wt. %, and a maximum halide content of about 0.01 wt. %. Preferably, the glucosamine sulfate is stabilized by coating it with at least one pharmaceutically acceptable polymer comprising a water-soluble, water-immiscible and/or water-swellable homopolymer and/or copolymer. Suitable polymers include carboxypolymethylene homopolymers and copolymers; polyethylene glycol homopolymers and copolymers; polypropylene glycol homopolymers and copolymers; ethylcellulose; povidone homopolymers and copolymers; polyacrylic acid homopolymers and copolymers; polyacrylamide homopolymers and copolymers; polysaccharides; and mixtures of two or more of the foregoing polymers. The resultant coated glucosamine sulfate composition will be stable at ambient temperatures and upon exposure to the atmosphere.

Abstract: Glucosamine phosphate having a purity of at least about 99 wt. %, and a maximum halide content of about 0.01 wt. %. Preferably, the glucosamine phosphate is stabilized by coating it with at least one pharmaceutically acceptable polymer comprising a water-soluble, water-immiscible and/or water-swellable homopolymer and/or copolymer. Suitable polymers include carboxypolymethylene hompolymers and copolymers; polyethylene glycol homopolymers and copolymers; polypropylene glycol homopolymers and copolymers; ethylcellulose; povidone homopolymers and copolymers; polyacrylic acid homopolymers and copolymers; polyacrylamide homopolymers and copolymers; polysaccharides; and mixtures of two or more of the foregoing polymers. The resultant coated glucosamine phosphate composition will be stable at ambient temperatures and upon exposure to the atmosphere.

Abstract: A method for preserving wood which comprises contacting the wood with a complex of a cationic monomeric or polymeric biocide and an anionic monomeric or polymeric biocide. Insoluble complexes may solubilized in water in the form of an emulsion or microemulsion by adding a nonionic and/or amphoteric surfactant and/or aqueous cosolvent to the complex. Suitable cationic biocides are those that contain functionalities such as amidine, guanidine, biguanide, quaternary, phosphonium, sulfonium and gemini quaternary functionalities. Suitable anionic biocides include: phenolics; saturated, unsaturated or substituted carboxylates; organomercaptide; tetrathiocarbonates; cyanodithioimidocarbamates; dithiodialkylcarbamates; anionic oxides of transition metals; aminocarboxylic acids; aminoorganophosphonic acids; monoalkyl phosphates; dialkylphosphates; and substituted or unsubstituted 2-hydroxy-2,4,6-cycloheptatrianone.

Abstract: The invention pertains to a method for preparing diphenhydramine tannate by reacting diphenhydramine free base at a temperature of about 75 to about 150° C. with tannic acid neat or as an aqueous slurry containing up to about 20 wt. % water. The diphenhydramine free base may be obtained by reacting a commercially available diphenhydramine salt such as diphenhydramine maleate with a base such as aqueous sodium hydroxide. The resultant diphenhydramine tannate has extended release properties and is useful in pharmaceutical compositions as an antihistamine for human beings.

Abstract: The invention pertains to a method for preparing dexchlorpheniramine (“dexchlor”) tannate by reacting dexchlorpheniramine free base at a temperature of about 75 to about 150° C. with tannic acid neat or as an aqueous slurry containing up to about 20 wt. % water. The dexchlorpheniramine free base may be obtained by reacting a commercially available dexchlorpheniramine salt such as dexchlorpheniramine maleate with a base such as aqueous sodium hydroxide. The resultant dexchlor tannate has extended release properties and is useful in pharmaceutical compositions as an antihistamine for human beings.

Abstract: The invention pertains to carbinoxamine tannate and to a method for preparing carbinoxamine tannate by reacting carbinoxamine free base at a temperature of about 50 to about 150° C. with tannic acid neat or as an aqueous slurry containing about 5 to about 30 wt. % water.

Abstract: The invention pertains to a method for preparing pseudoephedrine tannate by reacting pseudoephedrine free base at a temperature of about 70 to about 110° C. with tannic acid neat or as an aqueous slurry containing about 5 to about 30 wt. % water.

Abstract: Thebaine is manufactured in high yields and with a high purity using codeine or a salt of codeine as the starting material. The manufacturing process involves the following steps: (a) codeine or a codeine salt (e.g., codeine phosphate) is converted into the intermediate N-carboalkoxy- or N-carboaryloxynorcodeine; (b) the intermediate N-carboalkoxy- or N-carboaryloxynorcodeine resulting from step (a) is oxidized to yield the intermediate N-carboalkoxy- or N-carboaryloxynorcodeine; (c) the intermediate N-carboalkoxy- or N-carboaryloxynorcodeinone resulting from step (b) is enolized with a base and the resultant enolate is thereafter methylated to yield the intermediate N-carboalkoxy- or N-carboaryloxynorthebaine; and (d) the intermediate N-carboalkoxy- or N-carboaryloxynorthebaine resulting from step (c) is reduced to yield thebaine.

Abstract: The invention pertains to a process for preparing guaifenesin tannate. The process involves the steps of mixing guaifenesin with tannic acid in the presence of water, continuing to mix the reaction mixture for about 5 minutes to about 4 hours and thereafter removing at least about 80 wt.% of the water by freeze-drying the reaction mixture.

Abstract: The invention pertains to a novel composition comprising guaifenesin tannate and to a method for preparing guaifenesin tannate by reacting guaifenesin with tannic acid at a temperature above the melting point of guaifenesin. The guaifenesin tannate has extended release properties and is useful in pharmaceutical compositions as an expectorant in warm-blooded animals or as a muscle relaxant in non-human animals.

Abstract: The invention pertains to a composition comprising dextromethorphan tannate and to a method for preparing dextromethorphan tannate by reacting dextromethorphan at a temperature of about 80 to about 180° C. with tannic acid either neat or as an aqueous slurry containing about 5 to about 30 wt. % water. The dextromethorphan tannate has extended release properties and is useful in pharmaceutical compositions as an antitussive for human beings.

Abstract: An extended-release matrx formulation capable of being directly compressed into tablets comprising metformin hydrochloride blended with specific excipients. The excipients used in the formulation enhance the flow and compaction properties of the drug and insure that the formulation is directly compressible into a tablet containing about 100 mg to about 800 mg, preferably about 250 mg to about 750 mg, of metformin hydrochloride in unit dosage form. Each tablet produced by direct compression of the formulaton has the desired hardness and dissolution characteristics such that the drug is released in the body of the subject over an extended period of time.