Metal Salts of Fatty Acid Derivatives of Amino Acids

This invention relates to new metallic compositions of matter presenting specially an interest in the field of treatment of men, animals and plants.

It is well-known that discrete amounts of metals can be met in all living organisms (human beings, animals, plants) and that they constitute, in all the cases, indispensable elements. The metals are generally encountered under the form of protidic complexes (metallo-proteins), glucido protidic or lipido protidic complexes.

These metallic structures play a specific role which varies with the nature of the metal and with the structures of the complexing molecule itself; their action occurs in the field of biocatalysis or in the metabolic exchanges which allow the survival or the growing of the organs or of the organisms.

The major problem lies in the appropriate selection of the complexing structures which must be of such a nature as to allow an acceptable assimilation or absorption by the organ or the organism.

It is well-known that lipoaminoacids and lipopolyaminoacids can easily go through the tissues and cellular membranes due to their specific lipo protidic structures fully compatible with those tissues; although water-insoluble, these lipoaminoacids and lipopolyaminoacids are nevertheless entitled of a certain ionisation capacity which comes from the carboxylic group in alpha position of the amino group; similarly the water insoluble salts of the lipoaminoacids present the same characteristics while bringing together the selected metal.

Accordingly this invention provides the new composition of matter of the formula: ##STR4## wherein: R--CO is the acyl moiety of a straight fatty acid RCOOH comprising from 6 to 20 carbon atoms. ##STR5## represents either the skeleton of the amino acid ##STR6## in which R.sub.1 is conventionally used to allow the generic designation of any of the naturally occurring .alpha. amino acids obtained by degradation of the various proteins, or the ensemble of skeletons of all the .alpha.aminoacids obtained by complete hydrolysis of the natural proteins, said compositions containing the alpha aminoacids in proportions similar to that ones existing in the proteins treated.

M is a metal selected from within: magnesium, calcium, iron, cobalt, manganese, copper, zinc, molybdenum and aluminium.

m is the valency of the selected M.

n is an integer inferior to m.

The metals retained hereinabove have been specially selected for they are normal constituents of human, animal or vegetable tissues and not toxic to these tissues. Molybdenum and zinc are to be used only in preparations for the treatment of plants whereas all the others are suitable for compositions for the treatment of human and animal tissues.

This invention provides for instance compositions to be used in human and animal therapies for the correction of deficiencies in some of the metals above indicated (preferred forms of administration are creams, ointments and gelatin capsules for instance) and compositions to be used in the treatment of plants which could be presented under the form of aqueous emulsions.

Some examples of formulations are given below:

These metallic complexes may be prepared either by double decomposition between their soluble salts (alkaline metal salts) and the appropriate metallic soluble salt or by neutralization of the free carboxy group by a base or a metal hydrate. This well-known reactions need no specific description and lead to water insoluble substances which, after precipitation, filtration, washing and drying, give products, the specifications of which are reported in following tables where the compounds are classified by the selected metals.

The compositions according to this invention may be used, for instance:

for those containing calcium salts, for the treatment of affections in relationship with the teeth and the bones;

for those containing aluminium salts in hygienic preparations acting against the sudation;

for those containing cobalt salts, as hemato poietic factors;

for those containing manganese and magnesium salts, as growing factors more particularly for cattle;

for those containing copper salts, as biosynthetic (synthesis of cuproproteins) and in the treatment of cryptogamic diseases.