Acesulfam-Containing Composition Tablets on the Basis Thereof and Process for the Manufacture of These Tablets

The invention provides a physiologically tolerable composition containing acesulfam, tabletting auxiliaries usual for sweetening agent tablets, and gelatin as dry binder. The composition is suitable for forming tablets by compression.

By acesulfam, there is to be understood in this context and hereinafter the free acid and the physiologically tolerable salts thereof.

Acesulfam is a sweetening agent of the formula ##STR1## and is described in German Pat. No. 2,001,017.

The physical properties of acesulfam, that is, grain size, bulk volume and crystal shape, do not allow to manufacture tablets of sufficient quality without binder.

As all sweetening tablets, those containing acesulfam are required to be of sufficient mechanical stability (high break strength and low friability on mechanical strain) on the one hand, and on the other to be easily and transparently soluble even in cold beverages despite good mechanical stability.

Usually, a rapid dissolution of sweetening agent tablets is ensured in that the composition contains an acid and a soluble CO.sub.2 -yielding compound, that is, an effervescent mixture which dissolves in the presence of water with formation of CO.sub.2.

It has already been described that the mechanical stability of tablets can be influenced by binders (see Voigt, Lehrbuch der pharmazeutischen Technologie, VEB Verlag Volk and Gesundheit, Berlin (1973), p. 180).

Gelatin is especially apt for the binder function, and moreover, it can be applied as a harmless auxiliary substance in food, for example in sweetening agent tablets. However, the use of gelatin in the manufacture of sweetening agent tablets is handicapped by the fact that according to the state of the art it is used as solution in moist granulation only (see Hager, Handbuch der Pharmazeutischen Praxis, 4th ed., vol, VII, p. 702, Springer Verlag, Berlin, Heidelberg, New York (1971); Voigt, loc. cit. pp. 160, 180, 181), and that moist granulation using water or an aqueous gelatin solution is generally impossible because of the content of CO.sub.2 -yielding compound and acid in the tablet mixture. It has been observed that moist granulation in the manufacture of acesulfam tablets causes considerable decomposition. Although moist granulation with organic solvents or a solution of gelatin in organic solvents is in principle feasible, it is not suitable because of the environmental strain involved and because of the expensive manufacturing process.

Surprisingly, it has now been observed that gelatin in pulverulent form (particle size less than 300 microns) functions as binder in a tablet mixture of acesulfam, sodium bicarbonate and optionally an acid, even in the very low concentration of 0.7%, which is below the normal concentration, when it is added in dry form. The mechanical stability of the tablets is improved and their decomposition time is not adversely affected.

The invention provides therefore a composition containing gelatin powder as dry binder in addition to acesulfam or a physiologically tolerable salt thereof, a water-soluble, CO.sub.2 -yielding compound and optionally a physiologically tolerable solid acid.

The compositions contain acesulfam preferably in the form of the free acid or the potassium salt. In the latter case, it is advantageous to add a further acid. Suitable physiologically tolerable acids are especially tartaric or citric acid. As CO.sub.2 -yielding compounds, there may be used sodium or potassium bicarbonate, magnesium carbonate, calcium bicarbonate or sodium glycolcarbonate, as well as mixtures of these compounds; sodium bicarbonate being preferred.

The dry binder gelatin is used in pulverulent form; the particle size being advantageously below 300 microns. The gelatin should have a quality in accordance with U.S. P XX. The content of gelatin in the composition is preferably from 0.4 to 5 weight %, the weight ratio of sweetening agent to sodium bicarbonate is 1:5, preferably from 1:1 to 1:2.

The composition of the invention can be compressed to tablets either after previous dry granulation or, when using suitable machines, directly.

The invention therefore provides also tablets containing the composition according to the invention, as well as a process for preparing these tablets. A tablet contains preferably 20 mg of sweetening agent, the total weight is preferably from 40 to 70 mg.

The process for the manufacture of the tablets comprises compressing the composition of the invention either directly or after previous dry granulation. It is preferably carried out as follows: the sweetening agent is mixed with the auxiliary(ies) (CO.sub.2 -yielding compound, acid), the mixture is subjected to a dry granulation, the granules are blended with the gelatin powder, and compressed to tablets. Alternatively, the sweetening agent can be mixed with the auxiliary(ies) and the gelatin powder, and the mixture can then be compressed directly to tablets.

The acesulfam "effervescent" tablets dissolve rapidly (see Table) and transparently in water, tea, coffee and other beverages despite the addition of dry binder. They are superior to binder-free tablets with respect to mechanical stability (see Table).

The following Examples illustrate the invention.

Manufacture:

The substances (1) through (4) were mixed and directly compressed to give, for example, 5 mm biplane tablets. In comparison to tablets manufactured without gelatin, the resulting tablets were examined with respect to decomposition and lamination properties and to friability. The results are listed in the Table.

Manufacture:

The substances (1), (2) and (3) were mixed, compacted and subsequently passed through a 0.8 mm sieve.

The granules so obtained were mixed with substance (4) and compressed to tablets having a diameter of 5 mm.

The substances (1) through (3) were mixed and compressed to tablets having a diameter of 5 mm.

The test results are listed in the Table.