SOLID, COLOR-STABLE L-ASCORBIC ACID COMPOSITIONS

Provided herein are solid, color-stable L-ascorbic acid compositions, which are in the form of a powder or granule. These compositions may provide a high amount of vitamin C and may additionally have excellent color stability, particularly when used in a compressed tablet.

L-ascorbic acid is known per se. Many salts of L-ascorbic acid are also known. One of the most common one is the sodium ascorbate. There are numerous forms of granulated forms of vitamin C for high potency tabletting applications such as C90, C95, C97, and Sodium Ascorbate 99% from DSM Nutritional Products.

L-ascorbic acid and sodium ascorbate are both white and odorless solids. Sodium ascorbate can be synthesized from ascorbic acid. L-ascorbic acid can be produced on an industrial scale i.e. by the Reichstein process.

Crystalline L-ascorbic acid is stable if protected from humidity, but is somewhat sensitive to heat. Sodium ascorbate is somewhat sensitive to air, heat, and humidity. A stability issue of L-ascorbate acid is that when it is exposed to moisture the white shade gets darker. This is a problem for the products such as i.e. tablets, capsules, etc which comprise L-ascorbic acid and/or salts thereof.

An incompatible factor in high dosage ascorbic acid tablets is the commonly used lubricant, magnesium stearate. Such a formulation develops yellowish shade and loses its whiteness already during a short storage period.

Surprisingly, it has been found out that when the ascorbic acid composition (powder or granule) comprises a specific lubricant (or a mixture of lubricants) and suitable binder(s), the color-stability is increased (especially when used in a tablet). In some embodiments, ascorbyl palmitate as well as ascorbyl palmitate (as lubricants), in combination with at least one specific lubricant, may provide color-stable high potency ascorbic acid tablets.

In some embodiments, ascorbyl palmitate as well as the mixture of ascorbyl palmitate with at least one specific lubricant does not affect the tablet physical properties including the compression profile and disintegration time (DT) while the ejection force is comparable.

Therefore provided herein is a composition (I) in the form of a powder or a granule comprising:

(a) 75 weight-% (wt-%) - 99 wt-%, based on the total weight of the powder or granule, of L-ascorbic acid and/or a salt thereof,

(b) 0.1 wt-% - 10 wt-%, based on the total weight of the powder or granule, of ascorbyl palmitate or of a mixture of ascorbyl palmitate and at least one compound chosen from the group consisting of hydrogenated vegetable oil, glyceryl behenate, glyceryl monostearate, glyceryl palmitostearate, stearic acid, palmitic acid, myristic acid, talc, sodium lauryl sulfate, waxes, sodium stearyl fumarate, and polyethylene glycol, and

(c) 0.9 wt-% - 10 wt-%, based on the total weight of the powder or granule, of at least one binder, and

(d) optionally adjuvants in quantities within the range of 0.05 wt-% - 5 wt-%, based on the total weight of the powder or granule, with the proviso that the composition is essentially free from magnesium stearate.

These compositions, which can be used as such or in suitable formulations, such as tablets, may provide improved color-stability when exposed to stress conditions for example at high moisture and/or high temperature conditions.

All percentages are always added up to 100.

A particular composition (II) is a composition (I), wherein sodium ascorbate is used. Function of a binder is that it holds the ingredients in a solid composition (such as a granule or tablet) together. Binders may ensure that granules and tablets can be formed with required mechanical strength, and give volume to low active dose tablets with good homogeneity of content.

Binders provided herein may comprise (especially suitable for granulation purpose) . saccharides and their derivatives, proteins and synthetic polymers.

A particularly group of saccharides provided herein comprises:

Di- saccharides, such as sucrose and lactose,

Polysaccharides and their derivatives, such as gum arabic, tragacanth, pectin and starches,

- sugar alcohols, such as xylitol, sorbitol or maltitol.

A particular group of protein provided herein comprises a gelatine (i.e. fish, pork, beef).

A particular group of the synthetic polymers provided herein comprises i.e. polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP, povidone) and polyethylene glycol (PEG), methyl - or ethyl cellulose or modified cellulose (such as sodium carboxylmethylcellulose), polyvinyl alcohol, and cellulose ethers such as hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC).

Further provided herein are suitable binders (especially suitable for tableting purpose) comprising microcrystalline cellulose, silicified microcrystalline cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, starch, lactose, dicalcium phosphate, sucrose, dextrose, and sugar alcohols.

Some of the binders can be suitable for granulation as well as for tabletting.

A particular composition provided herein is composition (III), which is a composition (I) and/or (II), wherein the binder is chosen from the group consisting of saccharides and their derivatives, proteins, synthetic polymers, microcrystalline cellulose, silicified micro- crystalline cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, starch, lactose, dicalcium phosphate, sucrose, dextrose, and sugar alcohols.

A further embodiment provided herein is a composition (IV) in the form of a powder or a granule comprising

(a) 84 wt-% - 99 wt-%, based on the total weight of the powder or granule, of L- ascorbic acid and/or a salt thereof, (b) 0.1 wt-% - 8 wt-%, based on the total weight of the powder or granule, of ascorbyl palmitate or of a mixture of ascorbyl palmitate and at least one compound chosen from the group consisting of hydrogenated vegetable oil, glyceryl behenate, glyceryl monostearate, glyceryl palmitostearate, stearic acid, palmitic acid, myristic acid, talc, sodium lauryl sulfate, waxes, sodium stearyl fumarate, and polyethylene glycol and

(c) 0.9 wt-% - 8 wt-%, based on the total weight of the powder or granule, of at least one binder, and

(d) optionally adjuvants in quantities within the range of 0.05 to 5% by weight, calculated to the total weight of the composition, with the proviso that the composition is essentially free from magnesium stearate.

A particular embodiment provided herein is composition (V), which is a composition (I), (II), (II I) and/or (IV), wherein the binder is chosen from the group consisting saccharides and their derivatives, proteins, synthetic polymers, microcrystalline cellulose, silicified microcrystalline cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, HPC, starch, lactose, dicalcium phosphate, sucrose, dextrose, and sugar alcohols.

A powder or a granule provided herein can be produced using commonly known processes, such as fluidized-bed granulation, high-shear granulation, extrusion, spray- drying or other dry or wet granulation process.

A powder or a granule provided herein can be used as such or it can be further processed. When further processed, it can be pressed into a tablet.

It can be pressed into tablet as such or together with auxiliaries commonly used in tablet pressing.

The content of L-ascorbic acid and/or a salt of powder or granule thereof, in a tablet may comprise 80 wt-% - 99 wt-%, particularly 84 - 99 wt-%, more particularly 90 - 99 wt-%, based on the total weight of the tablet.

In some embodiments, the content of ascorbyl palmitate in a tablet is 0.3 wt-% - 5 wt-%, based on the total weight of the tablet. In some embodiments, the content of stearic acid in a tablet is 0.3 wt-% - 5 wt-%, based on the total weight of the tablet.

In some embodiments, the content of binder (preferably microcrystalline cellulose, silici- fied microcrystalline cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, HPC, starch, lactose, dicalcium phosphate, sucrose, dextrose, and/or sugar alcohols) in a tablet is 0.5 wt-% - 8 wt-%, based on the total weight of the tablet.

A powder or the granule provided herein n as well as any further processed form can be used as such or in combination with further ingredients in dietary supplement, food, feed or personal care formulation.

Therefore also provided herein is the use of at least one composition (I), (II), (III) and/or (IV) in a dietary supplement, food, feed or personal care formulation.

Therefore also provided herein is a dietary supplement, food, feed or personal care formulation comprising at least one composition (I), (II), (III), (IV) and/or (V).

Fig. 1 : Color Stability Data of Example 9 (Comparative Example) and Example 1 (Invention) of tablet in open tray at 40°C/75% RH for 7 days. Color of tablets was measured using HunterLab Colorimeter on WIE. Fig 1 shows the values of the Whiteness (WIE).

Fig. 2: Color Stability Data of Example 9 (Comparative Example) and Example 1 (Invention)) of tablet in open tray at 40°C/75% RH for 7 days. Color of tablets was measured using HunterLab Colorimeter on YIE values. Fig 2 shows the values of the Yellowness (YIE).

The following examples serve to illustrate specific embodiments of the invention claimed herein. All percentages are given in relation to the weight and all the temperatures are given in degree Celsius. Examples

All of the examples have been prepared according to the following process:

The ascorbic acid (in form of a 97% granulation, commercially available from DSM) was put in a blender. Afterwards the microcrystalline cellulose (MCC 102) and the silicon dioxide (Cab-O-Sil ^® ) were sieved through a 20 mesh and also transferred to the blender. Afterwards the stearic acid and the ascorbyl palmitate were sieved through a 30 mesh and also transferred to the blender. This blend was mixed for 10 minutes and the discharged in a container.

Example 1

Ingredients g wt-%

Ascorbic Acid (97 %) 1031 91 .24

Microcrystalline Cellulose 70.75 6.26

Stearic Acid 16.95 1 .50

Ascorbyl Palmitate 11 .30 1 .00

Example 2

Ingredients g wt-%

Ascorbic Acid (97 %) 1031 91 .24

Microcrystalline Cellulose 76.40 6.76

Silicon Dioxide 5.65 0.50

Stearic Acid 11 .30 1 .00

Ascorbyl Palmitate 5365 0.50

Example 3

Ingredients g wt-%

Ascorbic Acid (97 %) 1031 91 .24

Microcrystalline Cellulose 70.75 6.26

Silicon Dioxide 5.65 0.50

Stearic Acid 11 .30 1 .00

Ascorbyl Palmitate 11 .30 1 .00

Example 4

Ingredients g wt-%

Ascorbic Acid (97 %) 1031 91 .24

Microcrystalline Cellulose 65.10 5.76

Silicon Dioxide 5.65 0.50

Stearic Acid 11 .30 1 .00

Ascorbyl Palmitate 16.95 1 .50 Example 5

Ingredients g wt-%

Ascorbic Acid (97 %) 1031 91 .24

Microcrystalline Cellulose 59.45 5.26

Silicon Dioxide 5.65 0.50

Stearic Acid 11 .30 1 .00

Ascorbyl Palmitate 22.60 2.00

Example 6

Ingredients g wt-%

Ascorbic Acid (97 %) 1031 91 .24

Microcrystalline Cellulose 53.80 4.76

Silicon Dioxide 5.65 0.50

Stearic Acid 11 .30 1 .00

Ascorbyl Palmitate 28.25 2.50

Example 7

Ingredients g wt-%

Ascorbic Acid (97 %) 1031 91 .24

Microcrystalline Cellulose 48.15 4.26

Silicon Dioxide 5.65 0.50

Stearic Acid 11 .30 1 .00

Ascorbyl Palmitate 33.90 3.00

Example 8

Ingredients g wt-%

Ascorbic Acid (97 %) 1031 91 .24

Microcrystalline Cellulose 67.93 6.01

Silicon Dioxide 2.83 0.25

Stearic Acid 16.95 1 .50

Ascorbyl Palmitate 11 .30 1 .00

Example 9 (comparative Example)

Ingredients g wt-%

Ascorbic Acid (97 %) 1082.5 94.75

Microcrystalline Cellulose 40.00 3.5

Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP XL) 14.00 1 .23

Magnesium Stearate 6.00 0.52 One advantage over the prior art lies therein that the tablets pressed from the examples disclosed above are more humidity and heat stable than those of the prior art.

For that purpose, the compositions of Example 1 and Example 9 have been used to pressed tablets and they have been tested in regard to whiteness and yellowness.

The tablets have been stored for 7 days in open tray at 40°C/75% RH (relative humidity). Color of tablets was measured using HunterLab Colorimeter on WIE and YIE values. Visually, after 7 days, the tablet consisting of the prior art formulation turned to brown, whereas the whiteness of the tablet comprising the formulation according to the present invention did not decrease so much.