Nutritional supplement for cerebral metabolic insufficiencies

Abstract

The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition which includes a sugar and a Krebs cycle intermediate, or salt thereof, or a precursor of a Krebs cycle intermediate. Krebs cycle intermediates include citric acid, aconitic acid, isocitric acid, α-ketoglutaric, succinic acid, fumaric acid, malic acid, and oxaloacetic acid, and mixtures thereof. Precursors of Krebs cycle intermediates are compounds converted by the body to form a Krebs cycle intermediate. The present invention also relates to administration of the pharmaceutical composition to treat an individual for a disorder involving impaired mitochondrial function and to improve cerebral function in an individual having impaired cerebral metabolism.

What is claimed:  
     
         1 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising a sugar, a Krebs cycle intermediate or salt thereof, and resveritrol in a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle.  
     
     
         2 . The pharmaceutical composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the Krebs cycle intermediate is selected from the group consisting of citric acid, aconitic acid, isocitric acid, α-ketoglutaric, succinic acid, fumaric acid, malic acid, oxaloacetic acid, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         3 . The pharmaceutical composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the sugar is selected from the group consisting of a monosaccharide, disaccharide, polysaccharide, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         4 . The pharmaceutical composition according to  claim 1  further comprising an adjuvant for enhancing mitochondrial function.  
     
     
         5 . The pharmaceutical compositions according to  claim 4 , wherein the adjuvant is selected from the group consisting of a vitamin, a mineral, an antioxidant other than resveritrol, a metabolism-enhancing compound, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         6 . The pharmaceutical composition according to  claim 5 , wherein the metabolism-enhancing compound is selected from the group consisting of creatine, L-carnitine, L-camitine derivatives, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         7 . The pharmaceutical composition according to  claim 5 , wherein the vitamin is selected from the group consisting of thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pyridoxine derivatives, pantothenic acid, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         8 . The pharmaceutical composition according to  claim 5 , wherein the mineral is selected from the group consisting of calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, zinc, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         9 . The pharmaceutical composition according to  claim 5 , wherein the antioxidant is selected from the group consisting of ascorbic acid, alpha-tocopherol, quercetin, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         10 . A method of treating impaired mitochondrial function comprising: 
 administering a pharmaceutical composition according to  claim 1  to a subject having a disorder involving impaired mitochondrial function under conditions effective to improve mitochondrial function.    
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the Krebs cycle intermediate is selected from the group consisting of citric acid, aconitic acid, isocitric acid, α-ketoglutaric, succinic acid, fumaric acid, malic acid, and oxaloacetic acid, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 10  further comprising: 
 administering an adjuvant for enhancing mitochondrial function.  
 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the adjuvant is selected from the group consisting of a vitamin, a mineral, an antioxidant, a metabolism-enhancing compound, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the sugar is selected from the group consisting of a monosaccharide, disaccharide, polysaccharide, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition is administered to a patient suffering from a nervous system disorder, a cardiovascular disorder, a musculoskeletal disorder, or a disorder of the body as a whole.  
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the nervous system disorder is Alzheimer's Disease, Huntington's Disease, Parkinson's Disease, spinocerebellar ataxia, or a psychosis.  
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the nervous system disorder is Alzheimer's Disease.  
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17  further comprising: 
 administering a therapeutic agent selected from a group consisting of an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, acetylcholine synthesis modulator, acetylcholine storage modulator, acetylcholine release modulator, and NMDA glutamate receptor antagonist.  
 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the nervous system disorder is Huntington's Disease.  
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 19  further comprising: 
 administering an NMDA glutamate receptor antagonist in conjunction with the pharmaceutical composition.  
 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the cardiovascular disorder is selected from a group consisting of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, cardiomyopathies, cardiac valvular disorders, and disorders causing cardiac failure.  
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the disorder of the body as a whole is frailty.  
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein said administering is oral, parenteral, subcutaneous, intravenous, intramuscular, intraperitoneal, by intranasal instillation, or by application to mucous membranes.  
     
     
         24 . A method of improving cerebral function in a subject having impaired cerebral metabolism comprising: 
 administering a pharmaceutical composition according to  claim 1  to a subject having impaired cerebral metabolism under conditions effective to improve cerebral function.    
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein the Krebs cycle intermediate is selected from the group consisting of citric acid, aconitic acid, isocitric acid, α-ketoglutaric, succinic acid, fumaric acid, malic acid, and oxaloacetic acid, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 24  further comprising: 
 administering an adjuvant for enhancing cerebral function.  
 
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 26 , wherein the adjuvant is selected from the group consisting of a vitamin, a mineral, an antioxidant, a metabolism-enhancing compound, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein the sugar is selected from the group consisting of a monosaccharide, disaccharide, polysaccharide, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein said administering is oral, parenteral, subcutaneous, intravenous, intramuscular, intraperitoneal, by intranasal instillation, or by application to mucous membranes.  
     
     
         30 . A pharmaceutical composition consisting essentially of a sugar and a Krebs cycle intermediate or salt thereof in a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle.  
     
     
         31 . The pharmaceutical composition according to  claim 30  wherein the sugar is selected from the group consisting of a monosaccharide, disaccharide, polysaccharide, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         32 . The pharmaceutical composition according to  claim 30  wherein the Krebs cycle intermediate is selected from the group consisting of citric acid, aconitic acid, isocitric acid, a-ketoglutaric, succinic acid, fumaric acid, malic acid, and oxaloacetic acid, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         33 . A method of treating impaired mitochondrial function comprising: 
 administering a pharmaceutical composition according to  claim 30  to a subject having a disorder involving impaired mitochondrial function under conditions effective to improve mitochondrial function.    
     
     
         34 . A method of improving cerebral function in a subject having impaired cerebral metabolism comprising: 
 administering a pharmaceutical composition according to  claim 30  to a subject having impaired cerebral metabolism under conditions effective to improve cerebral function.