Zinc methionine complex for acne treatment

Novel pharmaceutical compositions containing 1:1 zinc methionine complex salts having the formula:
Patent number: 4039681
Filing date: Feb 23, 1976
Issue date: Aug 2, 1977
Inventor: Mahmoud M. Abdel-Monem
Assignee: Zinpro Corporation


What is claimed is:

1. A composition for treating acne comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and a small but pharmaceutically effective acne alleviating amount of a 1:1 zinc methionine complexed salt of the formula:

[CH.sub.3 SCH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 CH(NH.sub.2)COO.Zn.sup.+.sup.+].sub.w X

wherein X is a non-toxic anion which has no inhibiting effect on the therapeutic effectiveness of said 1:1 zinc methionine complex, and W is an integer equal to the anionic charge of X.

2. The composition of claim 1 wherein said anion is an inorganic anion.

3. The composition of claim 2 wherein said compound is 1:1 zinc methionine acid sulfate.

4. The composition of claim 2 wherein said composition is in dosage form, with each dosage containing from about 50 milligrams to about 1500 milligrams of said 1:1 zinc methionine complex.

5. The composition of claim 4 wherein the dosage form of said 1:1 zinc methionine complex contains from about 100 milligrams to about 250 milligrams.

6. The composition of claim 4 wherein said carrier is an orally administrable liquid pharmaceutical carrier.

7. The composition of claim 4 wherein said carrier is an orally administrable water soluble solid pharmaceutical carrier.

8. A method of treating acne in a patient in need thereof which comprises orally administering to said patient a unit dosage of a pharmaceutical composition comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and a small but pharmaceutically effective acne alleviating amount of a 1:1 zinc methionine complex having the formula:

[CH.sub.3 SCH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 CH(NH.sub.2)COO.Zn.sup.+.sup.+].sub.w X

wherein X is a non-toxic inorganic anion inert to the pharmaceutical activity of the 1:1 zinc methionine complex and W is an integer equal to the anionic charge of X.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said 1:1 zinc methionine complex is zinc methionine acid sulfate.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein said 1:1 zinc methionine complex is zinc methionine chloride.