US3562388A

US3562388A - Treatment for mammals infected with pathogenic bacteria

Info

Publication number: US3562388A
Application number: US858509A
Authority: US
Inventors: Khe Siang Liem
Original assignee: US Philips Corp
Current assignee: US Philips Corp
Priority date: 1969-09-16
Filing date: 1969-09-16
Publication date: 1971-02-09
Anticipated expiration: 1988-02-09

Abstract

COMPOSITIONS CONTAINING LACUTLOSE HAVE BEEN FOUND TO BE EFFECTIVE IN THE TREATMENT OF MAMMALS INFESTED WITH PATHOGENIC GRAM NEGATIVE BACILLI SUCH AS THE SALMONELLA SPECIES.

Description

United States Patent 3,562,388 TREATMENT FOR MAMMALS INFECTED WITH PATHOGENIC BACTERIA Khe Siang Liem, Van Houtenlaan, Weesp, Netherlands, assignor to US. Philips Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware No Drawing. Filed Sept. 16, 1969, Ser. No. 858,509 Int. Cl. A611: 27/00 U.S. Cl. 424--180 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Compositions containing lactulose have been found to be effective in the treatment of mammals infested with pathogenic gram negative bacilli such as the Salmonella species.

This invention relates to a new and novel method for the treatment of mammals infested with pathogenic intestinal bacteria.

The treatment of mammals that are chronic secretors of pathogenic intestinal gram negative bacilli such as the bacteria of the species Salmonella, Shigella or Chloera has in the past proved to be quite difficult. Frequently, it has been found that the administration of antibiotics which is the usual means of treatment is found to be ineffective.

It is a principal object of this invention therefore to provide a new and effective treatment for mammals chronically invested with pathogenic intestinal bacteria.

This as well as other objects of the invention will be apparent from the description that follows.

According to the invention, it has now been found that mammals infested with pathogenic intestinal gram negative bacilli particularly the species Salmonella, Shigella or Cholera may be in many cases successfully treated by the oral administration of lactulose in an effective amount. The applicant has found that the administration of lactulose in amounts of from about 0.3 to 3 mg./kg. of body weight divided into two or three daily doses and especially in amounts of from about 0.3 to 1.5 mg./kg. of body weight is an effective means of treating mammals treated with these bacteria species.

The lactulose may be administered in a dry form or a liquid form. A convenient method of administration is in the form of a liquid containing about 50% by weight of lactulose, by weight of lactose, 8% by weight of galactose and the remainder water. This liquid, hereinafter called Duphalac, may be effectively employed in a daily dose of from about 0.75 to 2.5 ml./kg. of body weight administered in 2 or 3 parts.

A dry composition may contain 40% by weight of lactulose, 4% by weight of lactose, 6% by weight of galactose and 50% by weight of dextrine maltose. This composition may be effectively employed in a daily dose of from about 1.25 to 4 mg./kg. of body weight administered in 2 or 3 parts.

The exact mechanism utilized by the lactulose is not completely understood. However, it is known that it is not due to a laxative effect since treatment with laxatives have proved to be ineffective and while lactulose has a laxative effect at doses that are many times higher than that employed in the instant case, except for a slight diarrahea at the upper limit of the doses, no laxative effect was found for the dose range employed in the instant method.

The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the following examples:

EXAMPLE 1 A 35-year-old man chronically infested with Salmonella lJlailtleII/Jlllg for 10 months was treated with Duphalac. On the first day two doses of mls. each were orally Patented Feb. 9, 1971 administered. On the second and third days three doses of 15 mls. each were orally administered each day. On the fourth day and one each of the following days of the treatment he was given a dose of mls. three times a day.

Two weeks after the beginning of the treatment the faeces of the patient was completely free of salmonella bacteria.

EXAMPLE 2 A 24-year-old woman, chronically infested with Salmonella verjle for seven months was treated in the same manner as in Example 1. After three weeks of treatment she was found to be free of Salmonella bacteria.

EXAMPLE 3 Following the same treatment scheme, a 48-year-old woman, infested with Salmonella braenderup for more than 13 months, was freed of the Salmonella bacteria after 2% weeks of treatment.

EXAMPLE 4 A 38-year-old woman infected with Salmonella Panama for more than 9 months was treated with Duphalac in the manner described in Example 1. After three weeks of treatment this woman was free of the Salmonella bacteria.

Other cases of infestation with Salmonella, including Sulnzonella Iyp/lflllltlilllll showed similar results.

While I have described my invention in connection with specific embodiments and applications, other modifications thereof will be readily apparent to those skilled in this art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A method of combatting intestinal infections in T mammals of pathogenic bacteria of a species selected from the group consisting of Salmonella, Shigella and Cholera which method comprises orally administering to said infected mammal a daily antibacterial effective dose of lactulose.

2. The methof claim 1 wherein the lactulose is administered daily in an amount ranging from about 0.3 mg. to 3 mg./kg. of body weight.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the lactulose is administered daily in an amount ranging from about 0.3 to 1.5 mg./kg. of body weight.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the bacteria is of the Salmonella species.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the lactulose is administered in the form of a solution containing 50% by weight of lactulose, 5% by weight of lactose, 8% by weight of galactose and the remainder water.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein about 0.75 to 2.5 ml./kg. of body weight of the lactulose containing solution is administered in 2 or 3 doses daily.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein the lactulose is administered in the form of a dry composition containing 40% by weight of lactulose, 4% by weight of lactose, 6% by weight of galactose and by weight of dextrine maltose.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein about 1.25 to 4 mg./kg. of. body weight of the lactulose containing composition is administered in 2 or 3 doses daily.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,272,705 9/1966 Petuely 424- 3,461,204 8/1969 Bircher 424-180 OTHER REFERENCES Chemical Abstract, 61: 1061d (1964).

JEROME D. GOLDBERG, Primary Examiner