WO2005025484A1

WO2005025484A1 - Administration form and kit for the oral administration of active substances, vitamins and/or nutrients, and use thereof

Info

Publication number: WO2005025484A1
Application number: PCT/EP2004/010144
Authority: WO
Inventors: Rasoul Sedaghat Kerdar
Original assignee: Grünenthal GmbH
Priority date: 2003-09-12
Filing date: 2004-09-10
Publication date: 2005-03-24
Also published as: DE10342514A1

Abstract

The invention relates to an administration form for the oral administration of active substances, vitamins and/or nutrients, comprising a drinking straw (1) provided with a closing device (3) which is impermeable to the active substance formulation, vitamin formulation and/or nutrient formulation (2) and which is permeable to air and to a conveying liquid. The drinking straw comprises at least one retaining means (19) which is arranged on the inner wall of the drinking straw which is used to permanently fix the closing device (3) at a predetermined distance (60) between the formulation (2) and mouth opening (6).

Description

Dosage form for oral administration of active ingredients, vitamins and / or nutrients, kit and use

The invention relates to a dosage form for oral administration of active ingredients, vitamins and / or nutrients comprising a drinking straw and a barrier device that is impermeable to an active ingredient, vitamin and / or nutrient formulation, but is permeable to air and a transport liquid, and movable in the drinking straw, characterized in that that the active ingredient, vitamin and / or nutrient formulation is arranged between the blocking device and the mouth opening of the drinking straw and the drinking straw has at least one retaining means on the inner wall of the drinking straw for a permanent fixation of the blocking device at a predetermined distance between the formulation and the mouth opening.

The administration of active substances, vitamins and / or nutrients with the aid of a drinking straw which contains an active substance, vitamin and / or nutrient formulation which can be transported through a liquid is known. Patients who have difficulty or feel reluctant to take capsules or tablets are offered a further dosage form of active ingredients, vitamins or nutrients.

The dosage forms described in the prior art for oral administration of active ingredients, vitamins and / or nutrients comprising a drinking straw with a blocking device are often complex and expensive. Furthermore, the known locking devices movably arranged in the drinking straw have the disadvantage that they move in the suction direction of the transport liquid in the drinking straw during a suction process by the user, but do not remain stationary after the suction process, but can slide back again. Of course, this is disadvantageous if the displacement of the blocking device in the drinking straw is regarded as an indicator of a successful administration of the formulation. A precise control of the success of the administration is then not possible or only with difficulty, which can lead to serious consequences if the formulation is not fully administered. It was therefore the task of providing a dosage form for the oral administration of active ingredients, vitamins and / or nutrients comprising a drinking straw with a blocking device for the active ingredient, vitamin and / or nutrient formulation, the dosage form being as simple and easy as possible is inexpensive to manufacture and does not have the disadvantages of the known dosage forms described above.

The object is achieved according to the invention by the provision of a dosage form for the oral administration of active ingredients, vitamins and / or nutrients comprising a drinking straw and an impermeable to an active ingredient, vitamin and / or nutrient formulation, but permeable to air and a transport liquid in the drinking straw Locking device, characterized in that the active ingredient, vitamin and / or nutrient formulation is arranged between the locking device and the mouth opening of the drinking straw and the drinking straw at a predetermined distance between the formulation and the mouth opening has at least one retaining means on the inner wall of the drinking straw (1) for permanent fixation of the locking device.

The retention means is designed according to the invention in such a way that the locking device which can be moved in the drinking straw and which is moved to the mouth opening during the suction process with the transport liquid is permanently fixed by the retention means. Such a restraint can be used according to the invention in principle for any movable locking device, but preferably the locking device, the drinking straw and the retaining means are matched to one another.

The blocking device is designed according to the invention in such a way that it does not significantly impair the movement of the transport liquid (and also the movement of air) within the drinking straw, but at most slows it down somewhat, since it prevents the transport liquid (and air) from passing through the blocking device or the blocking device only provides a certain resistance. However, it is different for the wording. The locking device prevents the formulation, which is arranged between the mouth opening and the locking device in the drinking straw, through the other opening of the Drinking straws falls out. However, the flow of the transport liquid must not be reduced by the blocking device to such an extent that the preferably solid and possibly insoluble in the transport liquid active substance, vitamin and / or nutrient formulation is no longer taken.

The blocking device, which is also referred to below as a controller, also takes over the task according to the invention to indicate the administration of the active substance, vitamin and / or nutrient formulation. Here it is moved according to the invention in the direction of the mouth opening of the drinking straw by sucking in the transport liquid. According to the invention, the controller also takes on the task of spatially restricting the transport of the active ingredient, vitamin and / or nutrient formulation to a specific area, ie. H. to prevent the active ingredient, vitamin and / or nutrient formulation from being too far from the mouth opening.

The locking device preferably has a longitudinal extent. The specified distance, i.e. the distance between the mouth opening and the retaining means on the inner wall of the drinking straw should preferably correspond to at least about a fifth of the longitudinal extent, particularly preferably at least about a quarter of the longitudinal extent of the blocking device. The retention means can be attached at a distance of about 0.3 mm to about 60 mm, preferably from about 0.9 mm to about 40 mm, from the mouth opening. This provides a clear separation between the area of the restraint and the mouth opening, so that the blocking device cannot emerge from the drinking straw and can, for example, be swallowed. The retaining means is preferably positioned in the drinking straw in such a way that the blocking device permanently fixed with the aid of the retaining means at most reaches the mouth opening of the drinking straw.

The locking device is preferably designed as a type of plug, the cross section of which is preferably adapted to the cross section of the drinking straw. Such a blocking device can - if it is loose - have a larger cross section than the cross section of the drinking straw. In this case, the locking device must be at least partially compressed before entering the Drinking straw can be introduced. In the case of a circular cross section, the inside diameter of the drinking straw in the preferred embodiment is at least as large as the outside diameter of the locking device. According to the invention, the blocking device preferably has a maximum density of less than 1 kg per liter.

The blocking device is preferably constructed from fibers which are thermally connected to one another. This allows inexpensive manufacture of a locking device with particularly simple means. The blocking device can preferably be constructed from a foam, in particular an open-cell plastic foam. As a result, the locking device is particularly simple to manufacture and has particularly advantageous characteristics. According to the invention, however, a closed-cell plastic foam can also be provided.

The fibers or the foam can preferably be made at least partially hydrophobic, which improves the function of the locking device. In any case, the locking device only comprises food law material, preferably pharmaceutically acceptable material.

The locking device is arranged movably in the drinking straw according to the invention. As a result, both the locking device and the transport liquid together with the formulation in the same direction within the drinking straw, ie. H. to the mouth opening of the drinking straw, moved. In particular, it is provided here that the transport liquid moves faster together with the formulation than the locking device. Therefore, the positioning of the locking device in the drinking straw can indirectly be a measure of the amount of formulation supplied to the user. It is thus possible to recognize from the position of the blocking device whether the formulation has already been taken up by the user as a whole or not.

The movable locking device can be moved in the drinking straw, preferably only in a certain area of the drinking straw, for example due to cross-sectional reductions, stops on the drinking straw openings and / or retention means. The stops or cross-sectional reductions are like this designed that the plug-like blocking device, but not the formulation or its components, is prevented from reaching the mouth beyond the area of the stops through the mouth opening.

According to the invention, the retention means according to the invention ensure that the locking device, which is moved there with the aid of the transport liquid, is retained in this position, i. H. is fixed. For this purpose, the retention means has devices which increase the frictional forces. The retention means are therefore preferably designed according to the invention in such a way that they generate at least one retention force or frictional force between the locking device and the inner wall of the drinking straw, that at least the locking device, plus the weight, holds an amount of the transport liquid contained therein, i. H. is fixed. This amount of transport liquid can be composed on the one hand of a portion of transport liquid that has penetrated into the blocking device and, on the other hand, if necessary on the other hand of a portion of transport liquid that is located in the drinking straw below the blocking device after at least some of the suction.

The retaining means preferably corresponds to at least one elevation on the inner wall of the drinking straw, particularly preferably one elevation of the inner wall. Furthermore, the elevation is preferably point-like or line-like. The course of the survey compared to the central axis of the drinking straw is either perpendicular or oblique or parallel to it. A spiral arrangement of the elevations in the area of the restraint means is also possible. This makes it possible for the elevation to be particularly simple and light and for the drinking straw to be particularly simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

The retaining means is preferably designed as at least one elevation of the inner wall or on the inner wall in the form of a knob, a corrugation or by a constriction, a conical taper or a non-conical taper of the drinking straw. As a result, it is possible in a particularly simple and advantageous manner to produce the retaining means by stretching the drinking straw by simply pulling the possibly heated material in the area of the constriction or the conical taper provided. Furthermore, it is through a conical tapering of the drinking straw in particular makes it possible for the retaining means and the mouthpiece of the drinking straw to be produced in one operation, the distance according to the invention between the retaining means and the mouth opening being maintained.

The retaining means preferably corresponds to at least two elevations of the inner wall of the drinking straw, such elevations being able to be arranged opposite or diagonally offset. This enables a particularly simple to manufacture and yet effective embodiment of the restraint.

The at least one elevation of the inner wall of the drinking straw as a retaining means for the blocking device preferably corresponds to a corresponding indentation of the outer wall of the drinking straw, so that the wall thickness of the drinking straw in the area of the retaining or fixing means is essentially unchanged compared to the remaining wall thickness. This embodiment of the invention has the advantage that such a drinking straw is particularly simple and easy to manufacture in that the elevation of the inner wall from the outside, i. H. can be generated from the surface of the outer wall of the drinking straw.

The retaining means can preferably also correspond to a roughened surface area of the inner wall of the drinking straw. Roughening the surface of the inner wall of the drinking straw in a certain partial area can be viewed as a large number of particularly small-scale elevations. Overall, such small-scale elevations, like the “macroscopic” elevations mentioned above, increase the friction between the inner wall of the drinking straw and the locking device and thereby fix the locking device. In this case, it is possible that the roughening or the increased roughness of the inner wall of the drinking straw is produced either by a special treatment or by coating the inside of the drinking straw with a layer having the increased roughness or with a corresponding material. The roughness of the surface of the inner wall of the drinking straw is chosen such that a sufficient retention force or The roughening or the increased roughness of the inner wall of the drinking straw is, for example, directly after the manufacture of the preferably produced by extrusion drinking straw, ie in this case by way of example directly after the extrusion of the drinking straw.

The retention means preferably corresponds to an at least partial Velcro lining of the corresponding area on the inner wall of the drinking straw. As a result, with a particularly simple configuration of the restraint means, a large restraint force or fixation of the locking device is possible. Furthermore - due to the large realizable retention forces per effective surface - no large areas of the inner wall need to be lined, i. H. at most narrow, full to partial areas of the inner wall, which further reduces the production costs of a drinking straw according to the invention. According to the invention, a dosage form is also preferably possible, in which the locking device has mating surface areas with a complementary Velcro lining to the inner wall of the drinking straw. The locking device can only partially, such a counter surface, i.e. in parts of their surface - such as the straw surface on the inner wall counter surface. It is possible here, for example, that in a blocking device produced by extrusion, this so-called counter surface is either (in the longitudinal direction of the extrusion) connected to the material of the blocking device as a non-extruded layer or partial layer, or that in a blocking device produced by extrusion, the counter surface Coextrusion is either applied around the entire circumference of the locking device or only on partial areas of the surface of the locking device.

The retaining means is preferably made of elastic material and has a lower elasticity than the drinking straw and / or the blocking device. As a result, it is possible in a particularly simple manner that the blocking device can penetrate the region of the restraining means relatively easily and is then “held”, ie fixed, by the restraining means. According to the invention, it is preferably provided that the elasticity of the restraining means is less than the elasticity of the Drinking straw is and that the elasticity of the drinking straw is also less than the elasticity of the blocking device, which ensures that the dosage form according to the invention functions properly. The locking device is preferably elastic and preferably has an elasticity which corresponds at least to the elasticity of the drinking straw. This makes it possible for the locking device to adapt optimally to the retaining means and thus to realize the frictional force to be achieved according to the invention for fixing the locking device.

The formulation of active substance, vitamin and / or nutrient is preferably solid or pasty and, for the sake of simplicity, is also referred to below simply by the term “formulation”. A solid, particularly preferably a multiparticulate formulation is preferred, the particles being the multiparticulate Formulation preferably have a diameter of 50 μm to 1500 μm and in the form of pellets, in particular spherical, The formulation can optionally be bound with the aid of a physiologically harmless material that is soluble in the transport liquid and thus initially immobilized in the drinking straw.

The active substances and / or vitamins and / or nutrients per se or their formulation as a whole can be insoluble or else soluble or at least partially soluble in the transport liquid. If the active substances, vitamins or nutrients or their formulations are soluble in the transport liquid, they are dissolved by the flowing transport liquid and taken away in dissolved form. If, on the other hand, the active substances, vitamins or nutrients or their formulations are insoluble in the transport liquid, they are suspended in the transport liquid flowing past and carried along in suspended form with the transport liquid. Multiparticulate formulations are preferably used for this. Such particles, preferably pellets, should preferably be so small and light that they can be transported by the transport liquid without difficulty. The adhesion of the particles to each other or to the straw walls or the blocking device should be as low as possible, which can be achieved if necessary by suitable surface treatment of the particles or the blocking device.

As active ingredients, preferably therapeutic active ingredients, vitamins or nutrients, all orally administrable, corresponding substances can be used in the form of a suitable formulation. The drinking straw preferably contains one certain dose of the substance, especially a single dose for a single dose, such as B. a dose of a pharmaceutical agent for one-time administration to a patient. This dose can be for once-daily or multiple-daily administration.

The active ingredient, vitamin and / or nutrient formulation is arranged between the blocking device and the mouth opening. This simplifies the administration of the formulation.

The mouthpiece of the drinking straw preferably has a corrugation. This makes it possible according to the invention that the formulation can also be safely and easily supplied to those users of the drinking straw who have difficulty swallowing due to their age or due to an infirmity or who have difficulty coordinating (for example with regard to movements of their mouth).

The drinking straw preferably has an inlet opening for the transport liquid, which can optionally be designed as a connecting piece to a reservoir of the transport liquid. This makes it possible with particularly simple means to establish a secure connection of the drinking straw with a reservoir of the transport liquid and thus to prevent the transport liquid from spilling. The transport liquid can either be spilled by leaking out of the reservoir, which is already disadvantageous. However, leakage from the drinking straw itself is even more disadvantageous. Both options are effectively prevented by the connector.

The drinking straw can have a region of curvature or can be designed to be kinkable or bendable, on the one hand so that its lower end, ie the inlet opening, can be more easily immersed in the transport liquid and on the other hand at its upper end, ie at the mouth opening, a lighter one To allow suction. For this purpose, the drinking straw preferably runs largely vertically in the region of its inlet opening and preferably in the region of its mouth opening at an angle of approximately 10 ° to 90 ° with respect to the vertical, preferably at an angle of approximately 30 ° to 70 °. This results in altogether an angle of curvature for the position of use from approximately 0 ° to a maximum of 90 °, preferably from approximately 20 ° to approximately 60 °, very particularly preferably from approximately 30 ° to approximately 45 °.

The drinking straw can be rigid or flexible, straight or angled - preferably reversibly angled. The drinking straw is preferably made of a synthetic material. At least the area of curvature, if any, in which the drinking straw can be reversibly bent, is preferably constructed from an elastic, synthetic material or from a synthetic material that is plastically deformable at a temperature below its softening point. The area in which the drinking straw can be reversibly angled is preferably designed like an accordion.

If the drinking straw has a region of curvature, the locking device and the formulation are arranged in one and the same leg of the drinking straw so that the formulation can reach the mouth opening unhindered and the locking device can be fixed by the retaining means.

The inside diameter of the drinking straw should preferably be at least 3 mm so that a sufficient amount of transport liquid can be drawn through the drinking straw to transport the formulation. An inner diameter of 4-15 mm is preferred, very particularly preferably 5-10 mm. The drinking straw has a round, oval, rectangular or square cross section, preferably a round cross section, and preferably has a smooth inside except for the retaining means.

The drinking straw preferably also has a marking to identify the mouth opening and / or to indicate the suction direction of the transport liquid. Such a marking is particularly advantageously represented by a symbol, for example an arrow or the like. In this case, a user does not have to recognize any characters, as a result of which the use of the dosage form according to the invention is simpler overall and thus safer. According to the invention, it is preferred that at least the part of the drinking straw containing the formulation or the section of the drinking straw in which the blocking device can be moved is at least partially transparent and / or colored, in particular colored in such a way that the position of the blocking device is visible from the outside is. When using a transparent drinking straw, the uptake of the formulation can be better determined, while the use of an opaque drinking straw offers the possibility of using the formulation, e.g. B. to protect by light. According to the invention, an embodiment is also possible in which the drinking straw is only transparent in the last part of the movement range of the locking device. This makes it possible to control the successful administration of the formulation to a user.

The drinking straw is preferably narrowed at the inlet opening and / or at the mouth opening to a cross section which is smaller in comparison to the rest of the cross section. As a result, it is possible in a very simple and therefore cost-effective manner to prevent the blocking device and thus the formulation from falling out of the drinking straw. According to the invention, the drinking straw is held upright at least in sections during use, so that the inlet opening results at its lower end and the mouth opening at its upper end.

The mouth opening is preferably provided with a removable closure device which is impermeable to the formulation. As a result, it is also possible in a simple manner to prevent the formulation from falling out of the drinking straw. The closure device is preferably reversibly closable. As a result, the formulation can also be supplied to a user in several, successively sub-steps, the formulation being securely enclosed in between by the reversibly closable closure device.

The closure device can preferably be a film, a grid or a cap. The closure device can also preferably consist of a material that is insoluble or at least only partially soluble in the transport liquid, air-impermeable or at least only partially air-permeable, but preferably physiologically harmless. The The inside diameter of the closure device is adapted to the outside diameter of the drinking straw, so that the closing device can be placed on the mouth opening of the drinking straw.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the closure device can preferably also be in the form of a cap which is put over the mouth opening.

Another object of the invention is also a kit consisting of the dosage form according to the invention and a physiologically harmless, optionally active substance, nutrient and / or vitamin-containing transport liquid, preferably in a suitable container.

An aqueous liquid is preferably suitable as the transport liquid, water, lemonade, fruit juice without pulp, tea, coffee, milk and / or a liquid containing milk components being particularly preferred.

The following figures show exemplary embodiments of the dosage forms according to the invention. This in no way limits the idea of the invention.

Figure 1 shows a dosage form according to the invention with a cap, a locking device, a restraint and a multiparticulate formulation in the side view and with a section line l-l.

Figure 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the dosage form shown with the locking device along the section line 1-l shown in Figure 1.

Figures 3 and 4 (a, b and c) show a detail of the straw or the straw wall with various embodiments of the retaining means in a perspective view. FIG. 5 shows an illustration of a kit according to the invention or of a use situation of the dosage form according to the invention.

Figures 6 (a, b and c) and 7 show a section of the drinking straw wall with different embodiments of the retaining means in a side view.

FIG. 1 shows a dosage form according to the invention which comprises a drinking straw 1 with a blocking device 3 therein and a multiparticulate formulation 2. The drinking straw 1 has a drinking straw wall 10 or a drinking straw wall 10, an inlet opening 5 and a mouth opening 6, the mouth opening 6 being closed, for example, by means of a cap as a closure device 4. In Figure 1, a cut line II is also drawn transversely to the longitudinal extent of the drinking straw 1 at the level of the locking device 3. The locking device 3 has a longitudinal extent 30 in the direction of a central axis of the drinking straw 1. The formulation 2 is arranged on the side of the locking device 3 facing the mouth opening 6 and remains there before taking it because of the locking effect of the locking device 3. The stopper 3 serving as a blocking device 3 is permeable to air and a transport liquid, in particular when sucking in, but impermeable to the formulation 2. In a modified embodiment of the invention, which is only indicated in FIG. 1, it is possible to provide an additional locking device 3a, which is arranged, for example, at the lower edge of the drinking straw 1, ie in the region of its inlet opening 5. The additional fixed locking device 3a has a locking effect on the formulation beyond the locking device 3, ie the formulation cannot move away from the mouth opening 6 beyond the location of the additional locking device 3a. The additional blocking device 3a can be configured, for example, as a sieve, grating or the like which is separate from the blocking device 3. In particular, the additional blocking device 3a can be designed as an additional blocking device 3a that dissolves in the transport liquid. Here, the additional blocking device 3a is designed, for example, as cotton candy, which dissolves in the flow of the transport liquid during suction. The plug 3 is designed, for example, as a compact, cylindrical body and has a round cross section. The plug 3 is arranged within the drinking straw 1 so that it can move within limits. The mobility of the locking device 3 along the main direction of expansion of the drinking straw 1 is limited according to the invention. This limitation of the mobility of the locking device 3 is already brought about by the fact that the drinking straw 1 according to the invention preferably has a cross-sectional reduction at both its mouth opening 6 and its inlet opening 5, i.e. a reduction in at least the inside diameter or generally the inside cross section of the drinking straw 1, whereby it it is preferably provided that the cross-sectional reduction also goes hand in hand with a reduction in the outer diameter of the drinking straw 1, ie that the "wall thickness" of the drinking straw 1 is essentially constant in the area of the cross-sectional reduction. A first such cross-sectional reduction 11 is shown in FIG 1 and a second such cross-sectional reduction 14 is arranged, for example, at the mouth opening 6 in Figure 1. The cross-sectional reductions 11, 14 have the effect that the blocking device 3 does not come out of the drinking straw (through one or the other) Opening 5, 6) can emerge. The area between the cross-sectional reductions 11, 14 could therefore be referred to as the “maximum range of movement” of the locking device, provided that the retention means would not be arranged in the drinking straw according to the invention , this causes the blocking device 3 - provided that it has penetrated or entered the area of the retaining means 19 far enough - no longer moves away from the area of the retaining means 19, preferably back, that is (usually downwards) to the first Can move stop 11. In addition, the retaining means 19 takes over the task of preventing the blocking device 3 from moving further in the direction of the mouth opening 6, that is to say as a rule “upwards”. Because of this second function, the restraining means 19 therefore also takes on the function of a “stop” (in the direction of the mouth opening 6) for the locking device 3. Therefore, in the following, the area between the first stop 11 on the one hand and the restraining means 19 or the upper one End of the restraining means 19, on the other hand, is referred to as the movement area 13 of the locking device 3, the first stop 11 not necessarily having to be formed at the entry opening 5, but rather alternatively, for example, can also be provided at a distance from it. Any curvature area that may be present can also be a limitation of the range of motion of the locking device. For the combined fulfillment of the two above-mentioned tasks, the restraining means 19 can, for example, be designed such that the corrugation of the restraining means 19 or elevations of the restraining means 19 at their upper end, ie their end pointing towards the mouth opening, has larger elevations than the corrugation in the rest Area.

In alternative embodiments of the invention, in addition to the cross-sectional reductions 11, 14 and the retention means 19, further “stops” can be provided on the inner wall of the drinking straw, but these are not shown in FIG. 1. This makes it possible, for example, to prefer the two of the retention means 19 tasks taken over - namely the retention function of the locking device 3 against slipping back "down" and the stop function against an excessive approach of the locking device 3 to the mouth opening 6 - and to fulfill the stop function by an additional cross-sectional constriction. Here, for example, an annular cross-sectional constriction can be formed on the inside of the wall 10 of the drinking straw 1. Furthermore, it is optionally possible for a plurality of stops to be present - for example a cross-sectional constriction in the vicinity (the upper end) of the retaining means 19 and / or a cross-sectional constriction in the vicinity of the inlet opening 5 of the drinking straw 1.

Regardless of whether there are further cross-sectional constrictions or only the cross-sectional reductions 11, 14 on the inner wall of the drinking straw 1, it is provided according to the invention that the largest diameter of the particles of the formulation is smaller than the inner diameter of the drinking straw at the mouth opening and / or further cross-sectional constrictions above the Blocking device so that the formulation particles can pass this point (s).

FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional representation of the drinking straw 1 along the section line II from FIG. 1, a section through the blocking device 3 likewise being drawn. It can be seen here that the outer diameter of the locking device 3 is adapted to the inner diameter of the drinking straw 1 in such a way that that the formulation 2 cannot get from the side of the blocking device 3 facing the mouth opening 6 to the other side. This is achieved in particular by a sufficiently small distance between the wall 10 of the drinking straw 1 and the locking device 3. This distance - in particular in the area of the retaining means 19 - is chosen to be so short, or the surfaces of the inner straw wall and the outer wall of the locking device are so suitable that there is a sufficiently large friction between the locking device 3 and the wall 10 of the drinking straw that causes the Locking device 3 is once a position in the direction of the mouth opening 6 is fixed at least in the area of the restraint.

The person skilled in the art recognizes that the round cross section shown in FIG. 2 of both the drinking straw 1 and the locking device 3 is selected only by way of example and can also be replaced by another cross-sectional configuration - for example square, rectangular, triangular, pentagonal, hexagonal or octagonal is.

The retention means 19 according to the invention is only indicated in FIG. 1 as a corrugation or as an elevation on the inner surface of the wall 10. The restraining means 19 is arranged within the range of motion 13 or defines or limits the range of motion 13. The distance 60 is provided between the range of motion 13 and the mouth opening 6. In this case, the retaining means preferably also takes on the task that the locking device 3 cannot exit the movement area 13, i. H. remains in the area of the restraining means 19.

FIGS. 3 and 4 (a, b and c) each show a section of the drinking straw 1 or the drinking straw wall 10 with different embodiments of the retaining means 19 in a perspective view. The section of the drinking straw wall 10 shown in FIG. 3 has the area of the retaining means 19 as a constricted area with a reduced inside diameter of the drinking straw 1. The retention means 19 preferably projects between about 0.05 mm and about 3 mm inside the drinking straw, particularly preferably between about 0.1 mm and about 1 mm. According to the invention, an embodiment which is not shown is of course also possible, in which the retaining means 19 extends further into the drinking straw 1 at its upper end, in order to better fulfill the fixing of the locking device in front of the mouth opening.

The cross section of the elevation of the retaining means 19 shown in FIG. 3 into the interior of the drinking straw 1 is rectangular. However, the person skilled in the art knows that a beveled elevation, for example as a beveled projection, which for example has a trapezoidal cross section, is also possible.

In Figures 4a to 4c further embodiments of the restraint are shown schematically. In this case, the retaining means 19 runs as a plurality of linear elevations on the inside of the drinking straw 1 in FIG. 4a transversely to the central axis of the drinking straw 1 by reference number 10a. In FIG. 4b, the retaining means 19 extends as a plurality of linear elevations parallel to the central axis 10a of the Drinking straw 1 and in FIG. 4c the retaining means 19 extends as a plurality of point-like elevations obliquely to the central axis 10a. Further embodiments of the retaining means 19, not shown, relate to a spiral arrangement of a single or a plurality of elevations. In Figures 3 and 4, the elevations are arranged around the entire circumference of the wall 10 of the drinking straw 1, but this is only to be understood as an example. The person skilled in the art knows that in order to implement the corresponding retention or frictional forces, it is also possible to arrange such an elevation (or even more) only on one side of the wall 10 or only two such elevations (or more) on opposite sides of the wall To arrange wall 10.

FIG. 5 shows an illustration of a kit according to the invention or a usage situation of the dosage form according to the invention. The drinking straw 1 (only shown schematically in FIG. 5) dips with its inlet opening 5 into the transport liquid 7, which is located in a reservoir 50. By means of a suction movement by a user of the drinking straw 1 (not shown) at the mouth opening 6, transport liquid 7 is sucked through the drinking straw 1 and conveys the formulation 2 or its components to Mouth opening 6 and thus in the mouth of the user. In this case, the drinking straw 1 can be bent or bent in a region of curvature 15 by an angle of curvature 16. The curvature region 15 divides the drinking straw 1 into a first (lower) part 17 and a second (upper) part 18. The first part 17 is also referred to as the region 17 of the inlet opening 5 and the second part 18 is also referred to as the region 18 designated the mouth opening 6. The area runs here

17 of the inlet opening 5 largely vertical and the area 18 of the mouth opening 6 angled by the angle of curvature 16. Here, the second part 18 should run at most horizontally, because otherwise the liquid can leak out of the mouth opening 6 in an uncontrolled manner.

According to the invention, the retention means 19 are arranged in the upper third of the drinking straw 1 and preferably above a curvature region 15 which may be present. This advantageously allows the locking device 3 or the movement region 13 to be fixed in the vicinity of the mouth opening 6, but at a distance from it by the distance 60. In this respect, FIG. 1 is not to be regarded as a scale representation of the drinking straw 1, because here the distance between the movement area 13 and the inlet opening 5 is shown too small for the sake of simplicity. If a curvature region 15 is present, the blocking device 3 is provided according to the invention in the part 18 of the drinking straw 1 which also has the retaining means 19. In the example shown in FIG. 5, the locking device 3, the formulation 2 and the restraining means 19 (not shown in FIG. 5) are in the second (upper) part

18 (leg) of the drinking straw 1 and thus “on the same side” of the curvature region 15.

FIG. 5 also schematically shows a connecting piece 52 between the drinking straw and the reservoir 50, which prevents the transport liquid 7 from spilling either from the reservoir 50 or - for example due to a decrease in the suction effect of the user of the drinking straw 1 - from the drinking straw 1.

Furthermore, FIG. 5 schematically shows a marking 22 as a symbol representing a mouth on the drinking straw 1, which is clearly closer to the mouth opening 6 is located at the inlet opening 5 to indicate that suction is required at the mouth opening 6 for the dosage form to function properly.

Furthermore, FIG. 5 shows a corrugation 24 of the mouthpiece of the drinking straw 1 adjacent to the mouth opening 6. The corrugation 24 is used so that the user of the drinking straw 1 can hold it better with his lips.

Figures 6a, 6b, 6c and 7 each show a section of the drinking straw wall 10 with different embodiments of the retaining means 19 in a side view. 6a shows the restraining means 19 in the form of "barbs", which have the advantage that even with a small protrusion protruding into the inside of the drinking straw 1, effective protection against slipping back, ie good locking of the locking device 3 is given. In FIG 6b shows a rounded embodiment of the elevations of the retaining means 19. This has the advantage that the blocking device 3 can penetrate particularly easily into the area of the retaining means 19. FIG. 6c indicates how the elevations of the retaining means 19 with an unchanged wall thickness of the drinking straw 1. It is possible here to generate the elevations of the retaining means 19 from the outside of the wall 10, which leads to an indentation of the outer wall of the wall 10. The person skilled in the art knows that this also applies to the elevation or elevations of optionally available upper and / or lower stops is transferable, wa s is however not explicitly shown in the figures.

FIG. 7 shows a further embodiment of the retention means, in which the retention means 19 is designed in the form of a roughening. The roughening in the area of the retention means 19 is provided in particular in the form of small-scale or microscopic surveys. These can either result from the wall 10 of the drinking straw 1, which is designed accordingly by means of a special treatment method, or the roughening can be accomplished by means of a coating on the inside of the wall 10 of the drinking straw 1 - for example also by means of a Velcro surface. LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1 drinking straw 2 formulation 3 locking device 3a additional locking device 4 closing device 5 inlet opening 6 mouth opening 7 transport liquid 10 drinking wall or drinking wall 10a central axis 11 first cross-sectional area reduction 13 range of motion 14 second cross-sectional area reduction 15 curvature area 16 angle of curvature 17 first (lower) part 18 second (upper) part 19 restraint 22 marking 24 mouthpiece corrugation 30 longitudinal extension of the locking device 50 reservoir 52 connecting piece

Claims

claims

1. Dosage form for oral administration of active ingredients, vitamins and / or nutrients comprising a drinking straw (1) and an impermeable to an active ingredient, vitamin and / or nutrient formulation (2), but permeable to air and a transport liquid (7) Locking device (3) movable in the drinking straw (1), characterized in that the active substance, vitamin and / or nutrient formulation is arranged between the locking device (3) and the mouth opening (6) of the drinking straw (1) and the drinking straw ( 1) at a predetermined distance (60) between the formulation and mouth opening (6) has at least one retaining means (19) for permanent fixation of the locking device.

2. Dosage form according to claim 1, characterized in that the retaining means (19) is at least one elevation on the inner wall of the drinking straw (1), which is preferably directed only into the cavity of the drinking straw (1).

3. Dosage form according to claim 2, characterized in that the elevation is point-like.

4. Dosage form according to claim 2, characterized in that the elevation is linear.

5. Dosage form according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the elevation is arranged perpendicular or obliquely or parallel to the central axis (10a) of the drinking straw (1) or in a spiral.

6. Dosage form according to one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that the elevation on the inner wall is a knob or a corrugation or corresponds to a constriction, a conical taper or a non-conical taper of the drinking straw (1).

7. Dosage form according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the retaining means (19) consists of at least two elevations on the inner wall of the drinking straw (1), wherein the elevations can be arranged opposite or diagonally offset.

8. Dosage form according to one of claims 2 to 7, characterized in that the elevation of the inner wall of the drinking straw (1) corresponds to a corresponding indentation of the outer wall of the drinking straw (1), so that the wall thickness of the drinking straw (1) in the region of the elevation in corresponds essentially to the remaining wall thickness of the drinking straw.

9. Dosage form according to claim 1, characterized in that the retaining means (19) corresponds to a roughened surface area of the inner wall of the drinking straw (1).

10. Dosage form according to claim 1, characterized in that there is at least partial Velcro lining of the inner wall of the drinking straw (1) as a retaining means (19) and preferably the corresponding surface areas of the locking device (3) are equipped with complementary Velcro equipment.

11. Dosage form according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the retaining means (19) is elastic and has a lower elasticity than the drinking straw (1) and / or the locking device (3).

12. Dosage form according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the locking device (3) is elastic, preferably has at least one elasticity corresponding to that of the drinking straw (1).

13. Dosage form according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the mouth opening of the drinking straw (1) has a corrugation (24).

14. Dosage form according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the drinking straw (1) has an inlet opening (5) for the transport liquid, preferably the inlet opening (5) as a connector (52) to a reservoir (50) of the transport liquid (7) is formed.

15. Dosage form according to one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the mouth opening (6) is provided with a removable and for the formulation (2) impermeable closure device (4).

16. Kit from the dosage form according to one of claims 1 to 15 and a physiologically acceptable, possibly active ingredient-containing, transport liquid (7), which is preferably present in a container.

17. Kit according to claim 16, characterized in that the transport liquid (7) is an aqueous liquid, preferably water, lemonade, fruit juice without pulp, tea, coffee, milk and / or a liquid containing milk components.