Rehydratable antacid composition

Claim 1

An antacid composition in solid powder form characterized by providing when admixed with water a fluid, resuspendable, pharmaceutically elegant antacid suspension with high antacid capacity of at least about 25 milliequivalents of said neutralizing capacity per 5 milliliters of suspension comprising: the co-dried admixture of (a) at least about 18% by weight based upon the weight of the admixture prior to being dried of magaldrate gel in its freshly precipitated wet state containing at least about 24% by weight of magaldrate; (b) about 5% to about 10% by weight of a polyhydric alcohol based on the weight of the admixture prior to being dried, and (c) a fluidizing amount of a combination of (i) as a first fluidizer an aluminum hydroxide gel having colloidal properties and (ii) as a second fluidizer potassium citrate, the weight ratio on a dry basis of magaldrate to the combination of fluidizers being within the range of about 25:1 to 2:1 and the weight ratio on a dry basis of the first fluidizer calculated as aluminum oxide and the second fluidizer being within the range of about 1:6 to about 1:2.

Claim 7

A method for preparing a rehydratable antacid composition of magaldrate gel in solid powder form from a fluidized admixture which before being dried is composed of (a) at least about 18% by weight based upon the weight of the admixture prior to being dried of magaldrate gel in its freshly precipitated wet state containing at least about 24% by weight of magaldrate, (b) about 5% to about 10% by weight of a polyhydric alcohol based on the weight of the admixture prior to being dried, and (c) a fluidizing amount of a combination of (i) as a first fluidizer an aluminum hydroxide gel having colloidal properties and (ii) as a second fluidizer potassium citrate, the weight ratio on a dry basis of magaldrate to the combination of fluidizers being within the range of about 25:1 to 2:1 and the weight ratio on a dry basis of the first fluidizer calculated as aluminum oxide and the second fluidizer being within the range of about 1:6 to about 1:2, comprising the steps of: (1) forming a mixture containing the polyhydric alcohol, first fluidizer, second fluidizer and citrate ion source; (2) concentrating the precipitated and undried magaldrate gel to a weight concentration of at least 24%; (3) incrementally and continuously charging and mixing the concentrated magaldrate gel with a stream of the mixture containing said first fluidizer, second fluidizer and polyol thereby fluidizing the concentrated gel into a fluid suspension; and (4) drying the fluid suspension of magaldrate gel, polyhydric alcohol and first and second fluidizers.

Claim 8

A method for preparing a rehydratable antacid composition of magaldrate gel in solid powder form from a fluidized admixture which before being dried is composed of (a) at least about 18% by weight based upon the weight of the admixture prior to being dried of magaldrate gel in its freshly precipitated wet state containing at least about 24% by weight of magaldrate, (b) about 5% to about 10% by weight of a polyhydric alcohol based on the weight of the admixture prior to being dried, and (c) a fluidizing amount of a combination of (i) as a first fluidizer an aluminum hydroxide gel having colloidal properties and (ii) as a second fluidizer potassium citrate, the weight ratio on a dry basis of magaldrate to the combination of fluidizers being within the range of about 25:1 to 2:1 and the weight ratio on a dry basis of the first fluidizer calculated as aluminum oxide and the second fluidizer being within the range of about 1:6 to about 1:2, comprising the steps of: (1) forming a mixture containing the polyhydric alcohol, first fluidizer, second fluidizer and citrate ion source; (2) concentrating the precipitated and undried magaldrate gel to a weight concentration of at least 24%; (3) incrementally and continuously charging and mixing the concentrated magaldrate gel with a stream of the mixture containing said first fluidizer, second fluidizer and polyol thereby fluidizing the concentrated gel into a fluid suspension; and (4) drying the fluid suspension of magaldrate gel, polyhydric alcohol and first and second fluidizers.