Serum Lipid Lowering Pyridine Derivatives

1,157,186. Compositions containing pyridine-carboxylic acids. ASTRA A.B. 3 April, 1968 [26 April, 1967], No. 19174/67. Heading A5B. [Also in Division C2] Pharmaceutical compositions for lowering serum lipid concentration comprise a pyridine carboxylic acid 'of formula:- wherein n is 0 or 2 or 3 and R is hydrogen, halogen or -NH 2 , and is fluorine or chlorine when n is 0, or a non-toxic salt thereof, together with a pharmaceutically acceptable diluent or carrier. Suitable salts are those of Na or Ca. The compositions. may be for oral or parenteral adiministration, and may take the form of tablets or dragees, hard or soft gelatine capsules, sustained release tablets, effervescent tablets or powders, or a syrup or suspension. Sustained release tablets are either multi-layered, each layer having a slowly dissolving coating, or are formed by compressing into tablets, coated granules with slowly soluble coats of varying thickness, or consist of the active agent evenly distributed in a slowly soluble wax, fat or inert plastic matrix. Effervescent powders comprise the agent with a carrier of a suitable carbonate or bicarbonate (e.g. Na, Ca or K) and' a solid acid such as tartaric or citric acid, which powder, may be compressed into tablets The compositions may include vitamins and other active ingredients, e.g. Vitamins A, B 1 , B 2 , and B 6 , pantothenol and caffeine. The invention includes the preparation of the compositions by synthesis of the active agent (see Div. C2) followed by admixture with a carrier and' conversion into a pharmaceutical form.