# US 4,393,049 A · Treatment for obesity

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- Number: US 4,393,049 A
- Document ID: US4393049A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 06/272,082
- Filed: 1981-06-10
- Granted: 1983-07-12
- Earliest claimed: 1978-01-23
- Assignees: Efamol Limited
- Inventors: David F. Horrobin
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4393049A

## CPC

- A61K 31/545: Compounds containing 5-thia-1-azabicyclo [4.2.0] octane ring systems, i.e. compounds containing a ring system of the formula: [IMAGE cpc-sch-A61K-0953.gif] , e.g. cephalosporins, {cefaclor, or cephalexine}
- A61K 31/43: Compounds containing 4-thia-1-azabicyclo [3.2.0] heptane ring systems, i.e. compounds containing a ring system of the formula [IMAGE cpc-sch-A61K-0952.gif], e.g. penicillins, penems
- A61K 33/30: Zinc; Compounds thereof
- A61K: PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES (devices or methods specially adapted for bringing pharmaceutical products into particular physical or administering forms A61J3/00; chemical aspects of, or use of materials for deodorisation of air, for disinfection or sterilisation, or for bandages, dressings, absorbent pads or surgical articles A61L; soap compositions C11D)

## Abstract

Use of .gamma.-linolenic acid and related materials alone or with zinc or .beta.-lactam antibiotics to treat obesity.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of treating obesity comprising administering to a person suffering therefrom an effective amount of .gamma.-linolenic acid or physiologically functional derivative thereof and/or dihomo-.gamma.-linolenic acid or physiologically functional derivative thereof.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A method according to claim 1, wherein the daily amount of .gamma.-linolenic or dihomo-.gamma.-linolenic acid or derivatives thereof is 0.05 to 10 g calculated as .gamma.-linolenic acid.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A method according to claim 1, wherein the daily amount of .gamma.-linolenic or dihomo-.gamma.-linolenic acid or derivatives thereof is from 0.1 to 5 g calculated as .gamma.-linolenic acid.

### Claim 4

A method of treating obesity comprising administering to a person suffering therefrom an effective amount of (a) .gamma.-linolenic acid or physiologically functional derivative thereof and/or dihomo-.gamma.-linolenic acid or physiologically functional derivative thereof, and (b) a conjoint amount of a material influencing the 1-series/2-series PG balance in the body in favour of 1-series PG's.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

A method according to claim 4, wherein said material (b) is physiologically assimilable zinc.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

A method according to claim 5, wherein the daily amount of the active components is from 0.05 to 10 g of (a) calculated as .gamma.-linolenic acid and from 2.5 to 800 mg of (b).

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

A method according to claim 5, wherein the daily amount of the active components is from 0.1 to 5 g of (a) calculated as .gamma.-linolenic acid and from 10 to 80 mg of (b).

### Claim 8 (depends on 4)

A method according to claim 4, wherein said material (b) is a .beta.-lactam antibiotic.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

A method according to claim 8, wherein said antibiotic is a natural or semi-synthetic penicillin or cephalosporin antibiotic.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

A method according to claim 8, wherein said antibiotic is selected from pencillin G, penicillin N, penicillin V, cephalothin, ampicillin, amoxycillin, cloxacillin, cephalexin and cephaloglycin.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8, 9, 10)

A method according to claim 8, 9 or 10, wherein the daily amount of the active components is from 0.05 to 10 g (a) calculated as .gamma.-linolenic acid and 0.5 to 3 g of (b).

### Claim 12 (depends on 8, 9, 10)

A method according to claim 8, 9 or 10, wherein the daily amount of the active components is from 0.1 to 5 g (a) calculated as .gamma.-linolenic acid and from 0.5 to 3 g of (b).

### Claim 13

A method of treating obesity comprising administering to a person suffering therefrom an effective amount of (a) .gamma.-linolenic acid or physiologically functional derivative thereof and/or dihomo-.gamma.-linolenic acid or a physiologically functional derivative thereof and conjoint amounts of (b) physiologically assimilable zinc, and (c) a .beta.-lactam antibiotic.

### Claim 14 (depends on 5, 13)

A method according to claim 5 or 13 wherein the zinc is present as zinc oleate, zinc .gamma.-linolenate or zinc dihomo-.gamma.-linolenate.