Medicaments containing pantothenic acid

Abstract

This invention relates to medicaments and their use in the alleviation of inflammation and pain in joints.

1 . A method of treating pain in a joint inflamed by traumatic arthritis which comprises injecting a solution comprising at least about 400 mg of pantothenic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or a derivative or prodrug thereof into the inflamed joint, or injecting the solution into a site that is next to the inflamed joint but outside the capsule of the inflamed joint.  
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the solution is injected directly into the inflamed joint.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the solution is injected into a site that is next to the inflamed joint but outside the capsule of the inflamed joint.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the solution is injected into a site that is within about 10 millimeters from the exterior surface of the capsule of the inflamed joint.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pantothenic acid is in the form of a salt.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the salt is the calcium salt.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the solution is an aqueous solution.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pantothenic acid or the pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof is co-formulated with a local anaesthetic.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a local anaesthetic is co-administered with the pantothenic acid or the pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof in a separate injection.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the solution comprises about 500 mg of calcium pantothenate.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the inflamed joint is a freely moving joint that is inflamed by traumatic arthritis.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pantothenic acid is dextro-pantothenic acid.