INGESTIBLE AMINE FUNCTIONALIZED AND CROSS-LINKED HOMOPOLYMERS WITH HYDROPHOBIC BACKBONE FOR THE LOWERING OF BLOOD CHOLESTEROL

摘要

The invention is concerned with novel ingestible cross-linked homopolymers having functional groups consisting of linear or branched amines, of the formula: P-¢NR(CH2)n !mN(R)2 or (Ia) (Ib) and their pharmaceutically acceptable salts of the formulae: P-¢N+(R)2(CH)n!MN+(R)3 and (Id) wherein P represents a hydrophobic, cross-linked and nondigestible homopolymer backbone; R is a hydrogen atom or a lower alkyl radical; X- is a pharmaceutically acceptable anion; m is an integer varying from 1 to 6 inclusive; and n, o and p are, independently, integers varying from 2 to 12 inclusive. The amine functionalized and cross-linked homopolymers of the invention are highly efficient adsorbents for bile acids and salts and can thus be used for reducing hypercholesterolemia in affected humans.