Title of Invention

BIOREGULATORY ACTIVE SUBSTANCE AND METHOD FOR ITS PRODUCTION

Abstract Bioregulatory active substances with an inorganic structural frame which is synthesized from carbon suboxide by cyclooligomerization and additional formation of macro-ring structures are specified. These active substances are used as such and/or as stable adducts with other known substances. The characterization of these active substances are described as well as their organic and inorganic derivatives, methods for their synthetic production, their isolation and purification. The application of these active substances for enzyme regulation and bioregulation, medicinal compositions containing these active substances as well as their use in diagnostics and therapy is also described.
Full Text Field of the Invention
The invention relates to bioregulatory active substances
with an inorganic structural frame and a method for its
synthetic production as well as its isolation from various
starting materials. The application of these active
substances as such or in combination with other active
substances for enzyme regulation and bioregulation is also
described.
Background of the Invention
The proper course of biochemical processes and the optimal
function of biological immune mechanisms is ensured by
numerous bioregulatory active substances. From a chemical
standpoint, bioregulatory active substances known up to now
are peptides, carbohydrates, steroids or lipids, whereby
these structural elements can also occur together (for
example, glycopeptides, lipoproteins). Furthermore, the
application of bioregulatory active substances for the
therapy of diseases which are caused by defective functions
in one or more of thess regulation mechanisms is known. The
therapeutic use of steroid hormones, corticosteroids and
cardiac glycosides as well as growth hormones or blood
coagulation factors are some of the many examples in this
sense. However, pharmacotherapy with substances of this
type is very often accompanied by damaging side-effects, and
therewith, considerably limited. A detailed consideration
of these aspects is to be found in Goodman and Gilman's "The
Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics", 8th Ed., New York,
1991. For example, with cardiac glycosides, the positive
inotropic, therapeutically useful action is compromised by a
cardiotoxic side-effect, and consequently, therapeutic doses

must be very rigorously limited. As a further example, the
application of corticosteroids may be mentioned where the
therapeutic use is only recommended in very severe cases and
only for a limited time due to a series of very severe side-
effects such as myopathy, osteoporosis, psychic
disturbances, increased infection susceptibility, etc..
Despite considerable efforts to treat immunologically caused
disease syndromes with immunoregulatory active substances,
previous clinical tests are not convincing.
The purpose of such immunotherapeutic applications would be
to accomplish the basic therapy for autoimmune diseases such
as rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis, among
others, which has not been found to date. According to E.
Sercarz and S. K. Datta "Autoimmunity" in Current Biology 6,
875-881 (1995), these autoimmune diseases have mostly been
caused by disturbed immunoregulation. For fighting severe
disease syndromes which are characterized by a considerably
weakened immune system, such as carcinosis or AIDS, the
previous therapeutical uses of immunoregulatory substances
has yielded little.
Several bioregulatory peptides and proteins have been
characterized as reported in the Monograph from M. J.
Clemens "Cytokines", Oxford 1991. That cytokines play an
important role in different carcinoses, in autoimmune
diseases and in viral infections (including AIDS) has also
already been reported several times. Despite this, wider
therapeutic applications of these and other bioregulatory
proteins and peptides are still lacking to a large extent.
One of the causes for this certainly lies in the often very
laborious production technologies: the extractions and
subsequent purifications of bioregulatory active substances
from human or animal tissue fluids, where they are present
in only very small amounts, is completely unsuitable for
providing therapeutically needed amounts. The danger of

allergic side-effects and/or anaphylactic reactions which,
despite their rare occurrence, represent a considerable risk
factor for human therapy that still exists with gene
technologically produced bioregulatory polypeptides or
glycoproteins. The fundamental problem of the therapeutic
applications of several "in vitro" highly active polypeptide
factors lies in the fact that they demonstrate "in vivo"
entirely different, mostly very much weaker activity. On
the one hand, numerous physical and enzymatic barriers
impede the externally administered peptides and proteins
from reaching the location of the pathological event (focus
of inflammation, cancerous ulcer, etc.). On the other hand,
they are quickly neutralized and metabolized by the
endogenous enzymes and other factors present there. With
peroral administration of active substances of a peptide,
glycopeptide and glycosidic nature, these substances are
already rendered practically ineffective in the gastro-
intestinal system by several degradation processes.
However, a relatively fast degradation of bioregulatory
active substances of peptidic or glycopeptidic nature must
also be taken into account with a delivery "per os". In
order to entirely target the therapeutically effective
concentration to the location of the pathological event or
manifestations, such as at the focus of inflammation or at
the cancerous ulcer, a masked delivery of the active
substance has been performed for example. Something similar
was described by R. Collier and D. Kaplan in "Immuntoxins",
Heidelberg 1988, in connection with the use of toxins which
could be purposefully employed bound to monoclonal
antibodies( drug targeting). However, the treatment
technique is still very complicated and only remains
restrictively applicable for specific cases. For regulatory
active substances, the bioavailability is not only dependent
on stability, but also on purely physical processes, such as
solubility and membrane permeability. This concerns making

the water solubility of lipophilic substances possible in
plasma or making the membrane permeability of hydrophilic
active ingredients such as Na+ or K+ ions possible. For
example, the mitochondria membrane is normally not permeable
to potassium ions. Cyclic antibiotics such as nonactin or
valinomycin make this permeability possible through the
organic envelopment of the corresponding ions. Since 1967,
numerous new compounds have been produced which have a
macro-ring structure and make a cryptate-like covering of
inorganic ions or smaller molecules possible.
However, important prerequisites for a direct therapeutic
application of such cryptate-forming substances are a low
toxicity and good bioassimilation, which is only seldom
fulfilled by the synthetically produced cryptand reagents.
Many fundamental bioregulatory mechanisms are controlled by
the so-called sodium pump. This enzyme has the ability to
pump sodium ions from the insides of cells to the outside
and simultaneously transport potassium ions in the opposite
direction. The energy consumption is met by a coupled
hydrolysis of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). This pump is
identical with the enzyme referred to as the Na+, K+-ATPase
and is ubiquitously distributed. Several important cellular
functions are controlled by this Na+,K+-ATPase such as cell
volume, heat production, intracellular free Ca2+ ion
concentration, neuronal transmission, muscle contraction or
membrane potential.
In numerous immunoregulatory processes, important phases are
also controlled by the Na+,K+-ATPase, and thus, the sodium
pump also acquires a fundamental roll in immunoregulation.
Despite this general distribution and significance, the
regulation mechanism of this enzyme has not yet been
clarified. The so-called "cardiac glycoside receptor site"
of the enzyme is suspected as the functional location for

the bioregulation of the sodium pump. The cardiac glycosides
present is several plant species are bound to this site with
high affinity and exert their cardiotonic, but also their
cardiotoxic effect. However, their toxicity proves that
they are not identical with the endogenous ligands of this
enzyme. In the paper "Endogenous digitalis-like factors" by
W. Schoner in Progress in Drug Research, 41, 249-291 (1993),
it is reported that the chemical nature and the structure of
these endogenous bioregulatory substances could not yet be
established despite a large research effort. Up to now, no
sufficient amount of these endogenous factors could be
isolated from animal tissue and fluids in order to make an
exact characterization and structure determination possible.
The activity of the Na+,K+-ATPase, and therewith several
bioregulatory mechanisms, could be effectively controlled
with these factors which are identical or structurally
similar to these endogenous ligands.
Recently/ several simple inorganic substances have been
found which participate in bioregulatory processes.
However, it is important to note that all of these inorganic
substances are only used as simple messenger substances or
effectors. They fundamentally lack the three-dimensional
structure necessary for exerting a bioregulatory action and
the capability for structure specific action coupled
therewith. In the paper "Biological Roles of Nitric Oxide"
by S. Snyder and D. Bredt in Scientific American, 1992 (5)
22-29, it is reported that this gaseous compound is a
functional effector in the control of the non-specific
immune response. In the organism, nitric oxide had a very
short life time in order to exert its local, mostly toxic
effect and is always produced "in situ". When the
phagocytes of the immune system, the so-called macrophages,
are activated with bacterial toxins or cytokines, they can
produce relatively large amounts of nitric oxide within
hours and this is employed as an immunological weapon. It

is assumed that further simple gaseous compounds also
participate in bioregulatory processes. Ethylene, for
example, is known as an important factor in plant biology.
Carbon monoxide participates in the physiological regulation
of the cyclization of guanosine monophosphate (GMP) as was
reported by A. Verma in Science, 259, 381 (1993).
Only very little has been reported up to now on the
biological action of another carbon oxide, the much more
seldom found C3O2. It is only known that this concerns a
compound which is gaseous at room temperature (BP. 7°C) , is
irritating to mucus membranes and smells of mustard oil and
acrolein. Carbon suboxide represents a relatively strong
blood toxin which irreversibly binds hemoglobin; the
tolerability limit in mice lies at 0.2-0.4 % C3O2 in dry
air. C3O2 reacts with water and forms malonic acid.
However, without traces of mineral acids, this reaction does
not proceed so fast as it was previously claimed. It is
suspected that, aside from carbon monoxide, the original
reducing earth atmosphere also contained considerable
amounts of C3O2, and recently, evidence of its possible
presence in interstellar space was found as reported by W.
Huntress et al. in Nature, 352, 316-318 (1991). However,
until now there is no concrete evidence for the possible
presence of C3O2 in biological fluids. Considering the
water sensitivity of the monomer gas as well as the
amorphous polymer, a possible biological role has been
mostly excluded a priori. The hypothesis of H. Yanagawa and
F. Egami, whereby the water reactive amorphous polymer could
have been a possible starting material for the original
synthesis of simple organic compounds, has been considered
as fundimentally possible.
Gaseous C3O2 more or less quickly forms amorphous polymers
which are yellow to intensive red-brown colored. Only very
little concrete knowledge is known on the structure of these

polymers. In general, they are described as a non-
homogeneous amorphous mass which was also earlier designated
as 'red carbon". The chemical properties of carbon suboxide
and its polymers are reviewed in the paper by T. Kappe and
E. Ziegler, Agnew. Chem., 86, 529 (1974). The
polymerization products are partially soluble in water or in
diluted alkalines, whereby intensive yellow to dark brown
colored solutions form. Several hypothetical formulae have
been proposed for the structure of these amorphous,
irregular polymers, but none of them could also be
experimentally confirmed. As the most probable, a graphite-
like, hexagonal lattice structure is suspected which is
unsaturated at the periphery and must be correspondingly
unstable. This hypothesis was described in detail in the
paper by N. S. Smith and D. A. Young in Inorganic Chemistry
2, 829 (1963) .
It is further known that several biologically highly
effective substances in plasma are not found as such, but
rather as conjugates. For example, steroid hormones are
present in blood plasma as their sulfate or glucuronate
conjugates and their degradation products are also
eliminated as such conjugates. Not infrequently, these
conjugated steroids demonstrate even better therapeutic
properties in comparison with the pure active substance, as
was described for conjugated estrogen, steroids according to
US 2,565,115 and US 2,720,483 or for dehydroepiandrosterone
sulfate (DHEAS). The above mentioned conjugations regulate
the biological availability and the assimilation of these
steroid active substances and can therewith explain the
improved therapeutic properties. Relatively little is known
about the regulation of the bioavailability of polypeptidic
active substances by the formation of corresponding
conjugates. The enzymatic conjugation of proteins with
ubiquitin also has regulatory functions as was described in
Trends Biochemical Sciences 15, 195 (1990). The suitable

conjugation of polypeptidic substances could attain a
breakthrough in the therapeutic applications of these active
substances. As a known example, the search for long-term
acting insulin is to be mentioned. It is known that the
therapeutic functional time of insulin is considerably
prolonged by addition of zinc salts or of protamine sulfate.
However, these additives can cause different side-effects.
A suitable conjugate which should ensure a retarded release
of insulin has been tried by numerous authors, but until now
has not be realized.
Description of the Invention
Field of the Invention
Object of the present invention is to provide new
bioregulatory active substances in which the above mentioned
disadvantages do not appear and which bring about the
recovery of the disturbed bioregulatory mechanisms in
diseases. Additionally, the active substances should
clearly improve the therapeutic effect and the
bioavailability of known medicaments.
This object is solved according to the invention by the
features of claims 1 to 39.
Brief Description of the Accompanying Drawings
i
Fig..1: Electroionization mass spectrum of the co-(C3O2)6
in water.
Fig. 2: Electrospray mass spectrum of the amine complexes
co-(C3O2) • (NH3)2 and co-(C3O2) • (NH3)6.
Fig. 3: LC-coupled electrospray mass spectrum of the
multi-charged units of co-(C3O2)n with n = 558.

Fig. 4: MALDI-mass spectrum of the co-(C3O2H)60 and
co-(C3O2H)72.
Fig. 5: Infrared spectrum in KBr pellets of the
co-(C3O2H)10.
Fig. 6: UV-VTS absorption spectrum of the co-(C3O2H)6 in
water.
Fig. 7: HP-gel permeation chromatogram of an active
substance mixture and the molecular weight
standard curve of the column.
Structure Description
The bioregulatory active substances according to the
invention are chemical compounds whose structural frame is
built from the simple inorganic carbon suboxide C3O2 by
cyclooligomerization. Although carbon suboxide O=C=C=C=O
itself and the amorphous polymers formed from it are known
as reactive, water sensitive substances, the author could
astonishingly obtain particular water stable cyclooligomeric
carbon suboxide structures. The basic prerequisite for
stability is that these structures no longer contain the
reactive cumulated C=C and C=O double bonds of carbon
suboxide. This is solved according to the invention such
that several, preferably six, carbon suboxide molecules form
4-pyrone or 2-pyrone rings which are condensed with each
other and these additionally close in a macro-ring
structure.


Basically, these frames which are built from cyclooligomeric
carbon suboxide are not organic compounds and belong, as
well as carbon suboxide itself, to inorganic chemistry.
The chemical formula of the cyclooligomeric carbon suboxide
frames closed to macro-rings is as follows:

wherein n denotes the degree of cyclooligomerization of C3O2
and co symbolizes the above named type of linkage of these
units.
Furthermore, the author has found that among the endlessly
large number of principally possible structures of
cyclooligomeric carbon suboxides closed by macro-rings, only
a few with certain n values are particularly stable. Those
cyclooligomeric macro-ring frames are preferred in which the
number n equals 4, 6 or 10 or is a multiple of 4, 6 or 10 in
the formula
Active substances according to the invention with these
preferred n values can also be considered as derivatives of
the cyclohexameric carbon suboxide with the formula co-

co-(C3O2H)6- This first member of the series of cyclooligomeric
carbon suboxides defined here has a particular importance
and is described in detail in the following.
Cyclohexameric Carbon Suboxide co-(C3O2)6
The molar mass M = 408.19 determined experimentally by mass
spectrometry corresponds to the formula C18O12 and at the
same time to the six-fold molar mass of the carbon suboxide
M = 68.032. For the structure, several isomer possibilities
are conceivable, for example with head-to-head linkages or
the following depicted structure with six alternating head-
to-tail condensed 4-pyrone rings which is assumed as the
most probable based on spectral and other properties.

The actual electron distribution presumably lies closer to
the zwitterion structure denoted as pyrylium because this is
additionally stabilized in comparison to the pyrone
structure.
Hydorxy-pyran and Pyrylium Salt Derivatives
The existence of derivatives of the formula (C3O2)6.H1-6 of
cyclohexameric carbon suboxide is also visible in the mass
spectrum (Fig. 1). In aqueous solution, the active
substances according to the invention can also be present as

hydorxy-pyran derivatives. The general formula of the
hydorxy-pyran derivatives formed by several-fold addition of
hydrogen is:

wherein the number m of the bound hydrogen atoms is limited
by the number n of the exacyclic oxygen atoms, and thus, m
is ≤ n.
The hydorxy-pyran derivative of the cyclohexamer with the
formula

and the molar mass M = 414.24 has a particular importance
for the formation of inorganic and organic derivatives and
is, together with co-(C3O2)6, the basic unit for the
formation of self-associates and different derivatives. The
presumed 4-hydorxy-pyran structure of the cyclohexameric
carbon suboxide CO-(C3O2H)6 is depicted as follows:

In general, in the presence of strong acids, the positive
charges arising through protonation of the exacyclic oxygen
atoms are neutralized by the corresponding OH- ions or acid
anions An. For the formation of pyrylium salt compounds,

acids or bases as well as several easily dissociating salt
compounds formed from anions An and cations Ka are
considered. The chemical formula of the pyrylium salt
derivatives which are formed from the active substances
according to the invention with an acid, a base or a salt
compound of the general formula Ka.An is:

wherein Ka and An are the cationic the anionic counter ions
which neutralize the altogether 2n zwitterionic charges of
the pyrylium frame. The structure of the pyrylium salt
compounds can be depicted as follows, wherein the counter
ions are not exactly localized in the aqueous solution.

The anionic An and cationic Ka counter ions can be present
-as individual and uniform inorganic or organic cations and
anions, for example all Ka = Na+ and all An = Cl-,
-as a mixture of inorganic or of organic cations and anions,
for example in a relationship corresponding to the
physiological concentrations of these ions or
-as zwitterionic compounds themselves containing both
counter ions such as amino acids, betaine, ionic soaps.

In water, the pyrylium salt derivatives of the active
substances according to the invention are mostly very
soluble. The somewhat lower solubility of pyrylium salts
with anions such as chloride of sulfate in acetone or
ethanol is used in the isolation according to the invention
of the active substances described here.
In physiological fluids, the zwitterionic charges of the
active substances are neutralized by the anions and cations
present there. Accordingly, it is more appropriate to speak
of a statistic distribution of the counter ions than of
chemically unified salt compounds of a certain ion. Certain
complexes formed with metal ions, preferably transition
metal ions such as Fe(III), Sb(III), Cd(II), Pt(II),
Au(III), Pb(IV), can be used for the isolation and for the
detection of the active substances according to the
invention.
The compounds formed with complex inorganic or organic
anions such as SCN-, BF4-, Cr2O72-, MnO4-, picrate,
reineckate, can also be used for isolation and for
detection.
Adducts, Conjugates
The formation of molecular adducts with inorganic elements
or with organic compounds is promoted by the strong capacity
for association of the cyclooligomeric and macro-ring closed
carbon suboxides according to the invention. The
stochiometric or non-stochiometric adducts with organic
compounds are denoted as conjugates. Cyclohexameric carbon
suboxide can form stable adducts with several, preferably 2
to 6, molecules of ammonia, organic amines, amino acids,
peptides or other substances with amine function. The
general formula of these amine adducts is:


wherein R1, R2 and R3 is each a hydrogen atom or an organic
residue and m is a number from 1 to 6. Experimentally, the
molar mass of the diamine adduct with the formula co-
(C3O2) 6. (NH3)2 was established by ES mass spectrometry as M =
442.2 and the hexamine adduct with the formula co-
(C3O2)6. (NH3)6 as M = 510.4 (Fig.2). With the hexamine
adducts, the two ammonia or amine molecules are probably
bound to the carbonyl groups of the pyrone rings by hydrogen
bonds. Since in the case of the diamine complexes the
internal cavity of the macro-ring structure is presumably
already involved, these are better considered as host-guest
complexes.
Host-Guest Complexes
The second particularly important structural property of the
active substances according to the invention is accomplished
in such a manner that the preferably six condensed pyrone or
pyrylium rings additionally form macro-rings according to
the invention, preferably in cylindrical form. The
molecular dimensions of this ring structure are suitable for
the inventive formation of host-guest complexes according to
the invention. As "guests", elements smaller molecules or
molecule fragments are considered which fit sterically into
the cylindrical cavity with the diameter from 2.9-3.2 A
and/or are bound to their periphery by specific binding
forces. The form and dimensions of the cylindrical macro-
ring structure of the cyclohexameric carbon suboxide are
taken from the following figure.


Cations such as potassium, ammonium, silver or rubidium or
anions such as fluoride, chloride, formate or rhodanate fit
well in the inner cylindrical cavity of the macro-ring with
an inner diameter of 2.9 to 3.2 A and a height of 4.9 to 5.2
A. In the applications according to the invention, an ion
or a neutral element or molecule is present in the cavity of
the cylindrical macro-ring structure of a co-(C3O2)6 unit and
is enveloped by this. The molar mass measured by mass
spectrometry corresponds to the sum of the individual
components and proves that these host-guest complexs are
independent compounds. The author has experimentally
established the existence of host-guest complexes of the
cyclohexameric carbon suboxide with smaller inorganic or
organic compounds, generally denoted with Y, such as
ammonia, hydroxylamine, methanol, ethanol, propanol,
acetone, dichloromethane, chloroform, acetylcholine, formic
acid, acetic acid as well as with several amino acids and
carbohydrates. According to the invention, the substance Y
or a part of its structure is present as a "guest" in the
inner cavity of the active substance according to the
invention as it is to be taken from the following figure.


Through this "envelopment" certain properties of the
substance Y are "masked" and the newly obtained properties
according to the invention, such as improved membrane
transport and bioavailability, are made possible.
Active Substances of Different Molar Mass
M ≤ 2, 000 Dalton
The above described cyclooligomeric carbon suboxides with
the formula, co-(C3O2)n, wherein n is 4, 6, 10, 12 or 18, as
such or in hydorxy-pyran form with the formula co-(C3O2H)6,
and all their derivatives, adducts, host-guest complexes
whose molar mass lie under this limit belong in this
category. The self-associates formed from 2 to 4
cyclohexameric units are also considered as low molar mass
active substances. Such self-associations are stabilized by
the neutralization from several zwitterionic charges. The
existence of the dimers with the molar mass M = 816 D and of
the trimers with M = 1,224 D identified by the author are
explained therewith.
M > 2,000
At first, the active substances classified here appear as a
mixture of compounds with heterogeneous molar mass. However,
a closer analysis has proven that, despite the principally
endlessly large number of possible compounds, only very few,

i.e. those with a particular molecular size, are obtainable
and capable of being identified. The LC-MS, Electrospray
mass spectrum (Fig. 3) of an active substance in water-
acetonitrile solution demonstrates that a series of multiply
charged ions (m/z) is present. The measured m/z = 1,225.7
Dal of the most intensive component A31 has exactly the
three-fold mass of the cyclohexameric carbon suboxide M =
408.2. The experimental molar mass of this polymeric active
substance is determined with the aid of the formula M = n
[m/z-1] (page 202, Practical Mass Spectrometry by J. R.
Chapmann, J. Wiley, New York, 1993) as M = 31 x 1,224.6 =
37,962.6 Dal. The molar masses of some of the identified
compounds are to be taken from the following table.

* in comparison with known standards
** average value of three experimental calculations

The measurements were carried out with the aid of MALDI mass
spectrometry (MS), gel permeation chromatography (GP) or
polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). As evident from
the MALDI mass spectrum (Fig. 4), the corresponding
compounds for n = 60, and especially where n = 72, are
present is clearly larger concentrations than all others.
The molar masses determined by this method correspond with
very good accuracy to n = 60 and n = 72 in the formula co-
(C3O2H)n of the hydorxy-pyran oligomers. These compounds can
be considered either as cyclooligomers with n = 60 or n = 72
or as s = 10- or s = 12-fold self-associates of the
cyclohexameric basic unit {co- (C3O2) 6}s • The physico-
chemical and spectroscopic properties of these compounds co-
(C3O2H)60 and co-(C3O2H)72 indicate a high structural
symmetry which would be explainable for example with a
spherical arrangement of 10, 12 or more co- (C3O2H)6 units.
A sandwich arrangement with pentagonal or hexagonal symmetry
could also explain the neutralization of a large number of
zwitterionic charges.
The experiments with the aid of polyacrylamide gel
electrophoresis (PAGE) have shown a strong band in the
region of M ~ 5 kD and optionally further lines at the molar
mass values of ca. 10 kD, 12.5 kD, 15 kD, 30 kD, 60 kD and
120 kD. These correspond with acceptable accuracy to the
degrees of oligomerization n = 72, 144, 180, 216, 432, 864
and 1,728. Strangely enough, these numbers represent
particular multiples of the numbers 6 and 12. With a 16.5%
polyacrylamide concentration of the gel, the strongest band
by far is present in the range M ~ 5 kD. However, if the
same sample is applied to a different gel, for example with
lower polyacrylamide content, the main band can appear at a
two-fold greater region (~ 10 kD) . This anomaly is
explained by specific association-dissociation equilibria of
the active substances.

Association Equilibria and Membrane Transport
The author has also determined particular anomalies in the
dialysis and ultrafiltration of the compounds with higher
molecular weight. After a certain dialysis time, the
larger, normally non-membrane permeable active substances
were detectable on both sides of the membrane. The
explanation for this is that the higher associates according
to the following equation 1 dissociate into smaller membrane
permeable forms and these re-form by self-association into
the larger associates in the outward dialysate. After
longer dialysis time, an equilibrium develops on both sides
of the membrane.
{CO~(C3O2H) 6}s {co-(C3O2H)6}s-P + {CO-(C3O2H) 6}p (1)
wherein s = 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10 or 12 as well as a multiple of
these numbers and p cyclohexamer and it multiply associated derivatives with a
higher molar mass is dependent on numerous factors or can be
influenced for example by the nature of the solvent, the pH
value, the concentration of the alkali metal and other ions,
the temperature and the conjugation with other substances
present in the solution. The equilibrium (1) enables
penetration of active substances according to the invention
with larger molar mass into the intracellular space which
are normally blocked to this access. In the external
membrane space, the active substances according to the
invention can be present as larger co- (C3O2H)n compounds.
Through dissociation according to equation (1), these active
substances can pass through the membrane and thus arrive in
the internal membrane space where they re-form the larger
compounds by association.


external membrane space internal membrane space
Due to their stability, the larger self-associates can also
serve for the physiological storage and the transport of
active substances and thus reach the location of the
pathological manifestation. They display their
bioregulatory, therapeutic effect there as such or
conjugated with other active substances. A "masked"
membrane transport of a membrane impermeable substance Y can
be carried out according to the invention in such a manner
that this substance is "hidden" in the cylindrical inner
cavity of the active substance.
Spectroscopic Characterization
In general, the molecular spectra of the active substances
according to the invention are relatively band-poor which
coincides with the high symmetry of the corresponding
structures. The infrared spectrum taken in KBr pellets
(Fig. 5) demonstrates several characteristic absorption
bands at 3500-3000 cm-1, 1680-1620 cm-1, 1400-1385 cm-1,
1210 cm-1, 1100 cm-1, and between 830-600 cm-1, whereby the
strong band at 1660 cm-1 is interpreted as a "ring breathing
frequency" of the 4-pyrone ring. The absence of an IR
absorption band at 1720 cm-1 make a 2-pyrone structure
improbable.

The strongest absorption maximum of the UV-VIS spectra lies
at ca. 190 nm with shoulders at ca. 220 nm and 265 nm (Fig.
6) . As evident, instead of the expected strong absorption
of the conjugated double bonds at ca. 320 nm, only a weak,
non-specific sloping absorption from 240 to 400 nm is
present. However, the author found for some adducts
fluorescence emission in the range of 400-450 nm produced by-
excitation radiation at 310-340 nm. This can indicate that
a stronger but symmetrically forbidden transition is
present.
Analytical Reactions
The active substances of the formula co-(C3O2)n can be
identified by a positive reaction with antimony
pentachloride or with the Liebermann-Burchard reagent in
thin layer chromatography. Silica gel-60 ready-to-use
plates (Merck) and a elution mixture of 1-
propanol:ethylacetate:and 20% acetic acid in the ratio
60:10:30 are used for the separation. As a spray reagent, a
saturated antimony pentachloride solution in carbon
tetrachloride or a mixture of 2 ml acetic anhydride and 2 ml
concentrated sulfuric acid in 20 ml absolute ethanol is
used. After spraying, the plates are heated ca. 10 minutes
at 120°C and examined in UV light at λ = 365 nm. Fluorescing
spots indicate the presence of the active substances
according to the invention.
The active substances in the form of their amine adducts
exhibit a positive yellow ninhydrin reaction which can be
used for their analytical detection or a spectrophotometric
assay. Since this reaction is also exhibited by most amino
acids and peptides, the analytic use is only suitable after
a chromatographic separation. For a thin layer
chromatography separation, silica gel-60 ready-to-use plates

(Merck) and a mixture of 1-butanol:ethanol:water in the
ratio of 50:30:20 (v/v) is used as an eluent. As a spray
reagent, 0.1 % ninhydrin solution in ethanol which
additionally contains 2 % (v/v) glacial acetic acid and 0.5
% (v/v) sym-collidine is used. Yellow spots in the Rf
region 0.32 to 0.45 indicate the presence of the active
substances according to the invention.
The hydorxy-pyran group of the active substances according
to the invention exhibit a slightly positive phenol reaction
with the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent and this can be used for an
identification. Since the known Lowry method for protein
determination is also based on this reaction, a
chromatographic separation from proteins or phenolic
substances must be conducted first.
For an analytical separation according to molecular size of
the substances according to the invention, the HP-GP method
(high performance gel permeation chromatography) is used.
The separation is carried out, preferably in a TSK G-2000 SW
(Toso-Haas) column 600 x 7.5 mm with 50 mM borate buffer
solution (pH =8.1) as an eluent. The molar masses of the
active substance components in the mixture are established
by means of the measured retention volumes (Fig. 7) with the
aid of a calibration diagram (Fig. 7A). Polyethylene glycol
standards with known molecular weight are used for the
calibration curve.
For a chromatographic separation according to polarity of
the components, the HPLC method with reversed phase is used,
preferably with a Nucleosil 5 C18 column (Macherey Nagel) as
a solid phase and with a, preferably 10 to 90 %,
acetonitrile gradient in water as an eluent.
It is characteristic for the pyrylium salt derivatives
according to the invention that they exhibit the known

analytical reactions of the counter ions, for example the
precipitation of the halogenides with silver ions or the
sulfate ions with barium.
The active substances according to the invention exhibit a
highly sensitive cross-reaction with the antibodies of
cardiotonic steroid glycosides such as ouabain, digoxin and
others. Since these organic compounds are not immunogenic
as such, they are first chemically coupled to larger protein
molecules such as BSA or avidin. By several fold
administration of these conjugates to rabbits, the specific
anti-ouabain or anti-digoxin antibodies are obtained. The
cross-reaction of these antibodies with the active
substances according to the invention is examined with the
methods of enzyme-like immunoassay ELISA or radioimmunoassay
(RIA) . These techniques permit a highly sensitive assay of
very small amounts of active substances (pg range). The
assay in the human body fluids can be disturbed by the
presence of cardiac glycosides which are only present in a
specific medical treatment of heart diseases.
The active substances according to the invention of larger
molar mass, M > 2.0 kD, exhibit notable specific reactions
with immunoglobulins. These immunospecific precipitation
reactions with human or animal immunoglobulins are examined
spectrophotometrically and by the Ouchterlouny method in
agarose gel or by immunelectrophoresis according to Laurell.
The notable difference between reactions with
immunoglobulins from normal or from pathological sera
enables the application of these reactions in the diagnosis
of various immunopathologies.
O-alkyl and O-acyl Derivatives
Through the binding of inorganic or organic molecules of
residues, designated by R, to the oxygen atoms of the basic

frame, inorganic and/or organic derivatives or conjugates of
the general formula:
co-(C3O2)n.Rm
are formed, wherein R = an inorganic or organic molecule
and/or an organic residue, preferably methyl, ethyl, acetyl,
benzyl, and m ≤ 2n.
Production
According to the invention, carbon suboxide, which as far as
it is concerned can be produced by known methods, can be
used as a starting material for the synthetic production of
the active substances according to the invention.
According to the invention, C3O2 purified by fractional
distillation is photochemically converted into the
cyclooligomeric derivatives or by use of suitable auxiliary
agents. The synthesis of carbon suboxide is carried out in
a known manner by two-fold water elimination from smaller
dicarboxylic acids such as malonic acid or its derivatives
under influence of phosphorous pentoxide and/or by heating.
However, in this method the formation of the undesired
amorphous polymeric carbon suboxide develops. In contrast
to this, the author has established that a thermal
dehydration of the acid or its esters carried out in an
aprotic solvent is much more suitable for the formation of
the active substances according to the invention. According
to the invention, the acid or the corresponding derivative
is dissolved in an aprotic solvent, preferably
dimethylformamide or acetic anhydride, by heating and
stirring. The mixture is heated to 120-150°C, whereby the
formation of C3O2 already appears after a few minutes. For
the conversion of the carbon suboxide produced in this
manner into the cyclooligomeric active substances according

to the invention, a photochemical activation is applied
and/or suitable auxiliary agents are added according to the
invention. Those substances which act as a type of template
for the formation of the macro-ring structure were found as
effective auxiliary agents. Preferred are stable salt
compounds of those ions whose radius corresponds to the
internal cavity of the co-(C3O2) 6 macro-ring, internal
diameter 2.9-3.1 Å. Preferred ions are rubidium (2.94Å),
potassium (2.66Å), ammonia (2.86Å) and fluoride (2.12Å).
According to the invention, the inventive bioregulatory
active substances can also be isolated from the side-
products of some large-scale products starting from carbon
monoxide.
The author has surprisingly found that several known organic
synthetic products whose industrial manufacture starts from
carbon monoxide or from synthesis gas can contain low but
detectable amounts of the active substances according to the
invention. This can be explained with a low carbon suboxide
content of CO and the synthesis gas. In order to increase
the extremely low contents of active substances according to
the invention in these large-scale products, fractional
distillation methods are applied. 2 to 60 parts("parts"
signifies "parts by weight" as long as nothing else is
given), preferably 20 parts, water or aqueous buffer
solution is added to 100 parts of the starting material,
preferably industrial methanol produced from synthesis gas,
and the methanol is at first distilled off from this mixture
by application of a distillation column. The remaining
water phase exhibits an increased content of the active
substances according to the invention. By multiple
repetition of the distillation with addition of fresh
methanolic phases, a considerable concentration of the
active substances according to the invention is obtained.
The active substances according to the invention are

isolated from this solution by application of fractional
distillation or by absorption on solid phases, preferably
charcoal, and desorption with the aid of solvent mixtures,
preferably water-ethanol.
According to the invention, the inventive active substances
are also isolated from plant extracts, plant cell cultures
or from bacterial cultures. Numerous plant species were
examined in which the active substances according to the
invention are not present as such, but instead, as undefined
conjugates or other, preferably toxic, plant components.
Preferable crude material sources are those plant species
which contain toxic components such as alkaloids or
cardiotoxic glycosides. Furthermore, plant species with a
relatively high content of saponins or tannins also offer a
suitable starting material for the isolation of the active
substances according to the invention. Roots, rootstocks,
stems, leaves, bark or seeds or the corresponding plant cell
cultures which are initiated by callus formation in a known
manner are suitable as plant sources.
When the production of small molecular carbon suboxide
derivatives, preferably co-(C3O2H)6, is desired, the
following method is applied according to the invention: 10
parts extraction agent, preferably 30 % of an alcohol-water
mixture, is added to 1 part dried plant material de-fatted
with hexane and macerated for 24 hours under light heating.
The process is repeated several times, preferably 2-3 times,
and the combined alcoholic extracts are concentrated. The
concentrated tincture is boiled after addition of an acid,
preferably sulfuric acid or hydrochloric acid, in an amount
from 0.01 to 5%, preferably 1%, with respect to the tincture
and maintained for a short time, preferably 10-30 minutes,
at 80-100°C. The cooled solution is neutralized with a base,
preferably NH4OH, and treated with 1 to 20 parts, preferably
5-10 parts, charcoal per 100 parts liquid. The filtered

charcoal is washed again with water and filtered. The
charcoal dried under vacuum is treated with boiling
extraction agent, preferably 1:1 ethanol-water, and the
process is repeated 2 times. The solution of the active
substances according to the invention obtained in this
manner is stable and suitable for long-term storage. The
combined solutions can also be concentrated and freeze-
dried. The purification of the solid residue occurs by
repeated recrystallization, preferably from alcohol-ether
mixtures. The adducts isolated in this manner are stable
for long-term storage.
When the production of high molecular cyclooligomeric carbon
suboxide compounds is desired, the following method is
applied according to the invention: 5-20, preferably 8,
parts methanol are added to 1 part per weight dried plant
material de-fatted with petroleum ether and macerated for 1
to 36, preferably 16, hours with light heating. The process
is repeated several times, preferably twice, and the
combined extracts are concentrated. The concentrated
solution is incorporated into a water miscible, organic
solvent, preferably acetone or ethanol, in a ratio of 1:20
to 1:2/ preferably 1:8. The precipitate formed is separated
by filtration or centrifugation and dissolved in minimal
amounts of water or a buffer solution. The entire process
is repeated 1-5 times, preferably 2 times. The crude
product obtained in this manner is dissolved in a minimal
amount of water and subjected to a dialysis against
distilled water by using membranes, preferable with an
exclusion limit of 3 kD. After a longer dialysis time,
preferably after 3-4 days, with several replacements of the
external membrane water amounts, the internal membrane
solution is filtered, carefully concentrated and freeze-
dried.

According to the invention, neutral absorbents or ionic
solid phases, such as resins, gels or modified
polysaccharides with ion exchange function are employed for
the isolation of the inventive active substances of
different molar mass. Due to the zwitterionic character of
the active substances according to the invention, anionite -
as well as cationite - or mixed bed exchange phases can be
applied. At first, the extracts of vegetable or other
origin are treated with the ion exchange phase. After the
components are bound to the solid phase, the column is
generously washed with an excess of neutral or weakly acidic
eluent, preferably water or a buffer solution, until no
customary contents (carbohydrates, amino acids) are
detectable in the eluate. The desorption from the cationite
phases occurs by using diluted mineral acids, preferably
hydrochloric acid, or organic acids, preferably formic or
acetic acid. The release of the active substances according
to the invention bound to the anionic phases or mixed bed
phases occurs by diluted alkali, preferably 0.1-0.3 molar
ammonium or potassium hydroxide solution.
According to the invention, the desorption from the neutral
phases, such as silica gel, polyamides or various
polysaccharides, occurs by using 0.2-5%, preferably 1.2%,
sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) solutions or from 1 to 12 molar,
preferably 8 molar, urea solutions.
According to the invention, the separation and purification
of the active substances of different molar mass according
to the invention occurs with the aid of gel filtration or by
membrane dialysis and ultrafiltration. For the separation
of the active substances according to the invention
according to their molecular sizes, gel chromatography is
used with the aid of synthetic solid phases, preferably with
Sephacryl 200, Sephadex LH-20 or TSK HW-60. As an eluent,
weakly basic buffer solutions, preferably ammonium acetate

or ammonium bicarbonate or a 0.01 to 0.3 molar, preferably
0.15 molar, NaCl or KCl solution, are used. With these
separation methods, the compound with higher molecular
weight is first eluted and the smaller compounds such as co-
(C3O2H)6 flow out of the column later.
According to the invention, several conjugates which are
formed from the active substances according to the invention
with vegetable components can also be directly isolated.
These mostly sticky, yellow-brown colored conjugates can be
precipitated from the concentrated methanolic plant extracts
by application of organic solvents, preferably acetone of
diethyl ether. By several, preferably 3 to 5, repetitions
of the precipitation, the conjugated obtained in this manner
are relatively uniform. According to the invention, the
following salting-out method can be used for the inventive
cleavage of the conjugates. The conjugate is dissolved in
water in which an inorganic salt, preferably ammonium
sulfate, in an amount of 5 to 50% (w/w) , preferably 15%,
with respect to the final solution is additionally
dissolved. An organic solvent, preferably n-butanol or 2-
propanol, is incorporated into this solution and this is
intensely shaken. The phases are separated and the process
is repeated 2 to 5 times, preferably 3 times, whereby the pH
value of the agueous phase is adjusted with an acid to 1.
After a further cleavage process according to the invention,
the conjugate is dissolved in water, the pH value is
adjusted to pH 10 with ammonia and the solution is stirred
into a chlorinated solvent, preferably dichloromethane or
chloroform, in a ratio of 1:0.5 to 1:6, preferably 1:2. The
very stable, foamy emulsion formed by powerful shaking is
separated and the organic solvent is removed therefrom under
reduced pressure.
The active substances according to the invention can also be
isolated from bacterial starting materials. For this,

bacterial cultures of various types, preferably BCG
(Bacillus Cualmette-Guerin), Corynebacterium parvum or
Escherichia coli can be used according to the invention.
First, a physical treatment, preferably ultrasound
treatment, and a hydrolysis by application of diluted
mineral acids, preferably hydrochloric acid, is carried out.
The filtered hydrolysate is optionally neutralized and
applied to a solid phase, preferably silica gel. The solid
phase is treated with various neutral elution agents until
no amino acids, carbohydrates and other simple hydrolysis
products are detectable in the eluate. The desorption of
the active substances according to the invention occurs with
the aid of diluted alkali, preferably with 0.1 to 0.2 molar
ammonium hydroxide.
Animal tissue and tissue fluids can contain small amounts of
the active substances according to the invention as
undefined conjugates. According to the invention, an
organic extraction of the tissue of the carefully freeze-
dried organic fluids, preferably urine, is first carried
out. The active substances according to the invention are
isolated and purified from the concentrated organic extract
by using selective affinity chromatography methods. For
this purpose, a known cardiac glycoside, preferably ouabain
or hellebrin, is covalently bound to a solid phase,
preferably Sepharose. This affinity phase retains the
active substances according to the invention from the
concentrated crude material solution. After multiple
washings of the column with weakly acidic or neutral buffer
solutions, the compounds according to the invention are
released with the aid of alkaline buffer solutions.
Bioregulatory applications
The author has found that the active substances according to
the invention effectively control the activity of the

Na+,K+-ATPase enzyme which is also known as the sodium pump.
This widely distributed enzyme regulates the extra- and
intracellular concentration of the most important alkali
metal ions by so-called active membrane transport. The
energy necessary for this is delivered by the hydrolysis of
ATP, which is directly coupled with the activity of this
enzyme. The active substances according to the invention
are capable to control the complex activity of this enzyme.
The direction and intensity of this control is dependent on
the concentration and on the molar mass of the active
substances according to the invention. The nature and
concentration of the alkali metal ions present and the other
inorganic ions can substantially influence this controlling
effect. With the addition of the active substances
according to the invention to an erythrocyte suspension, an
increase of the extracellular Na concentration, i.e. an
activation of the sodium pump, was observed. In contrast,
an inhibition of the Na+,K+-ATPase enzyme was established in
vitro and with particular concentrations of the active
substances of smaller molar mass according to the invention.
A reduction of the toxic side-effects of ouabain or of other
cardiac glycosides was also observed when the active
substances according to the invention were applied together
with these glycosides. With the addition of the active
substances according to the invention in a molar ratio
between 0.02 to 2 /l mol glycoside, preferably 1:1, the LD50
value of hellebrin was considerably higher which signifies a
decrease of the acute toxicity. Furthermore, as was
experimentally established, the active substances according
to the invention are capable to control the activity of
several other essential enzymes, for example collegenases,
hyaluronidases, phosphokinases and other enzymes. According
to all indications, the active substances according to the
invention are useable as endogenous ligands of the Na+,K+-
ATPase enzyme.

Immunoregulation
The author has found several immunoregulatory actions for
the substances according to the invention. These mechanisms
can also partially be explained with the above described
control of the Na+,K+-ATPase because this enzyme
substantially participates in a large number of
immunological processes.
Furthermore, a new immunoregulatory effect of the active
substances according to the invention is achieved in that
these have a specific affinity for the Fc receptors. These
receptors are anchored on various immunocytes and their
occupation or non-occupation plays a fundamental role in the
control of activity of these cells. In clinical tests, the
active substances according to the invention led to a
suppression of the activity of pathologically activated
killer cells (K cells) and other lymphocytes in the antibody
dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC). In contrast, the
activity of natural killer cells (NK cells) in the
spontaneous cellular cytotoxicity (SCMC) was differently
influenced by the active substances according to the
invention: with rheumatic patients, the pathological over-
stimulated spontaneous cytotoxicity is clearly suppressed.
With health test persons, the spontaneous cytotoxicity was
only insignificantly influenced. Therewith, the clinical
data prove that, by a suppression of pathological
autoaggresive processes, the active substances according to
the invention are suitable for a causal rheumatic therapy or
for prevention of tissue or organ graft rejection. It is
important to note that all of these effects were obtained
with uncommonly small amounts of active substance in the
range of ug/kg. On the other hand, the toxicity of the
compounds according to the invention is extremely low.
Therewith, the most important pharmacotoxicological

prerequisites are fulfilled for human therapeutical
applications according to the invention. The rheumatic
therapeutic use of the active substances according to the
invention offers an additional clear advantage. The simple
cyclohexamer co- (C3O=) 6 and its adducts exhibit an
uncommonly strong analgesic and spasmolytic effect. The
analgesic and spasmolytic effect appearing immediately after
a local administration offers an important advantage for
rheumatic therapy applications. The quickly appearing
relief from pain and spasmolysis are maintained long-term by
the re-establishment of normal immunoregulation. The active
substances with larger molecular mass according to the
invention are capable to exert a notable non-specific effect
which mimics immunostimulation. This was unequivocally
confirmed in animal experiments with bacterial infections.
The animals treated with active substances had considerably
longer survival rates with lethal Pseudomonas aeruginosa
doses than the animals in the control group.
The bioregulatory active substances according to the
invention can be administered either separately as pure
substances or as substance mixtures or in the form of
pharmaceutical compositions, whereby the latter named can
comprise one and/or several pharmaceutically safe adjuvants
and/or carriers aside from the substances according to the
invention. As these substances, 0.9% sodium chloride
solution, 1 to 5% glucose or fructose solution,
carboxymethylcellulose, potato starch, lactose, lanolin,
mannite, magnesium stearate, glycerin, cetylstearyl alcohol,
nipagin, sodium lauryl sulfate and talcum may be named.
Optionally, still further therapeutically active substances
or adjuvants can be added to the pharmaceutical compositions
produced in this manner. These galenic formulations include
all those formulations which are suitable for parenteral,
intramuscular, intravenous, subcutaneous, peri- or intra-
articular injections, a peroral application such as by means

of tablets, capsules or drops, or an external application
such as by means of ointments, creams, gels or
suppositories.
The present invention is illustrated further in the
following examples.
Example 1
Synthetic production from carbon suboxide

In a glass reactor which is equipped with a reflux water
cooler, 15 parts malonic acid are dissolved in 80 parts
acetic anhydride by heating with an oil bath (80°C) and
stirring. In an extension of the reflux cooler, two further
dry ice cooling traps are connected in order to collect the
arising volatile compounds. After the entire amount of acid
is dissolved, 0.2 parts rubidium fluoride are added and a
photochemical irradiation is carried out with a 250 W sun
lamp. An increase of the oil bath temperature results up to
130-150°C and the reaction mixture becomes increasingly
darker brown. The carbon suboxide which is volatile under
strong vacuum and its derivatives are condensed in the traps
cooled with dry ice and acetone. The condensate is purified
by fractional vacuum distillation. The active substances
obtained in this manner are purified and analyzed by known
chromatographic methods.
Example 2
Isolation from Industrial Methanol

250 parts 0.1 molar ammonium acetate buffer solution of pH 9
are added to 1000 parts methanol produced from synthesis gas
and the methanol is first distilled off from this mixture by
application of a distillation column. 1000 parts methanol
are again added to the remaining water phase and the
distillation of the methanol is repeated 3-4 times. The
water phase remaining in the end is carefully concentrated
and treated with charcoal. 50 parts of the charcoal
separated by filtration and dried in air are treated with
400 parts water containing 80% (v/v) ethanol at 80-90°C and
warm filtered after 30 min maceration. The extraction is
repeated 2 times. The combined ethanolic extracts are
carefully concentrated and freeze-dried.
Example 3
Isolation from Helleborus species
Parts of dried and coarsely minced root and rootstock of
Helleborus purpurascens (family Ranunculaceae) are de-fatted
with 120 parts hexane and subsequently pre-extracted with 80
parts methylene chloride. After removal of the extraction
agent, the dried residue is macerated with 200 parts water
containing 30% (v/v) ethanol during 24 hours at room
temperature. The extraction is repeated twice and
subsequently the combined extracts are filtered and
concentrated under vacuum. 250 parts of the extract
obtained in this manner are added to 3 parts concentrated
hydrochloric acid and heated for 20 minutes at 95°C. After
the neutralization, the solution is treated with a little
charcoal and filtered. The filtrate concentrated under
vacuum is poured into the 8-fold volume acetone, the
centrifuged precipitate is dissolved in a minimal amount of
water and repeatedly precipitated 2-3 times with acetone.
The precipitate is dissolved in minimal 0.1 molar sodium
chloride solution and the solution is led over a gel column

filled with TSK HW-60. The elution occurs at a flow rate of
5 cm/h with 0.125 molar ammonia solution in water, which
also contains 10% (v/v) 2-propanol. The detection occurs by
measurement of the optical density at 230 nm.
Example 4
Isolation of the Active Substances from Seeds of Vitis
vinifera
25 parts dried and ground seeds of Vitis vinifera are added
to 150 parts 0.5 molar borate buffer with pH = 9.6 and
heated and macerated for 30 minutes at 90°C. The filtered
solution is concentrated and poured into the 8-fold volume
of cooled ethanol under stirring. The precipitate resulting
thereby is centrifuged and dissolved in a minimal amount of
water and precipitated twice each with the 6-fold amount of
cooled ethanol. The precipitate dissolved in a minimal
amount of ammonium acetate buffer solution is subjected to a
separation by ultrafiltration, where membranes with
molecular exclusion limits of 30, 10, 3 and 1 kD are used.
The pH of the fractions separated in this manner is adjusted
to a weakly acidic pH value and lyophilized.
Example 5
Active Substance Isolation from Phytolacca americana
100 parts dried roots from Phytolacca americana are minced
to a particle size of 0.5-1.2 mm and de-fatted with 600
parts hexane by a treatment lasting 24 hours. At first, the
hexane is pressed off and the plant material is air dried
until the hexane odor is no longer perceptible. The dried
plant material is macerated with 800 parts water containing
5% (v/v) acetic acid for 4 hours at room temperature and the
process is repeated twice. The combined extracts are

filtered and concentrated under vacuum. 15 to 50 parts
ammonium sulfate are added stepwise to 100 parts of the
aqueous solution and dissolved. The proteins precipitated
by salting-out are removed by centrifugation and filtration.
50 parts 1-butanol are given to 50 parts supernatant and
this is strongly shaken. After some time, the organic phase
is separated and the extraction with butanol is repeated
twice. The combined butanolic solutions are back extracted
with water containing 0.1 % ammonia. The aqueous phase is
concentrated under vacuum and purified by gel filtration.
Example 6
Production from Escherichia coli
2000 volume parts autoclaved culture medium which contains
20 parts tryptone, 10 parts yeast extract, 20 parts NaCl and
30 parts agar and is supplemented with the suitable
nutritional additives is inoculated with Escherichia coli
strain K-12 in a dilution of 1:100. The culture is
maintained at 37°C until a saturation density of 2 x 109
cells/ml is attained. The reaction mixture is exposed to an
ultrasound treatment and heated with 1.0 N acetic acid for
20 min at 90°C, filtered after cooling and concentrated under
vacuum. 150 parts of the concentrated solution are absorbed
on reverse-phase silica (RP18)for column chromatography
(Merck) and the solid phase is first washed with water
containing 2% (v/v) acetic acid, thereafter with 1000 parts
buffer mixture comprising n-propanol:ethyl acetate:20 mM
borax/borate buffer in the ratio 600:100:300 % (v/v) and
washed at the end with water. The solid phase is washed so
long with these neutral elution agents until no amino acids,
carbohydrates and other simple hydrolysis products are
detectable in the eluate. The desorption of the active
substances according to the invention occurs with
acetonitrile, whose excess is removed by concentration under

vacuum. The solution of the active substances according to
the invention obtained in this manner is concentrated.
Example 7
Isolation from Animal Fluids
10,000 parts porcine urine are freeze dried and the solid
residue is extracted three times with 600 parts methanol.
The methanolic extracts are concentrated to 20 parts. 100
parts cyanogen bromide-activated Sepharose 4B is treated for
90 minutes with a solution of suitably activated hellebrin
until 80% of the glycoside used is covalently bound to the
solid phase. 10 parts concentrated methanolic solution are
applied to the affinity chromatography column prepared in
this manner and eluted for such a time until no more
chemical compounds are detectable in the eluate. The active
substance according to the invention is eluted from the
column by gradient elution with 0.5 to 0.2 molar formic acid
and freeze-dried. The purification of the active substances
occurs on a column filled with Sephadex LH-20 (Pharmacia).
The active substances are first absorbed onto the column and
eluted with a gradient of 20 to 60 (v/v) % acetone in water.
Example 8
Immunomodulatory Application
The spontaneous cell mediated cytotoxicity (SCMC) of NK
cells was measured by the assay of 51Cr isotope released
from the K562 target cells in a 100/1 to 10/1
effector/target ratio. In 8 of 10 healthy subjects, the
active substance according to the invention elevated the
lytic activity with an average of 15%. The pathological
SCMC activity of 16 rheumatic patients, patologically
increased to an average of 141%, was clearly normalized by

the administration of the active substances according to the
invention. The effector cells in the antibody dependent
cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) are influenced in a much more
uniform manner by the active substances according to the
invention. As evident from the following Diagram 1, the
ADCC activity is diminished in healthy as well as in
rheumatic patients.
Diagram 1 Cytotoxicity of healthy and rheumatic patients
with and without active substance treatment

ADCC antibody dependent SCMC spontaneous cell-
cellular cytotoxicity mediated cytotoxicity
This normalization of the activity can be explained by the
specific affinity of the active substances on the Fc
receptor.
Example 9
Immunosuppressive Application for Organ Transplantation
The immunosuppressive action of the substances according to
the invention led to a clear reduction of the rejection

reactions in organ transplantations. This was
experimentally proven with the aid of a series of
experimental heart transplantations in mice.
The method for allograft heart transplantation of Corry, R.,
Winn, H. and Ressel, P., Transplantation 16, 343 (1973) was
applied to pathogen-free, 5-6 week old mice of the line
Sprague Dawley DBA/2 as a doner and C57BL/6 as a recipient.
After intravenous heparinization of the animals used as a
doner, their hearts were removed and maintained in ice cold
Ringer's lactate solution until preparation of the C57BL/6
recipient animals. The anastomosis between aorta and lung
arteries of the doner with the abdominal aorta and vena cava
of the recipient was produced by microsurgical techniques.
After the re-establishment of blood flow, the frequency and
intensity of the heart beat was observed and rated from 0 to
+4. The rejection was established after cessation of the
pulse and visualized by laparotomy. The mice in the test
group had obtained the following amounts of active
substances by subcutaneous administration:
- 2.0 mg/kg three days before the transplantation
- 3.0 mg/kg on the day of the operation
- 2.5 mg/kg on the third post-operative day
- 1.5 mg/kg every third day thereafter
The animals in the control group were only treated with
citrate buffer as a placebo.
In these thransplantation experiments, the following results
were obtained:

Animal Nr. Treatment with: survival time (days)
1 active substance 24
2 active substance 31
3 active substance 18
4 active substance 21
5 active substance 42
6 active substance 18
7 active substance 6
8 active substance 33
9 active substance 12
10 active substance 22
11 placebo 8
12 placebo 6
13 placebo 10
14 placebo 9
The average survival rate of the animals treated with
placebo was 8.2 days. With an average value of 22.7 days,
the animals treated with active substance exhibited a clear,
almost three-fold as long survival time as the placebo
animals. This effect is explained by the specific
suppression of the T lymphocytes causing the rejection
reaction.
Example 10
Stimulation of Macrophages
The spleen lymphocytes from 10 normal mice were suspended in
RPMI1640 medium buffered with HEPES and supplemented with
10% fetal calf serum. The suspension was maintained at 37°C
for 1 hour in order to permit the adherence of the
macrophages. In the test group, the mice were treated

intraperitoneal with 5 mg/kg active substance and sacrificed
24 hours thereafter. The animals of the control group did
not receive any active substance. The lymphocytes from both
groups were cultivated in tubes containing 5xl05 adhering
macrophages.
Stimulation index of the macrophages
LPS PHA
control group 288% 165%
active substance group 402% 1,346%
As evident, the stimulation indices (SI) attained by LPS
(Lipopolysaccharide) and PHA (phytohemagglutinin) in the
animals treated with active substance are significantly
larger.
Example 11
Application for Apparent Immunostimulation
A non-specific apparent immunostimulation was examined by
the determination of the survival rates of animals which
were infected with a lethal dose of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
In three test groups of 30-100 mice respectively, each
animal received the lethal dose of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
I. On the 7th, 14th and 28th day before the lethal
Pseudomonas infection , 2 ug active substance was
administered in the first group; on the 21st day, 0.25 ml
physiological NaCl solution,
II. In the second group, the same active substance doses
as in the group I, however, on the 21st day, 0.06 mg
cyclophosphamide,
III. The control group was not given any active substances.

% survival rates with lethal Pseudomonas Infection

The active substances according to the invention caused a
clear increase of the survival rates. Although the survival
rates were lowered by the known immunosuppressive effect of
cyclophosphamide, they clearly remain over the values of the
control group. The interaction indicates a non-specific
apparent immunostimulation of the active substances
according to the invention, wherein a novel immune mechanism

not described up to now would also be imaginable. It was
recently proven that immediately after the administration of
the lethal Pseudomonas dose, a explosion-like release of
cytokines takes place. The cytokine shock condition
triggered thereby is assumed as the immediate cause of
sudden death. The immunosuppressive effect according to the
invention can prevent this cytokine shock and leads to
astonishingly greater survival rate without having exercised
a true immunostimulation.
Example 12
Assay of the Active Substances with the Aid of Competitive
ELISA Methods
For the assay, the cross-reaction of the active substances
according to the invention with anti-ouabain (a-OU)
antiserum is used. The ouabain-avidin conjugate (OU-con)
was synthesized from pro analysi ouabain (Sigma) and avidin
(Fluka) was synthesized according to the methods of Harris
et al., Hypertension 17, 930 (1991). The improvements of V.
DiBartolo et al., Life Sciences, 57, 1417 (1995) were
applied in the production of the corresponding anti-ouabain
serum.
The ELISA microtiter plates were first incubated each with
0.1 ug/50ul OU-con conjugate solution overnight at 4°C. Non-
bound conjugates were washed out with phosphate buffer (PBS,
pH = 7.4) and the non-occupied binding sites were blocked
with 1% gelatin solution.
50ul from the sample solution with the unknown content of
active substance was mixed together with constant amounts of
anti-ouabain serum (0.5µg/50µl) in polypropylene tubes and
held at room temperature for 2 hours.. Thereafter, 50ul
from each active substance antiserum sample was applied to

the plates and incubated for a further 3 hours. After
washing out the non-bound antiserum with PBS, the plates
were treated with a 1:500 solution of protein A alkaline
phosphatase (Sigma) for 2 hours at room temperature. After
removal of the non-bound enzyme, the plates were each
treated with 50ul p-nitrophenyl phosphate solution (lmg/ml),
and after 30 min incubation time, the absorption values (A)
at 405 nm were automatically read.
For the construction of a calibration curve, known amounts
of active substance in the range 5ng/ml to 0.1 mg/ml were
mixed with constant amounts of antiserum, treated according
to the above named methods and the measured absorption
values were depicted as a function of the corresponding
concentrations.

We Claim:
1. Bioregulatory active substance, characterized in that its structural
frame is built from the inorganic carbon subdioxide C3O2 by
cyclooligomerization such that several 4-pyrone or 2-pyrone rings
which are condensed with each other are additionally joined in a
macro-ring structure in such a manner that the cumulated C=0 and
C=C double bonds of the basic compound are no longer present
and this structural frame corresponds to the general formula:
co-(C3O2)n
wherein co symbolizes the above named type of linkage of the co-
(C3O2) units and n denotes the degree of cyclooligomerization of
the carbon suboxide.
2. Active substance as claimed in claim 1, wherein the number n is
equal to 4, 6 or 10 or a multiple of 4, 6 or 10 in the formula of the
cyclooligomeric carbon suboxide structural frame.
3. Active substance as claimed in one of the claims 1 and 2, wherein
this is present as a medium-dependent pyrone or pyrylium salt or
as a different type of structural form, wherein these can be in
equilibrium with each other in solution.

4. Active substance as claimed in claim 3, wherein a pyrone-pyrylium
equilibrium present in solution for the cyclohexameric carbon
suboxide constituted by six co-(C3O2) 6 alternating heat-to-tail
condensed 4-pyrone rings depicted as follows:

5. Active substance as claimed in one of the claims 1 to 4, wherein
this is present as a hydroxypyran derivative with the general
formula
co-(C3O2)n.Hm
By addition of hydrogen to the exacyclic oxygen atoms of the
frame, wherein m is the number of bound hydrogen atoms and m ≤
n.

6. Active substance as claimed in one of the claims 1 to 5, wherein
the cyclohexameric carbon suboxide of the formula co-(C3O2)6
with the molar mass M = 408.19 or its hydroxy-pyran derivative of
the formula co-(C3O2H)6 with the molar mass M = 414.24 are basic
units for the formation of adducts, pyrylium salts, host-guest
complexes, self-associates and inorganic or organic derivatives.
7. Active substance as claimed in one of the claims 1 to 6, wherein
the cyclooligomeric basic units provide a cylindrical macro-ring
structure with an inner cavity.
8. Active substance as claimed in one of the claims 1 to 7, wherein it
is present as a pyrylium salt of the formula
co-(C3O2)n.Kan.Ann
wherein Ka is the cationic ion and An is the anionic counter ion
which together neutralize the zwitterionic charge of the pyrylium
frame.
9. Active substance as claimed in one of the claims 1 to 8, wherein it
is present in the form of an adduct of the formula

co-(C3O2)n.(R1R2R3N)m
wherein R1, R2 and R3 is each a hydrogen atom or an organic
residue and m is a number from 1 to n, consisting of a
cyclooliomeric carbon suboxide frame and 1 to n molecules of
ammonia, organic amine, amino acid, peptide or an other substance
with amine function.
10. Active substance as claimed in one of the claims 1 to 9, wherein
inorganic or organic molecules or organic residues R are bound to
the oxygen atoms of the basic frame and therewith inorganic
and/or organic derivatives or conjugates of the general chemical
formula
CO-(C3O2)n.Rm
are produced, wherein R = an inorganic or organic molecule and/or
is an organic residue and m ≤ 2n.
11. Active substance as claimed in one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the
basic unit co-(C3O2)n or co-(C3O2H)n is present in the form of
stable self-associates of the formula

{co-(C3O2)n}s or {co-(C3O2H)n}s
wherein s = 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10 or 12 as well as multiples of these
numbers.
12. Active substance as claimed in claim 11, wherein the compound
corresponding to the value s = 12 and the molar masses 4, 898 and
4,970 of the frame has a high structural symmetry.
13. Active substance as claimed in one of the claims 1 to 12, wherein it
is present in solution in the form of a dynamic equilibrium between
smaller and larger compounds according to the equation:
{co-(C3O2H)n}s {co-(C3O2H)n}s-p + {co-(C3O2H)n}p
wherein s has the meaning given in claim 11 and the number is p s.
14. Active substance as claimed in one of the claims 1 to 13, wherein
this or its adducts can exhibit a characteristic fluorescence
emission in the region from 400-450 nm upon excitation in the
region from 310-340 nm.

15. Method for the production of bioregulatory active substances as
claimed in one of the claims 1 to 14, wherein carbon suboxide is
photochemically activated and/or cyclooligomerized under
formation of macro-ring structures by using auxiliary agents in the
form of salts of ions whose radius fits into the macro-ring cavity.
16. Method for the production of bioregulatory active substances as
claimed in one of the claims 1 to 14, wherein

- large-scale organic products produced from synthesis gas or by
oxosynthesis are employed,
- the bioregulatory active substances contained therein are
enriched by fractional distillation,

- these active substances are isolated by vacuum distillation and
condensation at low temperatures and
- purified by absorption onto solid phases and desorption with
various solvents.
17. Method for the isolation of bioregulatory active substances as
claimed in the claims 1 to 14, wherein
- plants or plant cell cultures which contain toxic glycosides,
alkaloids or tannins are used as crude material,

- the chemically undefined conjugate contained in this crude
material is extracted with aqueous solutions,
- the conjugate is cleaved by hydrolysis and/or precipitated with
acetone, alcohol or other solvents,
- the mixture obtained is bound to an ion exchanger or a neutral
absorbent and the other components are washed out,
- the active substance is desorbed by basic buffer solutions or
selectively functioning solvent mixtures and
- is purified by dialysis, membrane filtration, gel chromatography
or other methods and optionally separated according to
molecular size.
18. Method for the isolation of bioregulatory active substances as
claimed in the claims 1 to 14, wherein the active substance is
obtained from bacterial cultures, wherein
- the culture broth is treated with ultrasound and/or hydrolyzed at
an acidic pH value,
- the active substance is crudely isolated by liquid-liquid
extraction,
- the active substance is bound to charcoal or an other absorbent,
- is selectively brought into solution with a warm alcohol-water
solution or an other solvent mixture and

- is purified by chromatography or other separation methods.
19. Method for the isolation of bioregulatory active substance as
claimed in one of the claims 1 to 14, wherein the active substance
is extracted from tissue, tissue fluids or tissue cultures of animal
origin, wherein
- the aqueous extract is concentrated and/or freeze-dried,
- is purified by liquid-liquid and liquid solid extractions,
- is bound to an affinity solid phase with covalently bound
specific glycosides or proteins and
- is selectively released by ionic solvent mixtures.

20. Pharmaceutical agent, wherein it comprises the bioregulatory
active substance as claimed in claim 1 to 14 together with a
physiologically acceptable carrier.
21. Pharmaceutical agent as claimed in claim 20, wherein it is
administered per-orally, topically or intravenously.
22. Pharmaceutical agent as claimed in claim 20 and 21, wherein it is
administered as a tablet, capsule, ointment, gel or injection.

23. Pharmaceutical agent as claimed in claims 20 to 22, wherein it
comprises other adjuvants.

Bioregulatory active substances with an inorganic structural
frame which is synthesized from carbon suboxide by
cyclooligomerization and additional formation of macro-ring
structures are specified. These active substances are used
as such and/or as stable adducts with other known
substances. The characterization of these active substances
are described as well as their organic and inorganic
derivatives, methods for their synthetic production, their
isolation and purification. The application of these active
substances for enzyme regulation and bioregulation,
medicinal compositions containing these active substances as
well as their use in diagnostics and therapy is also
described.

Documents:

9-cal-1997-granted-abstract.pdf

9-cal-1997-granted-claims.pdf

9-cal-1997-granted-correspondence.pdf

9-cal-1997-granted-description (complete).pdf

9-cal-1997-granted-drawings.pdf

9-cal-1997-granted-examination report.pdf

9-cal-1997-granted-form 1.pdf

9-cal-1997-granted-form 2.pdf

9-cal-1997-granted-form 3.pdf

9-cal-1997-granted-form 5.pdf

9-cal-1997-granted-pa.pdf

9-cal-1997-granted-priority document.pdf

9-cal-1997-granted-reply to examination report.tif

9-cal-1997-granted-specification.tif

9-cal-1997-granted-translated copy of priority document.tif


Patent Number 231383
Indian Patent Application Number 9/CAL/1997
PG Journal Number 10/2009
Publication Date 06-Mar-2009
Grant Date 04-Mar-2009
Date of Filing 02-Jan-1997
Name of Patentee DONATUR DR. KEREK GMBH
Applicant Address GUARDINISTRASSE 30, D-81375 MUNICH
Inventors:
# Inventor's Name Inventor's Address
1 KEREK, FRANZ, GUARDINISTRASSE 30 D-81375 MUNICH
PCT International Classification Number C07D 493/22
PCT International Application Number N/A
PCT International Filing date
PCT Conventions:
# PCT Application Number Date of Convention Priority Country
1 19600301.6 1996-01-05 Germany