Inositol Nicotinate

Manufacturing Process

100 g of nicotinic acid were suspended in 265 ml of distilled and dried pyridine without stirring. 68 g of phosphorus oxychloride were added dropwise to this mixture under continual stirring. The temperature of the reactants, initially at 20°C, was allowed to rise to about 60°C, and this temperature was maintained for a further 60 minutes. Thereafter 24.5 g of meso-inositol wereadded gradually, the temperature being controlled so that it did not exceed about 80°C. The reactants were maintained at this temperature for from 2 to 3 hours, and thereafter the reaction mixture was poured into 500 ml of water. The pyridine salts formed during the reaction readily dissolved, and the mesoinositol hexanicotinate which had formed crystallized out. The ester was filtered off and washed with water and acetone or alcohol. Finally, the mesoinositol hexanicotinate was dried at 100°C.The yield was 90%, the melting point of the product was 258°C to 260°C. and the chlorine content <0.01%.

Therapeutic Function

Vasodilator

Drug interactions

Potentially hazardous interactions with other drugs Statins: increased risk of myopathy.

Metabolism

Inositol nicotinate is believed to be slowly hydrolysed to nicotinic acid. The main route of metabolism is then conversion to N-methylnicotinamide and the 2-pyridone and 4-pyridone derivatives; nicotinuric acid is also formed. Small amounts of nicotinic acid are excreted unchanged in urine.

Brand name

Hexopal (Sterling Winthrop); Linodil (Sterling Winthrop); Palohex (Sterling Winthrop).