Preparation of strontium salt useful in the treatment of cartilage or bone diseases e.g. osteoporosis involves reacting strontium carbonate with organic acid (anion) in aqueous medium at specific temperature for specific time period

Preparation (P1) of strontium salt involves reacting strontium carbonate with organic acid (anion) in aqueous medium at a temperature of less than or equal to50 (preferably less than or equal to40, especially less than or equal to25, particularly less than or equal to15)degreesC for at the most 300 (preferably at the most 240, especially at the most 180, particularly at the most 120) minutes. USE - In the preparation of strontium salts useful in medicine; and in the manufacture of a medicament for the treatment and/or prophylaxis of a cartilage and/or bone disease and/or conditions resulting in a dys-regulation of cartilage and/or bone metabolism in a mammal (such as a human female or male adult, adolescent or a child) e.g. osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, osteopetrosis, osteopenia and Paget's disease, hypercalcemia of malignancy, periodontal disease, hyperparathyroidism, peri-articular erosions in rheumatoid arthritis, osteodystrophy, myositis ossificans, Bechterew's disease, malignant hypercalcemia, osteolytic lesions produced by bone metastasis, bone pain due to bone metastasis, bone loss due to sex steroid hormone deficiency, bone abnormalities due to steroid hormone treatment, bone abnormalities caused by cancer therapeutics, osteomalacia, Behcet's disease, hyperostosis, metastatic bone disease, immobilization-induced osteopenia or osteoporosis, or glucocorticoid-induced osteopenia or osteoporosis, osteoporosis pseudoglioma syndrome, idiopathic juvenile osteoporosis and for the improvement of fracture healing after traumatic or atraumatic fracture (claimed); and in products for human use such as food-products, ingredients for pharmaceutical use, personal care products such as creams, lotions, and toothpaste, vitamins and other nutritional supplements. ADVANTAGE - The method provides strontium salts in higher yield i.e. in a yield of greater than or equal to70 (preferably greater than or equal to75, more preferably greater than or equal to80, especially greater than or equal to85, particularly greater than or equal to95)%. The method produces strontium salts in a single step procedure without subsequent recrystallization; and forms strontium salts with a purity of greater than or equal to80 (preferably greater than or equal to90, especially greater than or equal to95, particularly greater than or equal to97)%. The method provides strontium salts in shorter processing times than the prior art methods; and isolates and synthesizes the strontium salts under mild conditions. The method is a low temperature synthesis method that provides strontium salts with improved dissolution and solubility. DETAILED DESCRIPTION - INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are included for the following: (1) a strontium salt, which is strontium salicylate monohydrate with unit cell crystal structures as given in Figure 1 and/or 2 of the specification obtained by process (P1); (2) a strontium salt, which is strontium malonate in crystalline form containing 1one half water molecules per crystal unit cell with a unit cell crystal structure as given in Figure 3 and/or 4 of the specification and obtained by process (P1); (3) a strontium salt, which is strontium di-L-ascorbate di-hydrate with unit cell crystal structure as given in Figure 5 and/or 6 of the specification and obtained by process (P1); and (4) a strontium salt, which is strontium di-ibuprofenate dihydrate with a unit cell crystal structure as given in Figure 7 and/or 8 of the specification and obtained by process (P1).