Drug – bio-affecting and body treating compositions – Dentifrices
Reexamination Certificate
2002-08-28
2003-11-25
Rose, Shep K. (Department: 1614)
Drug, bio-affecting and body treating compositions
Dentifrices
C424S050000, C424S052000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06652841
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to oral compositions for enhancing oral hygiene, and more particularly, to enzyme containing dual component compositions for enhancing antiplaque efficacy of oral compositions.
2. The Prior Art
Oral compositions such as toothpastes, gels and mouth washes are designed to loosen and remove plaque in conjunction with a regular toothbrushing regimen. Dental plaque is present to some degree, in the form of a film, on virtually all dental surfaces. It is a byproduct of microbial growth, and comprises a dense microbial layer consisting of a mass of microorganisms embedded in a polysaccharide matrix. Plaque itself adheres firmly to dental surfaces and is removed only with difficulty even through a rigorous brushing regimen. Moreover, plaque rapidly reforms on the tooth surface after it is removed. Plaque may form on any part of the tooth surface, and is found particularly at the gingival margin, in cracks in the enamel, and on the surface of dental calculus. The danger associated with the formation of plaque on the teeth lies in the tendency of plaque to build up and eventually produce gingivitis, periodontitis and other types of periodontal disease, as well as dental caries and dental calculus.
It is known to the art to incorporate antimicrobial agents such as metal salts including stannous salts such as stannous fluoride in oral compositions wherein these agents destroy or inhibit oral bacteria. Other agents are also incorporated in the oral composition to enhance the efficacy of the antimicrobial agents. For example, it is known to incorporate enzymes in oral compositions which disrupt or interfere with plaque formation and bacterial adhesion to tooth surfaces as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,527,686; 3,991,177; 3,194,738; 4,082,841;4,115,546; 4,140,759; 4,152,418; 4,986,981; 5,000,939; 5,370,831; 5,431,903; 5,537,856; 5,849,271.
A problem encountered with the use of enzymes in oral care compositions is that often the enzyme of choice is not compatible with metal salts and surfactants such as anionic surfactants as these agents facilitate denaturing of the enzyme and loss of activity.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is based upon the discovery that in a dual component dentifrice comprised of separately housed dentifrice components in which the components contain an enzyme and an antibacterial metal salt normally incompatible with the enzyme, the components unexpectedly provide improved antiplaque efficacy when the components are mixed and combined during use in tooth brushing as the antiplaque activity of the enzyme and the metal salt is retained during the period of such use.
In accordance with the present invention there is provided a method for combining the plaque disruption properties of active enzymes and the plaque inhibiting properties of stannous salts using a dual component dentifrice, the dentifrice being comprised of separately housed, components containing an antibacterial metal salt such as a stannous salt and an enzyme normally incompatible with the metal salt whereupon combination of the components during use provides a superior antiplaque efficacy without significant reduction in the activity of the stannous salt or enzyme.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
In the preparation of the dentifrice composition of the present invention the enzyme and antibacterial metal salt may be combined in one component or in separate components of the dual component dentifrice. The two components are preferably combined in approximately equal weight proportions, so that about one-half of the concentration of any particular ingredient within either component will be present when the components are combined and applied to the teeth, as by brushing. Both components are preferably formulated to have similar physical characteristics, so that the two components may be simultaneously delivered in the desired predetermined amounts by extrusion when separately housed in a multicompartmented tube or pump device.
FIRST DENTIFRICE COMPONENT
Enzymes
The enzymes useful in the practice of the present invention include enzymes extracted from natural fruit products such as well-known protein substances within the class of proteases, which breakdown or hydrolyze proteins. The proteolytic enzymes are obtained from natural sources or by the action of microorganisms having a nitrogen source and a carbon source. Examples of proteolylic enzymes useful in the practice of the present invention include the naturally occurring enzymes papain (from papaya), bromelain (from pineapple), as well as serine proteases such as chymotrypsin. Additional enzymes include ficin and alcalase.
Papain obtained from the milky latex of the Papaya tree is the proteolytic enzyme preferred for use in the practice of the present invention and is incorporated in the oral care composition of the present invention in an amount of about 0.1 to about 10% by weight and preferably about 0.2 to about 5% by weight, such papain having an activity of 150 to 900 units per milligram as determined by the Milk Clot Assay Test of the Biddle Sawyer Group (see J. Biol. Chem., vol. 121, pages 737-745).
Enzymes which may beneficially be used in combination with the proteolytic enzymes include carbohydrases such as glucoamylase, alpha-amylase, beta-amylase, dextranase and mutanase, tannase and lipases such as plant lipase, gastric lipase and pancreatic lipase.
Glucoamylase is a saccharifying glucoamylase of
Aspergillus niger
origin. This enzyme can hydrolyze both the alpha-D-1,6 glucosidic branch points and the alpha-1,4 glucosidic bonds of glucosyl oligosaccharides. The product of this invention comprises about 0.01 to 10% of the carbohydrases. The lipase enzyme is derived from a select strain of
Aspergillus niger
. The enzyme has maximum lipolytic activity at pH 5.0 to 7.0 when assayed with olive oil. The enzyme has 120,000 lipase units per gram. Among the carbohydrases useful in accordance with this invention are glucoamylase, alpha and beta-amylase, dextranase and mutanase.
Enzymes such as proteolytic enzymes are included in the first dentifrice component of the present invention at a concentration of about 0.05 to about 5.0% by weight and preferably about 0.2 to about 2% by weight.
Additional examples of enzymes which can be used in the practice of the present invention include other carbohydrases such as alpha-amylase, beta-amylase, dextranase and mutanase and lipases such as plant lipase, gastric lipase, pancreatic lipase, pectinase, tannase lysozyme and serine proteases.
The lipase enzyme is derived from a select strain of
Aspergillus niger
, exhibiting random cleaving of the 1,3 positions of fats and oils. The enzyme has maximum lipolytic activity at pH 5.0 to 7.0 when assayed with olive oil. The enzyme has a measured activity of 120,000 lipase units per gram. The lipase may be included in the dentifrice composition at a concentration of about 0.010 to about 5.0% by weight and preferably about 0.02 to about 0.10% by weight.
The presence of tannase enzyme can be further beneficial in facilitating the breakdown of extrinsic stain. Tannase enzymes have been purified from
Aspergillus niger
and
Aspergillus allianceus
and are useful in the hydrolysis of tannins, known to discolor the tooth surface.
Further examples of enzymes which can be used in the practice of the present invention include lysozyme, derived from egg white, which contains a single polypeptide chain crosslinked by four disulfide bonds having a molecular weight of 14,600 daltons. The enzyme can exhibit antibacterial properties by facilitating the hydrolysis of bacterial cell walls cleaving the glycosidic bond between carbon number 1 of N-acetylmuramic acid and carbon number 4 of N-acetyl-D-glucosamine, which in vivo, these two carbohydrates are polymerized to form the cell wall polysaccharide. Additionally, pectinase, an enzyme that is present in most plant species facilitates the hydrolysis of the polysaccharide pectin into sugars and galacturonic acid. Glucanase, w
Brown James R.
Herles Susan M.
Masters James G.
Prencipe Michael
Szeles Lori H.
Colgate - Palmolive Company
Lieberman Bernard
Rose Shep K.
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