Drug – bio-affecting and body treating compositions – Veneral disease
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-12
2002-12-31
Dees, Jose′ G. (Department: 1616)
Drug, bio-affecting and body treating compositions
Veneral disease
C424S401000, C424S059000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06500869
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to sunscreen formulations in solid or liquid form comprising organic and/or inorganic light protection filters having prophylactic action against herpetic diseases of the skin, and to the use of these sunscreen formulations.
As is known, the skin is sensitive to solar rays, which can cause simple sunburn or an erythema, but also burns of varying severity.
However, solar rays also have other negative effects: they cause the skin to lose its elasticity and form wrinkles, thus leading to premature ageing. Dermatoses may also sometimes be observed. In extreme cases, some people can develop skin cancer.
In addition, it is known that for people who have been infected with Herpesviruses and suffer from Herpes under stress, the Herpesviruses are activated in many cases following intensive solar irradiation, leading to herpetic diseases of the skin, in particular in the mouth and lip area.
The most dangerous solar rays are the ultraviolet rays having a wavelength of less than 400 nm. The majority of the undesired effects of sunlight, such as, for example, sunburn, light-induced cell damage and skin cancer, are caused by UVB radiation (280-320 nm).
UVB radiation can cause skin reddening and damage to the cell nuclei by three different reaction paths:
sunburn as a result of the release of biological “messengers”,
skin cancer as a result of direct damage to the DNA of the cell nucleus,
skin cancer as a result of the release of free radicals.
Sunburn is per se exclusively the result of an overdose of UVB radiation. This radiation releases biochemical messengers, such as, for example, histamine, which in turn cause the known effects such as itching, a feeling of pain and heat and “burning” of the skin. The messengers also diffuse into the blood vessels, where they cause dilation, and thus lead to an oedema. In addition, they bring about proliferation of the basal cells.
Solar radiation, including that which does not lead to sunburn, thus signifies stress for the skin cells, as the result of which the defence mechanisms against infection, or the undesired action of bacteria or viruses, are weakened. A latent herpes infection can thus be activated and manifest itself in the formation of painful blisters.
The effects of an overdose of UVB irradiation are observed at the earliest about 4 hours after irradiation, i.e. too late for any preventive measures. Sunburn is therefore not a warning signal, but an indication of skin damage which is already present.
UVA radiation having wavelengths greater than 340 nm is, in the case of healthy skin, principally responsible for the process of skin ageing. In addition, however, a carcinogenic effect is discussed for UVA radiation too.
It is also known that as a result of the presence of the ozone layer in the earth's atmosphere, which absorbs some solar radiation, the lower limit of the ultraviolet rays which reach the surface of the earth is about 280 nm. Chronic cell damage, such as skin ageing and skin cancer, are caused by direct damage of the cell nucleus, which has specific sensitivity to UV radiation having wavelengths below 320 nm. Only at wavelengths above 340 nm does it no longer absorb radiation. Damage to the cell nucleus is based on damage to the DNA. This leads to loss of functionability of the DNA, irrespective of how the damage occurs.
However, the wavelength range of sunlight extends not only beyond the range of UVA and UVB radiation from 280 to 400 nm. The area which can be perceived by the eye extends to 800 nm and is limited by the transition to long-wave infra-red radiation, which is perceived as heat radiation. At the bottom end, the radiation crosses into the short-wave UV region, also called UVC radiation. This is the wavelength range from 100 to 280 nm.
Sunlight in the wavelength range from 400 to 800 nm (VIS region) can penetrate into the deeper layers of skin, where it can become active in a harmful manner, meaning that this very effect of light too can accelerate skin ageing processes. This is also true of IR radiation. Thus, not only UVA and UVB radiation have a harmful effect on the skin cells and cause not only immediately visible short-term damage, such as sunburn and herpes, but also long-term skin changes and skin damage, but also radiation in the wavelength range of visible light (VIS region) and in the region of infra-red radiation (IR region) contributes to skin damage and weakens its defence mechanisms.
It therefore appears desirable to provide sunscreen formulations which ensure as broad a protection as possible against the skin-damaging effect of solar irradiation. In particular, it is, however, also desirable to provide sunscreen formulations which have a prophylactic action against herpetic diseases of the skin.
The invention therefore provides sunscreen formulations comprising organic and/or inorganic light protection filters having prophylactic action against herpetic diseases of the skin, in particular of the skin in the mouth and lip area.
Sunscreen formulations according to the invention have a prophylactic action against herpetic diseases of the skin caused by viruses of the group consisting of herpes simplex and herpes labialis.
The invention therefore provides sunscreen formulations comprising one or more light protection filters or light protection filter combinations which absorb radiation in the UVA and UVB region.
Light protection filters or light protection filter combinations present can advantageously also absorb in the IR region and/or visible region.
The invention further provides for the use of sunscreen formulations which comprise organic and/or inorganic light protection filters for the prophylaxis against herpetic diseases of the skin, in particular against those diseases of the skin in the mouth and lip area which are caused by viruses of the group consisting of herpes simplex and Herpes labialis.
In particular, the use of sunscreen formulations which comprise organic and/or inorganic light protection filters and absorb in the UVA, UVB, IR and visible region of the light spectrum, for the prophylaxis against herpetic diseases of the skin caused by viruses of the group consisting of herpes simplex and Herpes labialis is provided for by the invention.
The sunscreen filters customary today in cosmetics are divided into UVA and UVB filters. For both UVA and UVB regions there are many tried and tested substances known from the specialist literature, substances here by way of example being only those such as phenylbenzimidazole-5-sulfonic acid (Eusolex® 232), benzophenone derivatives (Eusolex® 4360), benzoyl- or dibenzoylmethane derivatives (Eusolexe 9020 or Parsol® 1789, Eusolex 8020), triazone derivatives (octyltriazone, Uvinul T150®), salicylate derivatives (Eusolex HMS®, Eusolex OS®), benzylidinecamphor derivatives (Eusolex® 6300), octocrylene (Eusolex® OCR), 4-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) or 2-ethyl N,N-dimethyl-4-aminobenzoate (Eusolex® 6007). Also suitable are light protection filters from the group of methoxycinnamic esters (e.g. Eusolex® 2292) or inorganic light protection filters from the group consisting of titanium dioxide and zinc oxide.
The substances of cinnamic acid derivatives, in particular octyl p-methoxycinnamate, function not only as light protection filters, but also as solvents for other UV filters and are therefore often used in combination with various filters. Since, for example, 2-ethylhexylmethoxycinnamic acid, available commercially under the name Eusolex® 2292, is a very good solvent for other UV filters, it is preferably used in combination with other UV filters, as a result of which an increased overall concentration of light protection filter present is achieved in prepared formulations.
To increase the photostability of light protection filters of the cinnamic acid class, it is also possible to use [lacuna] in the presence of the substance ethyl 3-(N-butylacetamino)propionate, as a result of which an insect-repelling action is achieved at the same time. This substance is a very polar oil which differs from traditional cosmeti
Driller Hansjürgen
Hitzel Sabine
Dees Jose′ G.
George Konata M.
Merck Patent Gesellschaft
Millen White Zelano & Branigan P.C.
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