Drug – bio-affecting and body treating compositions – Inorganic active ingredient containing – Elemental chlorine or elemental chlorine releasing inorganic...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-11-27
2002-12-03
Dees, Jose′ G. (Department: 1616)
Drug, bio-affecting and body treating compositions
Inorganic active ingredient containing
Elemental chlorine or elemental chlorine releasing inorganic...
C424S405000, C424S450000, C424S484000, C424S486000, C424S487000, C424S488000, C424S613000, C424S616000, C424S659000, C424S661000, C424S666000, C424S680000, C424SDIG001, C514S769000, C514S772000, C514S772300, C514S772400, C514S772500, C514S772600, C514S772700, C514S781000, C514S944000, C514S964000, C514S969000, C514S970000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06488965
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to medical compositions and methods, and more particularly to certain disinfectant/antimicrobial preparations and methods for using such preparations i) to disinfect articles or surfaces, ii) as a topical antiseptic for application to body parts, and iii) to prevent or deter scar formation and iv) to treat dermatological disorders such as wounds, burns, ulcers, psoriasis, acne and other scar forming lesions.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A. Antimicrobial and Disinfectant/Antiseptic Agents Used for Disinfection/Antisepsis and Topical Treatment of Wounds, Burns, Abrasions and Infections
The prior art has included numerous antimicrobial agents which have purportedly been useable for disinfection of various articles and/or for topical application to a living being for antisepsis and/or treatment of dermal disorders (e.g., wounds, burns, abrasions, infections) wherein it is desirable to prevent or deter microbial growth to aid in healing. Such topical antimicrobial agents have contained a variety of active microbicidal ingredients such as iodine, mercurochrome, hydrogen peroxide, and chlorine dioxide.
i. Prior Chlorine Dioxide Preparations
Chlorite, a precursor of chlorine dioxide, is known to be useable as a disinfectant for drinking water and as a preservative for contact lens care solutions. However, chlorite exhibits only weak microbicidal activity within a concentration range that is acceptable and safe for topical application to the skin (e.g., 200-1000 parts per million). Thus, chlorite has not been routinely used as an active microbicidal ingredient in preparations for topical application to the skin.
In view of the limited usefulness of chlorite as an antiseptic or topical microbicide, various compositions and methods have been proposed for activation or enhancement of the microbicidal activity of chlorite. Examples of such compositions and methods for activation or enhancement of the microbicidal activity of chlorite are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,997,616 (describing general activation); U.S. Pat. No. 5,279,673 (describing acid activation) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,246,662 (describing transitional metal activation).
Chlorine dioxide (ClO
2
) and “stabilized chlorine dioxide” are known to be useable as antiseptics. Chemically, chlorine dioxide is an oxidizing agent which has strong microbicidal activity. Chlorine dioxide is generally regarded as superior even to gaseous chlorine, in certain water treatment applications where it is used as to eliminate algae and other organic material and/or to remove odors or tastes. Chlorine dioxide is also effective as a microbicide, for elimination of bacteria, viruses, and microbial spores.
In addition to its use as a microbicide, chlorine dioxide is a highly reactive, unstable radical which is useable as an oxidizing agent in a number of other chemical and biochemical applications. For example, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,855,135, chlorine dioxide can be used for (a) oxidation of double bonds between two carbon atoms; (b) oxidation of unsaturated fatty acids (lipids) via double bonds between two carbon atoms; (c) acceleration of hydrolysis of carboxylic anhydrides; (d) oxidation of aldehydes to the corresponding carboxylic acids; (e) oxidation of alcohols; (f) oxidation of amines; (g) oxidation of phenols, phenolic derivatives and thiophenolic compounds; (h) moderate oxidation of hydroquinones; (i) oxidation of amino acids, proteins and polyamides; (j) oxidation of nitrates and sulphides; and (k) alteration of the CHO and CH
2
OH radicals of carbohydrates to produce carboxylic functionality.
Concentrated chlorine dioxide in its liquid or gaseous state is highly explosive and poisonous. As a result, concentrated chlorine dioxide must be handled and transported with great caution. For this reason, it is generally not feasible to dispense pure chlorine dioxide for use as a topical antimicrobial agent or disinfectant. Instead, same antimicrobial or disinfectant preparations have been formulated to provide for “acid generation” of chlorine dioxide. Such acid generation solutions contain a metal chlorite (i.e., a precursor of chlorine dioxide available in powdered or liquid form) in combination with an acid which will react with the chlorite to liberate or release chlorine dioxide. Generally, any acid may be used for acid generation of chlorine dioxide, including strong acids such as hydrochloric acid and sulfuric acid and relatively weak acids such as citric and tartaric acid. Drawbacks or problems associated with these prior chlorine dioxide generating systems include a) the inconvenience of handing two separate containers or chemical components, b) the difficulty of delivering such two-component systems to the intended site of application, and c) the fact that these prior systems are of acid, rather than neutral, pH. Moreover, the prior chlorine dioxide generating systems which utilize acid-induced generation of chlorine dioxide can, if uncontrolled, cause the generation of chlorine dioxide to occur quite rapidly and, as a result, the disinfectant or antimicrobial potency of the solution may be short lived. Increasing the concentration of chlorite and acid within the solution may prolong its disinfectant or antimicrobial shelf life, but such increased concentrations of these chemicals can result in toxicities or (in topical applications) skin irritation. Such increased concentrations may also result in the generation of more chlorine dioxide than is required.
Various methods have been described to limit or control the rate at which chlorine dioxide is produced in “acid generation” solutions. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. Re. 31,779 (Alliger) describes a germicidal composition which comprises a water soluble chlorite, such as sodium chlorite, in combination with lactic acid. The particular composition possesses improved disinfectant properties, properties not attained by using the same composition but replacing the lactic acid with other acids such as phosphoric acid, acetic acid, sorbic acid, fumaric acid, sulfamic acid, succinic acid, boric acid, tannic acid, and citric acid. The germkilling composition is produced by contacting an acid material containing at least 15% by weight of lactic acid with sodium chlorite in aqueous media, the amount of lactic acid being sufficient to lower the pH of the aqueous media to less than about 7. The methods disclosed of disinfecting and sanitizing a germ-carrying substrate, such as skin, include either application of the germ-killing composition, or application of the reactants to provide in situ production thereof. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 5,384,134 (Kross) describes acid induced generation of chlorine dioxide from a metal chlorite wherein the chlorite concentration is limited by the amount of available chlorous acid. In particular, the Kross patent describes a method for treating dermal disorders wherein a first gel, which comprises a metal chlorite, is mixed with a second gel, which comprises a protic acid. The chlorite ions present in such solution as chlorous acid purportedly comprise no more than about 15% by weight of the total chlorite ion concentration in the composition, and the mixture of the two gels purportedly generates chlorine dioxide over an extended time of up to 24 hours.
Other prior patents have purported to describe the use of “stabilized” chlorine dioxide as a means of chlorine dioxide generation. The term stabilized chlorine dioxide refers to various compositions in which the chlorine dioxide is believed to be held in solution in the form of a labile complex. The stabilization of chlorine dioxide by the use of perborates was disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,701,781 (de Guevara). According to the de Guevara patent, an antiseptic solution of stabilized chlorine dioxide can be formed from an aqueous solution of chlorine dioxide and an inorganic boron compound with the boron compound and the chlorine dioxide being present in the solution as a labile complex. The chlorine dioxide, fixed in this stable condition, is an essential ingr
Buyan Robert D.
Choi Frank
Dees Jose′ G.
Stout, Uxa Buyan & Mullins, LLP
LandOfFree
Synergistic antimicrobial preparations containing chlorite... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Synergistic antimicrobial preparations containing chlorite..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Synergistic antimicrobial preparations containing chlorite... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2954012