Synthetic resins or natural rubbers -- part of the class 520 ser – Synthetic resins – Processes of preparing a desired or intentional composition...
Patent
1990-11-28
1992-02-25
Michl, Paul R.
Synthetic resins or natural rubbers -- part of the class 520 ser
Synthetic resins
Processes of preparing a desired or intentional composition...
604347, 604349, A61M 2500, C08L 702, C08K 506
Patent
active
050914421
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to tubular articles such as condoms or catheters rendered antimicrobially effective by incorporating therein an effective amount of a non-ionic sparingly water soluble antimicrobial agent such as triclosan into the material such as natural rubber from which the article is made.
For many elastomeric tubular articles which are used in the medical or veterinary sciences it is often desirable to treat them so they can prevent the passage of bacteria or virus or even have a microbiocidal effect at least at their surfaces. Such articles include catheters such a urethral catheters, condoms, wound drains, endotracheal tubes and the like. Heretofore such articles have been treated with antimicrobial agents by washing with a solution of the agent or by treating it with a cream or lubricating oil or powders which contain an antimicrobial agent.
It would be useful if the aforementioned articles could be manufactured with the antimicrobial agent in situ. Unfortunately it has proved to be extremely difficult to produce articles made of rubbers such as natural rubber latex or the like incorporating an antimicrobial agent. For example, the agents have tendency to destabalise the materials from which the article is formed, for example by causing gelling of a latex. However, a method has now been discovered which allows articles to be formed which incorporate an antimicrobially effective amount of an agent which reduces the tendency for bacteria to grow on the surface of the article and then improves the barrier properties of the article against transmission of bacteria and even of viruses such as the HIV and hepatitis B virus.
The present invention provides a method for the manufacture of an antimicrobially effective tubular article which comprises including an antimicrobially effective amount of a non-ionic sparingly water soluble antimicrobial agent in an aqueous dispersion of the article material prior to forming the article.
The present invention also provides an antimicrobial tubular article which contains a non-ionic sparingly water soluble antimicrobial agent.
The antimicrobial agent is non-ionic at neutral pH values and only sparingly soluble in water. By sparingly water soluble it is meant that the antimicrobial agent has a solubility in water at 20.degree. C. of less than 0.1 gm/liter, preferably less than 0.05 gm/liter.
The article material will contain (i.e. within its body as opposed to residing only on its surface) an antimicrobially effective amount of antimicrobial agent. Suitably the article material may contain from 0.1 to 10% w/w of antimicrobial agent, more suitably 1 to 5% w/w and preferably about 1.0% ww.
The material which forms the article can be any one of those which are conventionally used for forming such articles especially condoms and include natural rubber, polyvinyl chloride and polyurethane. The use of a natural rubber latex to form the article material is preferred. The use of a non-ionic sparingly soluble antimicrobial agent in a natural rubber latex article offers a method of overcoming many of the potential problems which could occur with natural rubber latex articles if they are susceptible to penetration by virus such as those responsible for AIDS and Hepatitis B.
From the foregoing it will be appreciated that in a preferred aspect this invention provides a natural rubber latex tubular article which contains a non-ionic, sparingly soluble antimicrobial agent.
The preferred antimicrobial agent is 2,4,4'-trichloro-2'-hydroxydiphenyl ether (triclosan).
Thus in a preferred aspect the present invention provides a natural rubber latex tubular article which contains 2,4,4'-trichloro-2'-hydroxydiphenyl ether.
These antimicrobial agents are particularly suitable for incorporation into catheters and condoms formed from natural rubber latex. It has been observed that natural rubber latices may be coagulated by ionic antimicrobial agent. If articles formed from natural rubber latices are to be treated with such antimicrobial agents in the prior art, it is only after the rub
REFERENCES:
patent: 4415548 (1983-11-01), Reddy
patent: 4592920 (1986-06-01), Murtfeldt
patent: 4675347 (1981-06-01), Mochizuki et al.
patent: 4723950 (1988-02-01), Lee
patent: 4853978 (1989-08-01), Stockum
patent: 4963623 (1990-10-01), Miller et al.
Michl Paul R.
Smith and Nephew plc
Szekely Peter
LandOfFree
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