Drug – bio-affecting and body treating compositions – Plant material or plant extract of undetermined constitution...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-30
2003-04-15
Pak, John (Department: 1616)
Drug, bio-affecting and body treating compositions
Plant material or plant extract of undetermined constitution...
C424S736000, C424S739000, C424S742000, C424S745000, C424S746000, C424S747000, C424S750000, C424S754000, C424S757000, C424S766000, C424S768000, C424S769000, C424S770000, C424S773000, C424S774000, C424S778000, C424S779000, C514S078000, C514S578000, C514S709000, C514S711000, C514S729000, C514S762000, C514S763000, C514S768000, C514S772000, C514S975000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06548085
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to insecticidal compositions and methods of using same to control various crawling and flying insect pests, and, in its preferred embodiments, relates more particularly to synergistic “non-poison” insecticides adapted to unexpectedly increase insect mortality and reduce kill time.
Commercially available insecticides, including those available for home use, commonly comprise active ingredients or “poisons” which are not only toxic to the target insect pests, but, if used in relatively confined environments and delivered as aerosol sprays, can be present in sufficient concentration to also be toxic to humans and household pets. Various undesirable side effects may include immediate or delayed neurotoxic reactions, and/or suffocation. Even the noxious odor of such materials can cause headaches or upset stomachs in some individuals. These adverse side effects are exacerbated when such compositions come in contact with persons of increased sensitivity, or persons of small body mass such as children or babies.
For some time, efforts have been made to develop insecticidal compositions, particularly those intended for residential use in aerosol form, which are effective in killing the targeted insect pests completely and quickly, but non-toxic to humans and pets. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates the use of potentially toxic ingredients in pesticidal compositions under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act. Certain materials considered to be either active or inert materials by the EPA have been deregulated or otherwise identified as acceptable “safe” substances offering minimum risk in normal use. Other materials are currently undergoing investigation and may be deregulated in due course. Deregulated substances are generally considered non-poisonous by the consumer. Thus, the term “non-poisonous” as used herein is intended to convey a composition that, while highly effective in killing targeted insect pests, is safe to use around humans, particularly small children, and pets.
Unfortunately, non-poisonous insecticidal compositions available heretofore incorporating deregulated materials as the active ingredient have had limited efficacy. Attempts to use deregulated essential oils as the active ingredient in such insecticides, while having limited success, have generally been found to be either cost prohibitive, inadequately lethal to control a range of targeted insect pest species, or too slow-acting to enable the user to confirm that the insect has been killed and to dispose of the dead insect so as to avoid polluting the environment.
Among the insects which are found to be particularly undesirable are cockroaches, both the American and German species. These pests shed their “skin” which, over time, disintegrates forming what is known as “cuticle” in the air, a particular problem for people suffering from asthma. Thus, not only is it important to kill cockroaches with an effective insecticide, the kill time must be sufficiently short for the carcass to be properly disposed of before the insect can crawl into a remote area to die.
While cockroaches are a prime target for a household spray, for general application such materials must also be effective against other crawling insects, such as ants, water bugs, silverfish, crickets, spiders and centipedes. Additionally, aerosol compositions of such insecticides of proper concentration must also be effective against various flying insects, including flies, mosquitoes, gnats, moths, wasps, hornets, yellow jackets and other bees, both inside and outside of the house.
Among the materials exempted by the EPA is cornmint oil (also known as Japanese mint or
Mentha arvensis
). Cornmint oil includes a high concentration of menthol and is known to contain alpha-pinene, myrcene, limonene, gamma-terpenine, 3-octanol, menthofuran, beta-caroyophyllene, germa-crene D and beta-pinene, along with other components. As with other mint oils, cornmint oil has been used as a flavorant in mouthwashes, cough syrups, throat lozenges, chewing gum, and the like.
While cornmint oil has been considered for its insecticidal or insect repellent properties, it has not been shown to be particularly effective, and certainly has not been distinguished from other materials of this kind as a candidate for special attention.
Other essential oils currently deregulated by the EPA include cedar oil, cinnamon oil, citronella oil, clove oil, corn oil, garlic oil, lemongrass oil, linseed oil, peppermint oil, rosemary oil, soybean oil and thyme oil. Among the essential oils proposed for exemption from registration are a number of the citrus oils. Citrus oils would include orange oil, lemon oil, lime oil, grapefruit oil and tangerine oil.
As with the cornmint oil, some of these other essential oils have been considered for their insecticidal or insect repellent properties, but they have not been shown to be particularly effective as active ingredients. It would, therefore, be both environmentally and commercially important to be able to enhance the insecticidal properties of these relatively safe essential oils by incorporating an otherwise ineffective, but environmentally friendly, synergist to increase the activity of the resultant composition to a level sufficient to quickly produce significant mortality in at least certain insect populations.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a primary object of the instant invention to provide a non-poisonous broad-spectrum insecticide containing, as an essential active ingredient, materials that have been approved by the EPA as safe or as offering minimum risk in products of this nature. Consistent with this objective, this invention provides an aerosol insecticide which is not detrimental to the health of humans or pets and which is environmentally safe, yet effective in killing targeted insect pests with which it comes in contact.
Another object of the instant invention is the provision of an insecticidal composition that not only effectively kills 100% of the targeted insects with which it comes in contact, but kills such insects within seconds of contact so that the user can be certain of the effectiveness of the insecticide, and the insect carcass can be safely and easily disposed of without contaminating the environment.
Yet a further object of this invention is the provision of an insecticidal composition comprising a combination of ingredients which individually are relatively ineffective, but act in concert to provide high total killing power with a substantially decreased kill time.
A still further object of this invention is the provision of a pesticide, comprising an essential oil, the activity of which has been unexpectedly enhanced by the incorporation of insecticidally effective quantities of sodium lauryl sulfate or lecithin, so as to surprisingly improve both the kill ratio and kill time, providing greater insecticidal activity than either of the ingredients and more effective and faster-acting killing power than would be expected by combining these components.
Yet another object of this invention is the provision of an insecticidal composition comprising an essential oil, preferably one selected from the group consisting of cedar oil, cornmint oil, cinnamon oil, citronella oil, lemongrass oil, peppermint oil, orange oil, lemon oil, lime oil, grapefruit oil and tangerine oil, in synergistic combination with sodium lauryl sulfate or lecithin to enhance the effectiveness of the composition sufficiently to render the otherwise relatively ineffective individual components functionally enhanced and quicker-acting, thereby improving both the mortality and the kill time. Among the deregulated essential oils, cedar oil and cornmint oil are particularly attractive because of their pleasant odors.
Another object of this invention is the provision of an insecticidal composition comprising an essential oil and a synergist which minimizes the quantity of the active ingredient necessary to effect acceptable mortality rates in at least some insect populations,
Gehret Michael J.
Zobitne Karen A.
Jacobson & Holman PLLC
Pak John
Woodstream Corporation
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