Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02374035 2001-12-28
WO 01/01782 PCT/US00/17559
PAIN RELIEF COMPOSITION AND
METHOD OF RELIEVING PAIN
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to a composition for relieving pain
and
the use of the same for relieving pain. More particularly, the present
invention relates
to a composition that contains a mixture of essential oils and that is used
for treating
pain in a human body.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
As people attempt to accomplish increasingly accomplish more things both
professionally and personally in specified periods of time, people get
frustrated when
physical ailments prevent them from operating near peak efficiencies. For
example,
many women experience significant amounts of discomfort at selected times
during
their menstrual cycles. Such conditions are often identified as premenstrual
syndrome
("PMS ").
Conventional pain relievers such as aspirin and acetaminophen have produced
only moderate success in addressing the physical symptoms associated with PMS.
There have been numerous attempts at preparing pain relievers that exhibit a
greater
efficacy in treating PMS. However, these treatments do not produce
advantageous
results on a significant proportion of the population.
As such, it is frequently necessary for people who suffer from significant PMS
discomfort levels to obtain treatment from a physician who often must
prescribe
stronger medications to reduce the discomfort to an acceptable level. A
drawback
CA 02374035 2001-12-28
WO 01/01782 PCT/US00/17559
-2-
associated with the use of such stronger medications is that these type of
medications
often negatively affect the patient's mental and/or physical acuity.
In light of the recurring nature of PMS, ongoing episodes in which a person
experiences a significant level of discomfort from PMS can lead to a
noticeable
decrease in the person's long-term productivity, possibly even threatening the
person's
ability to remain gainfully employed.
In addition to minimizing the use of medications that negatively affect mental
and/or physical acuity, it is also desirable to reduce or eliminate the use of
non-natural
medications, as such medications are believed to cause other less desirable
physical
ailments such as cancer.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a method of treating pain in a human body. The
method includes preparing a pain relief composition from a mixture of aloe
vera oil,
eucalyptus oil, lemon oil, orange oil, peppermint oil, and rosemary oil. The
method
also includes topically applying the pain relief composition to the human body
proximate to where a person is experiencing discomfort.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
While the present invention is susceptible of embodiments in various forms,
there is hereinafter be described presently preferred embodiments with the
understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered an
exemplification of the
CA 02374035 2001-12-28
WO 01/01782 PCT/US00/17559
-3-
invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific
embodiments
described.
The present invention is a composition that relieves pain when applied
topically to the human body proximate the location of the pain. For example,
the pain
relief composition of the present invention is particularly suited for
relieving pain
associated with PMS when the pain relief composition is applied to the
person's
abdomen.
The pain relief composition of the present invention is also useful in
treating
other physical ailments, such as muscle strains, muscle sprains, muscle aches,
headaches, bruises, arthritis, and joint pain. Additionally, the pain relief
composition
reduces swelling when applied topically in areas of a body where swelling is
found.
The pain relief composition of the present invention is formulated from
organically derived essential oils. As such, the pain relief composition
provides
consumers with a technique to reduce the level of pain while not using
artificial, man-
made compositions. The organically-derived nature of the composition of the
present
invention has substantial value to those individuals who desire to reduce pain
without
using artificial, man-made compositions.
The pain relief composition is substantially a mixture of essential oils.
Essential oils used in preparing the pain relief composition of the present
invention
include aloe vera, peppermint, lemon, orange, and rosemary oils. The
concentration
of aloe vera oil is between about 10 and 18 percent by weight and preferably
between
about 13 and 16 percent by weight. The concentration of eucalyptus oil is
between
about 0.5 and 5 percent by weight and preferably between about 1 and 3 percent
by
CA 02374035 2001-12-28
WO 01/01782 PCT/US00/17559
-4-
weight. The concentration of lemon oil is between about 0.5 and 5.0 percent by
weight and preferably about 1 and 3 percent by weight. The concentration of
orange
oil is between about 0.5 and 5.0 percent by weight and preferably about 1 and
3
percent by weight. The concentration of peppermint oil is between about 65 and
80
percent by weight and preferably between about 70 and 75 percent by weight.
The
concentration of rosemary oil is between about 2 and 10 percent by weight and
preferably about 4 and 7 percent by weight.
The composition of the present invention also preferably includes calendula
oil
(Calendula o~cinalis), which is derived from the marigold plant. The
concentration
of calendula oil is up to about 25 percent by weight and preferably about 20
percent
by weight.
A person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that it is possible to
utilize
additional essential oils in the pain relief composition without departing
from the
scope of the present invention. One such additional oil is camphor oil, which
my be
used at a concentration of up to 5 percent by weight. Another suitable
essential oil is
tagette oil.
Aloe vera oil is obtained from the dried leaves of Aloe barbadensis Miller
(Aloe vera Linne).
Camphor oil contains bicyclo (2.2.1J heptan-2-one, 1,7,7-trimethyl-, 2-
Camphanone; 2-Bornanone [76-22-2] C,oH,60. Camphor oil is preferably obtains
by
steam distilling chips of the camphor tree and then purifying the material
thereby
obtained.
CA 02374035 2001-12-28
WO 01/01782 PCT/US00/17559
-5-
Eucalyptus oil contains not less than 70 percent by weight of C,oH,gO
(eucalyptol). Other components typically found in eucalyptus oil include d a
pinene,
globulol, pinocarveol, pinocarvone, and selected aldehydes. Eucalyptus oil has
a
specific gravity of between about 0.905 and 0.925 at 25°C. Eucalyptus
oil is
preferably obtained by distilling fresh leaves of Eucalyptus globulus
Labillardiere or
other species of Eucalyptus L'Heritier (Fam Myrtaceae).
Lemon oil typically contains citral, d limonene, 1-~pinene, ~-pinene,
camphene, ~i phellandrene and 'y-terpinene. The total aldehyde content of
lemon oil,
calculated as citral (C,oH,60), is between about 2.2 and S.5 percent. Lemon
oil has a
specific gravity of between about 0.849 and 0.855 at 25°C. Lemon oil is
obtained by
expression from the fresh peel of the fruit of Citrus limon (Linne) Burmann
filius
(Fam Rutaceae).
Orange oil consists of at least 90 percent by weight d limonene along with
other odorous constituents such as n-decylic aldehyde, citral, d linalool, n-
nonyl
alcohol and traces of esters of formic, acetic, caprylic and capric acids. The
total
aldehyde content, calculated as decanal (C,oH2o0), is between about 1.2 and
2.5
percent. Orange oil has a specific gravity of between about 0.842 and 0.846 at
25°C.
Orange oil is prepared by expression from the fresh peel of the ripe fruit of
Citrus
sinensis (Linne) Osbeck (Fam Rutaceae).
Peppermint oil contains not less than 5 percent of esters, calculated as
menthyl
acetate (C,zH22~2O and not less than 50 percent of total menthol (C,oH2o0),
free and as
esters. Other components typically found in peppermint oil include methone,
piperitone, a-pinene, 1-limonene, phellandrene, cadinene, menthyl isovalerate
CA 02374035 2001-12-28
WO 01/01782 PCT/US00/17559
-6-
isovaleric aldehyde, acetaldehyde, menthofuran, cineol, an unidentified
lactone
(C,oH,602), and amyl acetate. Peppermint oil is distilled with steam from the
fresh
overground parts of the flowering plant of Mentha piperia Linne (Fam
Labiatae).
Peppermint oil has a specific gravity of between about 0.896 and 0.908 at
25°C.
Rosemary oil contains not less than I.5 percent of esters calculated as bornyl
acetate (C,ZHzo02), and not less than 8 percent of total borneol (C,oH,80),
free and as
esters. Cineol is present at a concentration of between 19 and 25 percent by
weight.
Terpenes d and 1-a-pinene, dipentene and camphene, and the ketone camphor also
occur in rosemary oil. Rosemary oil is distilled with steam from the fresh
flowering
tops of Rosemarinus o~cinalis Linn~ (Fam Labiatae). Rosemary oil has a
specific
gravity of between about 0.894 and 0.912 at 25°C.
As a preliminary step in preparing the pain relief composition of the present
invention, each of the components is put through a subjective quality control
evaluation in which the color, smell and weight are evaluated. These results
are then
compared with previous samples of the same components to ensure that each of
the
essential oils of the same quality as the previously used components.
Next, each of the components is separately filtered to remove any particulate
matter contained therein. Filtering is preferably accomplished by passing the
components through a Grade 2 filter.
The components are then warmed to a temperature of between about 30 and
40°C and preferably between about 35 and 38°C so that each of
the components is at
approximately the same temperature. Providing each of the components at
CA 02374035 2001-12-28
WO 01/01782 PCT/US00/17559
approximately the same temperature when the components are mixed eliminates or
significantly reduces undesirable interactions between the components.
The order in which the components are mixed is also believed to play an
important role in preparing a stable composition. The components are mixed
together
based on the hydrophil content. The components with the highest hydrophil
content
are mixed together first followed by the components with the lower hydrophil
content.
The hydrophil content of the essential oils used in producing the pain relief
composition tend to vary based upon several factors including the location in
which
the plant that was used to produce the essential oil was grown. As such, the
hydrophil
content should be monitored with each group of materials.
The hydrophil content is preferably determined by evaluating each material in
a gas chromatograph. Typically, peppermint oil has the highest hydrophil
content of
about 40-45 percent. The hydrophil content of rosemary oil is typically about
18.
1 S The hydrophil content of eucalyptus oil is typically about 11 percent.
After the addition of each component, the mixture is sufficiently mixed so
that
the mixture is substantially homogeneous. The temperature of the mixture is
monitored to ensure the temperature of the mixture is still within a desired
temperature range. If necessary, the mixture is heated to bring the
temperature of the
mixture with the desired range. The mixing process is repeated until all of
the
components have been mixed into the composition.
When used for treating the pain associated with menstrual cramps, the pain
relief composition of the present invention is applied to the patient's
abdomen about 3
CA 02374035 2001-12-28
WO 01/01782 PCT/US00/17559
_g_
to 4 times a day. An amount of the pain relief composition used is selected
based on
the desired application area so as to provide a relatively thin layer of the
pain relief
composition over the entire affected area.
The pain relief composition of the present invention is described with
reference to the following examples. These examples are provided as an
illustration
of the invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.
EXAMPLE 1
A pain relief composition was prepared using the components and
concentrations set forth in Table 1. The components were subjectively
evaluated for
color, smell and weight. Each of these characteristics was found to be of a
satisfactory level. The components were then filtered through a Grade 2
filter. Next,
the components were each heated to a temperature of between 35 and 38°C
using a
water bath.
Table 1
Component Concentration
(weight percent)
Aloe Vera oil 5
Camphor oil 3
Eucalyptus oil 1
Lemon oil 1
Orange oil 1
CA 02374035 2001-12-28
WO 01/01782 PCT/US00/17559
-9-
Peppermint oil 84
Rosemary oil 5
The peppermint oil was found to have the highest hydrophil content and, as
such, was the first component used in formulating the mixture. The rosemary
oil was
mixed at the specified concentration with the peppermint oil to prepare a
homogeneous mixture. The process was then repeated separately mixing, in
order,
aloe, camphor, lemon and orange oils at the specified concentrations. After
the
addition of each component, the mixture was sufficiently mixed to prepare a
substantially homogeneous mixture.
The pain relief composition was applied to the abdomen of a female who was
experiencing a significant amount of discomfort associated with PMS. Within a
short
period of time after the pain relief composition was applied to the person's
abdomen
she noted a significant reduction of the discomfort associated with PMS. The
reduced
level of pain continued for more than 4 hours.
EXAMPLE 2
A pain relief composition was prepared using the components and
concentrations set forth in Table 2. The components were subjectively
evaluated for
color, smell and weight. Each of these characteristics was found to be of a
satisfactory level. The components were then filtered through a Grade 2
filter. Next,
the components were each heated to a temperature of between 35 and 38°C
using a
water bath.
CA 02374035 2001-12-28
WO 01/01782 PCT/US00/17559
-10-
Table 2
Component Concentration
(weight percent)
Aloe Vera oil 15
Camphor oil 3
Eucalyptus oil 1
Lemon oil 1.5
Orange oil 1.5
Peppermint oil 73
Rosemary oil 5
The peppermint oil was found to have the highest hydrophil content and, as
such, was the first component used in formulating the mixture. The rosemary
oil was
mixed at the specified concentration with the peppermint oil to prepare a
S homogeneous mixture. The process was then repeated separately mixing, in
order,
aloe, camphor, lemon and orange oils at the specified concentrations. After
the
addition of each component, the mixture was sufficiently mixed to prepare a
substantially homogeneous mixture.
The pain relief composition was applied to the abdomen of a female who was
experiencing a significant amount of discomfort associated with PMS. Within a
short
period of time after the pain relief composition was applied to the person's
abdomen
she noted a significant reduction of the discomfort associated with PMS. The
reduced
level of pain continued for more than 4 hours.
CA 02374035 2001-12-28
WO 01/01782 PCT/US00/17559
-11-
EXAMPLE 3
A pain relief composition was prepared using the components and
concentrations set forth in Table 3. The components were subjectively
evaluated for
color, smell and weight. Each of these characteristics was found to be of a
satisfactory level. The components were then filtered through a Grade 2
filter. Next,
the components were each heated to a temperature of between 35 and 38°C
using a
water bath.
Table 3
Component Concentration
(weight percent)
Aloe Vera oil 15
Calendula oil 4
Eucalyptus oil 1
Lemon oil 1.5
Orange oil 1.5
Peppermint oil 72
Rosemary oil 5
The peppermint oil was found to have the highest hydrophil content and, as
such, was the first component used in formulating the mixture. The rosemary
oil was
mixed at the specified concentration with the peppermint oil to prepare a
homogeneous mixture. The process was then repeated separately mixing, in
order,
CA 02374035 2001-12-28
WO 01/01782 PCT/US00/17559
-12-
aloe, lemon, orange and calendula oils at the specified concentrations. After
the
addition of each component, the mixture was sufficiently mixed to prepare a
substantially homogeneous mixture.
The pain relief composition was applied to the abdomen of a female who was
experiencing a significant amount of discomfort associated with PMS. Within a
short
period of time after the pain relief composition was applied to the person's
abdomen
she noted a significant reduction of the discomfort associated with PMS. The
reduced
level of pain continued for more than 4 hours.
From the foregoing it will be observed that numerous modifications and
variations can be effectuated without departing from the true spirit and scope
of the
novel concepts of the present invention. It is to be understood that no
limitation with
respect to the specific embodiments illustrated is intended or should be
inferred. The
disclosure is intended to cover by the appended claims all such modifications
as fall
within the scope of the claims.
