Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02746717 2011-07-18
ANTI-FUNGAL DIAPER RASH CREME
FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention relates to a treatment for rashes and fungal infections.
More specifically, it relates to a creme, which is effective for the treatment
of diaper rash
and topical fungal infections.
BACKROUND OF INVENTION
Topical cremes are commonly used to treat fungal infections. However, many
patients suffer from advanced topical fungal infections that are accompanied
by irritating
inflammatory conditions of pain, swelling and itching. Due to unknown and
unidentified
systemic conditions, a permanent cure is far from instantaneous, and in fact
may be
illusive for an extended period of time. Particularly, for these patients, in
addition to
treating fungal infections, it is desirable to treat accompanying inflammatory
and irritant
conditions of the skin to relieve pain, swelling and itching. The accompanying
inflammation and irritation is the primary symptom, and most frequently it is
the
symptom itself, which is identified by the patient as the unresolved problem.
Diaper rashes are also a common problem encountered in infant and elderly
care.
While there are many products that treat rashes, none also reduce the symptoms
of the
irritation.
There are numerous cremes that have been developed to treat either fungal
infections or diaper rashes. However, none of these has proven effective for
treating
fungal infections, while also treating the inflammatory conditions of pain,
swelling and
itching that commonly accompany these fungal infections. Accordingly, there is
a need
for a topical fungal creme that meets this need.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an antifungal and diaper rash treatment creme
that
is effective at treating fungal infections, while also treating the
inflammatory conditions
of pain, swelling and itching that commonly accompany these fungal infections.
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The inventors of the present invention have found that one effective treatment
for
fungal infections is a polyene antifungal drug such as nystatin. Moreover,
effective anti-
inflammatory treatments include corticosteroids, such as hydrocortisone. It
had
previously been discovered that when an anti-fungal and an anti-inflammatory
were
applied consecutively, the combination was not optimally effective. This is
because the
first treatment prevents the direct absorption of the second treatment. The
inventors of
the present inventions have found that this problem can be overcome by
applying the
anti-fungal and the anti-inflammatory treatments in a single application.
The inventors of the present invention also discovered unexpected advantages
when utilizing the correct formulation for the topical creme. It has been
found that when
a topical fungal infection is additionally treated with a corticosteroid, the
curing of the
infection is substantially and dramatically accelerated. Painful symptoms,
which would
otherwise persist for more than a few weeks were substantially reduced within
24 hours
of application. For example, an individual with athlete's foot with
considerable
inflammation and discomfort would typically be healed in two to four weeks.
However,
by utilizing the creme disclosed by the present invention, it has been found
that
individuals have been healed in less than two weeks.
The inventors of the present invention have also found that embodiments of the
present invention are effective in treating diaper rashes. This is because the
anti-fungal
component of the present invention targets the fungi found in diaper rashes.
The fecal
matter produced by the wearer of the diaper contain infections and the damp
warm
environment in a diaper is ideal for fungus growth. Commonly known diaper rash
cremes do not treat the fungal infections involved with diaper rashes. In
fact, many
known cremes such as petroleum jelly can actually cover, and then contain the
infection
on the surface of the skin. Accordingly, a particular embodiment of the
present invention
includes an antifungal and diaper rash treatment creme for cells in skin
tissue comprising:
a) a non-medicinal emollient base;
b) an anti-fungal in the emollient base to treat both obvious fungal infection
as well as nonobvious fungal infection associated with diaper rash; and
c) a corticosteroid in the emollient base to immediately reduce irritating
symptoms of tissue congestion, and to thereby substantially accelerate
infection
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disposition in obvious fungus treatment applications by facilitating
penetration of
less congested individual cells in the tissue by the anti-fungal.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the antifungal skin and diaper
rash treatment creme comprises hydrocortisone in the amount of about to 0.01
to about
2.5 percent by weight of said emollient base and said anti-fungal comprises
from about 1
to about 500,000 units of nystatin per gram of said emollient base.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the antifungal skin and diaper
rash treatment creme comprises hydrocortisone in the amount of about to 0.05
to about
2.0 percent by weight of said emollient base and said anti-fungal comprises
from about
2500 to about 400,000 units of nystatin per gram of said emollient base.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the antifungal skin and diaper
rash treatment creme comprises hydrocortisone in the amount of about to 0.1 to
about 1.5
percent by weight of said emollient base and said anti-fungal comprises from
about
25,000 to about 350,000 units of nystatin per gram of said emollient base.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the antifungal skin and diaper
rash treatment creme comprises hydrocortisone in the amount of about to 0.5 to
about
1.25 percent by weight of said emollient base and said anti-fungal comprises
from about
200,000 to about 300,000 units of nystatin per gram of said emollient base.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the antifungal skin and diaper
rash treatment creme comprises hydrocortisone in the amount of about 1.0
percent by
weight of said emollient base and said anti-fungal comprises about 250,000
units of
nystatin per gram of said emollient base.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an antifungal and diaper rash treatment creme
that
is effective at treating fungal infections, while also treating the
inflammatory conditions
of pain, swelling and itching that commonly accompany these fungal infections.
It will be readily understood that the components of the present invention, as
generally described herein, could be arranged and designed in a wide variety
of different
formulations. Thus, the following more detailed description of the embodiments
of the
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compositions or formulations of the present invention are not intended to
limit the scope
of the invention, as claimed, but are merely representative of the presently
preferred
embodiments of the invention.
In a particular embodiment of the present invention, an antifungal and diaper
rash
treatment creme for cells in skin tissue comprises a non-medicinal emollient
base, an
anti-fungal in the emollient base to treat both obvious fungal infection as
well as
nonobvious fungal infection associated with diaper rash and a corticosteroid
in the
emollient base to immediately reduce irritating symptoms of tissue congestion,
and to
thereby substantially accelerate infection disposition in obvious fungus
treatment
applications by facilitating penetration of less congested individual cells in
the tissue by
the anti-fungal.
It is noted that the emollient base might include such non-medicinal
ingredients as
aluminum hydroxide gel, ceteareith 15, monostearate, methylparaben, PEG-400,
perfume, propylene glycol, propylparaben, purified water, simethicone
emulsion, sodium
hydroxide, sorbitol, titanium dioxide, white petroleum, cetearyl alcohol,
ceteth 20,
chlorocresol, mineral oil, sodium phosphate and other commonly used agents
other than
lanolin.
In a particular embodiment of the present invention, the corticosteroid
comprises
hydrocortisone in the amount of about 0.01 % to about 2.5% b weight of the
emollient
base and the anti-fungal comprises nystatin in the amount of 1-500,000 units
per gram of
the emollient base. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the
hydrocortisone comprises I % of the emollient base, and wherein the nystatin
generally
comprises 250,000 units per gram of the emollient base. It is intended that in
this
embodiment, the concentrations of hydrocortisone and nystatin would be equal
to the
maximum concentrations allowed by law for over the counter medications. These
maximum concentrations are sufficient to facilitate in depth healing of the
skin, but
insufficient to effect more than topical coverage.
A method of treating fungal infections in skin tissue comprises the steps of
providing an antifungal creme as specified described in the exemplary
embodiments of
the present invention, and applying the antifungal creme on the infected area
of the skin.
Almost immediately, irritating symptoms associated with inflammation are
relieved and
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disposition of the infection is facilitated by reducing swelling in the
individual cells in the
tissue. It has been found that this reduction in swelling unexpectedly
substantially
accelerates the penetration of the anti-fungal creme in the skin tissue.
The method of treating a diaper rash on an infant comprises the steps of
providing
an anti-fungal creme as described in the exemplary embodiments of the present
invention
and applying the anti-fungal creme on the rash. The symptoms associated with
inflammation are relieved, and the healing of the rash is unexpectedly and
substantially
accelerated. This is because diaper rashes and irritation are not only caused
by urine and
feces, but can additionally result from fungal infection on the skin tissue.
Both the
method of treating skin tissue and the method of treating a diaper rash can be
utilized
with all of the combinations of the components detailed above.
Examples
Many of the following examples are given to illustrate various embodiments of
the invention and should not be interpreted as limiting it in any way.
Example 1
The antifungal skin and diaper rash treatment creme of claim 1 wherein the
corticosteroid comprises hydrocortisone in the amount of about to 0.01 to
about 2.5
percent by weight of said emollient base and said anti-fungal comprises from
about 1 to
about 500,000 units of nystatin per gram of said emollient base.
Example 2
The antifungal skin and diaper rash treatment creme of claim 1 wherein the
corticosteroid
comprises hydrocortisone in the amount of about to 0.05 to about 2.0 percent
by weight
of said emollient base and said anti-fungal comprises from about 2500 to about
400,000
units of nystatin per gram of said emollient base.
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Example 3
The antifungal skin and diaper rash treatment creme of claim 1 wherein the
corticosteroid
comprises hydrocortisone in the amount of about to 0.1 to about 1.5 percent by
weight of
said emollient base and said anti-fungal comprises from about 25,000 to about
350,000
units of nystatin per gram of said emollient base.
Example 4
The antifungal skin and diaper rash treatment creme of claim 1 wherein the
corticosteroid
comprises hydrocortisone in the amount of about to 0.5 to about 1.25 percent
by weight
of said emollient base and said anti-fungal comprises from about 200,000 to
about
300,000 units of nystatin per gram of said emollient base.
Example 5
The antifungal skin and diaper rash treatment creme of claim 1 wherein the
corticosteroid comprises hydrocortisone in the amount of about 1.0 percent by
weight of
said emollient base and said anti-fungal comprises about 250,000 units of
nystatin per
gram of said emollient base.
It should be noted that ratios, concentrations, amounts, and other numerical
data
may be expressed herein in a range format. It is to be understood that such a
range
format is used for convenience and brevity, and thus, should be interpreted in
a flexible
manner to include not only the numerical values explicitly recited as the
limits of the
range, but also to include all the individual numerical values or sub-ranges
encompassed
within that range as if each numerical value and sub-range is explicitly
recited. To
illustrate, a concentration range of "about 0.1% to about 5%" should be
interpreted to
include not only the explicitly recited concentration of about 0.1 wt% to
about 5 wt%, but
also the individual concentrations (e.g., 1%, 2%, 3%, and 4%) and the sub-
ranges (e.g.,
0.5%, 1.1%, 2.2%, 3.3%, and 4.4%) within the indicated range. The term "about"
can
include 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 5%, 8%, or 10%, of the numerical value(s) being
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modified. In addition, the phrase "about `x' to `y"' includes "about `x' to
about `y"'.
While the illustrative embodiments of the invention have been described with
particularity, it will be understood that the invention is capable of other
and different
embodiments and that various other modifications will be apparent to and may
be readily
made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope
of the
invention. Accordingly, it is not intended that the scope of the claims hereof
be limited to
the examples and descriptions set forth herein but rather that the claims be
construed as
encompassing all the features of patentable novelty which reside in the
present
disclosure, including all features which would be treated as equivalents
thereof by those
skilled in the art to which the invention pertains.
