Method for preventing and/or treating trichomonas vaginitis

• US 20060217446A1
• Filed: 03/28/2005
• Published: 09/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Huang, Lei, Yang, Shu-Ping
• Application Number:
  US11/091,206
• Publication Number:
  US 20060217446A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 514/724
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/045 Hydroxy compounds, e.g. alcohols; Salts thereof, e.g. alcoholates

Abstract

The invention provides a method for treating and/or preventing vaginal infections, such as trichomonas vaginitis, by administering a sugar alcohol-polyol to a subject in need of treatment. Particularly suitable sugar alcohol-polyols are pentitol and hexitol polyols, such as xylitol, arabitol/arabinitol, adonitol, ribitol, glycerol, dulcitol, inositol, mannitol and sorbitol. A composition containing a sugar alcohol-polyol for treating vaginal infections is also disclosed. It has been found that sugar alcohol-polyols are capable of selectively inhibiting the growth of Trichomonas vaginalis, a parasite that causes one of the most common vaginal infections, trichomonas vaginitis, while not inhibiting the growth of Lactobacillus acidophilus, the dominant bacteria in a healthy vaginal ecosystem. Sugar alcohol-polyols are safe and cost-effective, and can be used alone, with other polyols or incorporated into different vaginal health products to treat and/or prevent trichomonas vaginitis.

Claims

1. A method of treatment of a trichomonas vaginitis infection which comprises administering topically to a subject in need of treatment a therapeutically effective amount of at least one sugar alcohol-polyol.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the sugar alcohol-polyol is selected from the group consisting of pentitol and hexitol polyols.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the sugar alcohol-polyol is selected from the group consisting of xylitol, arabitol, arabitinol, adonitol and ribitol.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the sugar alcohol-polyol is part of a composition selected from the group consisting of a foam, a cream, a gel, a jelly, a moisturizer, a spray, a suppository, a vaginal capsule,.a vaginal tablet, a vaginal film, a vaginal sponge, a vaginal ovule, a vaginal insert, a tampon, a wipe and a pad.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the sugar alcohol-polyol is in a form selected from the group consisting of a solution, a powder and a crystal structure.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the treatment inhibits the growth of Trichomonas vaginalis and does not inhibit the growth of Lactobacillus acidophilus.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the sugar alcohol-polyol is present in the composition in an amount of from about 0.1 to about 20 percent (wt/vol).

8. A method of preventing a trichomonas vaginitis infection which comprises administering topically to a subject in need of treatment a therapeutically effective amount of at least one sugar alcohol-polyol.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the sugar alcohol-polyol is selected from the group consisting of pentitol and hexitol polyols.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the sugar alcohol-polyol is selected from the group consisting of xylitol, arabitol, arabitinol, adonitol and ribitol.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the sugar alcohol-polyol is part of a composition selected from the group consisting of a foam, a cream, a gel, a jelly, a moisturizer, a spray, a suppository, a vaginal capsule, a vaginal tablet, a vaginal film, a vaginal sponge, a vaginal ovule, a vaginal insert, a tampon, a wipe and a pad.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the sugar alcohol-polyol is in a form selected from the group consisting of a solution, a powder and a crystal structure.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the treatment inhibits the growth of Trichomonas vaginalis and does not inhibit the growth of Lactobacillus acidophilus.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the sugar alcohol-polyol is present in the composition in an amount of from about 0.1 to about 20 percent (wt/vol).

15. The use of at least one sugar alcohol-polyol in a method of making a medicament for use in a method of preventing or treating a trichomonas vaginitis infection comprising administering topically a therapeutically effective amount of the at least one sugar alcohol-polyol to a patient in need thereof.

16. The use of a sugar alcohol-polyol according to claim 15, wherein the sugar alcohol-polyol is selected from the group consisting of pentitol and hexitol polyols.

17. The use of a sugar alcohol-polyol according to claim 15, wherein the sugar alcohol-polyol is selected from the group consisting of xylitol, arabitol, arabitinol, adonitol and ribitol.

18. The use of a sugar alcohol-polyol according to claim 15 wherein the sugar alcohol-polyol is in a form selected from the group consisting of a solution, a powder and a crystal structure.

19. The use of a according to claim 15, wherein the medicament is in the form of a sugar alcohol-polyol foam, a cream, a gel, a jelly, a moisturizer, a spray, a suppository, a vaginal capsule, a vaginal tablet, a vaginal film, a vaginal sponge, a vaginal ovule, a vaginal insert, a tampon, a wipe and a pad.

20. The use of a sugar alcohol-polyol according to claim 15, wherein the medicament is applied to a tampon, pad, wipe or vaginal insert.

21. The use of a sugar alcohol-polyol according to claim 15, wherein the sugar alcohol-polyol is present in the medicament in an amount of from about 0.1 to about 20 percent (wt/vol).

22. The use of a sugar alcohol-polyol according to claim 15, wherein the medicament inhibits the growth of Trichomonas vaginalis and does not inhibit the growth of Lactobacillus acidophilus.