Method and compositions for treatment of fungal nail disease

• US 6,344,190 B1
• Filed: 02/04/2000
• Issued: 02/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The Board of Trustees of Michigan State University (Michigan State University)
• Original Assignee: The Board of Trustees of Michigan State University (Michigan State University)
• Inventors: Ramsewak, Russel S., King, Sharon K., Selanders, Louise C., Stommel, Manfred, Nair, Muraleedharan G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Weber, Jon P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEITH, PATRICIA A
• Application Number:
  US09/498,405
• Time in Patent Office: 732 Days
• Field of Search: 514/643, 514/692, 424/61, 424/195.1, 424/404, 424/406, 424/725, 424/742, 424/747, 424/78.07
• US Class Current: 424/78.07
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 2300/00 Mixtures or combinations of active ingredients, wherein at least one active ingredient is fully defined in groups A61K31/00 - A61K41/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/045 Hydroxy compounds, e.g. alcohols; Salts thereof, e.g. alcoholates
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/05 Phenols cannabinoids A61K31/658
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/125 Camphor; Nuclear substituted derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/35 having six-membered rings with one oxygen as the only ring hetero atom
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 36/61 Myrtaceae (Myrtle family), e.g. teatree or eucalyptus

Abstract

Compositions for the treatment of fungal nail disease (onychomycosis), including camphor, menthol, eucalyptus and thymol are described. The ingredients are natural and very effective in treating the nail fungus.

Claims

1. A method for inhibiting dermatophytes in an infected nail in humans which comprises;

multiple separate applications to the nail of an effective amount of the ingredients camphor, menthol, eucalyptus oil, and thymol in a topical carrier, which is a solvent for the ingredients, is absorbed by the nail and skin, and is not a grease or jelly, until the dermatophytes are inhibited, wherein the dermatophytes, which are inhibited by the composition, are Acremonium chrysogenum, A. strictum, Aspergillus flavus, A. terreus, Candida albicans, C. kruseii, C. parapsilosis, Epidermophyton floccosum, Fulsarium oxysporum, F. proliferatum, Microsporum canis, Scopulariopsis brevicaulis, Scytalidium dimidiatum, S. hyalinum, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, and T. rubrum.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the composition contains each of the ingredients in an amount between 0.01 and 25% by weight of the composition.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the eucalyptus oil is from Eucalyptus citriodora.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the composition contains 4.8% camphor, 2.6% menthol, 1.2% eucalyptus oil by weight and an amount between 0.01 to 25% by weight of thymol which is effective against the dermatophytes.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the solvent is an ester of an alcohol.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the solvent is isoamyl acetate.

7. A method for inhibiting dermatophytes in an infected nail in humans which comprises multiple separate applications of the ingredients camphor, menthol, eucalyptus oil, and thymol in a topical carrier to the nail until the dermatophytes are inhibited, wherein the composition has a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC₁₀₀) of at least 750 μ

g/ml of the composition in the topical carrier against Acremonium chrysogenum, A. strictum, Aspergillus flavus, A. terreus, Candida albicans, C. kruseii, C. parapsilosis, Epidermophyton floccosum, Fulsarium oxysporum, F. proliferatum, Microsporum canis, Scopulariopsis brevicaulis, Scytalidium dimidiatum, S. hyalinum, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, and T. rubrum.