Title:  Antimicrobial treatment for herpes simplex virus and other infectious diseases

United States Patent:  6,355,684

Assignee:  Squires; Meryl J. (Barrington Hills, IL)

Filed:  May 8, 1996

An improved medical treatment and medicine is provided to quickly and safely resolve herpes and other microbial infections. The inexpensive user-friendly medicine can be applied and maintained on the infected region until the physical symptoms of the disease disappears and the patient is comfortable and has a normal appearance. The attractive medicine comprises an antimicrobial concentrate comprising microbe inhibitors, phytochemicals or isolates. Desirably, the effective medicine comprises a surfactant and an aqueous carrier or solvent. In the preferred form, the medicine comprises Echinacea phytochemicals and benzalkonium chloride in a sterile water solution.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An improved medical treatment and medicine are provided which, when applied in the topical manner, rapidly relieves pain and heals lesions of herpes virus. Advantageously, the improved medical treatment and medicine are safe, inexpensive and effective. The improved medicine, also referred to as Viracea, comprises a novel medical composition, formulation, antimicrobial compound and solution. The new antimicrobial medical treatment and microbicidal medicine are successful in treating primarily herpes simplex virus (HSV 1 & HSV 2) topically and can be useful in treating other herpes related microbial infections including, but not limited to: varicella zoster virus (herpes zoster) and cytomegalovirus. In some circumstances, it may be useful to use the novel medicine systemically.

Advantageously, the improved medical treatment and medicine of the present invention yielded unexpected, surprisingly good results. Initial, topical, in vivo testing, demonstrated relief from pain in minutes and speedy total resolution of vesicular eruption in all individuals tested. When the inventive medical treatment and medicine are applied at the prodromal stage, the infection is interrupted and no further outbreak occurs. In vitro testing of the novel medical treatment and medicine demonstrated extremely surprising inhibitory effects on herpes virus. Desirably, the novel medicine is made from readily available, over the counter (OTC) chemicals or products and provides a safe comfortable, economical and user-friendly treatment.

While the novel medicine and antimicrobial compound is particularly useful in dramatically inhibiting herpes virus simplex, it may be useful in treating other microbial diseases (microbe-causing diseases)such as: human immunodeficiency virus infection (HIV), Epstein barr, papilloma virus, cellulitis, staphylococci, streptococci, mycobacteria, influenza, parainfluenza, adenoviruses, encephalitis, meningitis, arbovirus, arenavirus, anaerobic bacilli, picornavirus, coronavirus and synsytialvirus, as well as varicella zoster virus and cytomegalovirus.

This easy to use microbicide solution provides a moderately water resistant coating upon application to either the prodromal tissue or the erythematous vesicular herpes lesion. Upon contact, there is a slight tingling effect. Within minutes of application, the pain of the infection resolves. Gradually, inguinal swelling subsides, fever, malaise, body aches, and nerve involvement subsides. Typically, within twenty-one hours all external symptoms and physical manifestations of infection are resolved and the vesicle is dried and resolved. A particularly surprising, beneficial effect provided by this inventive medicine, is that when it is applied at the first sign of outbreak, the prodromal stage, all symptoms and signs of further infectious outbreak stops! No eruptions appear or any further escalation of symptoms of the infection. The outbreak literally stops!

Desirably, the novel medicine (medical composition) includes microbe inhibitors which inhibit, suppress and stop microbial infections from microbe-causing diseases. The microbe inhibitors comprise antimicrobial isolates, botanical extracts or phytochemicals, of at least a portion of one or more of the special plants listed below. The microbe inhibitors can comprise viral inhibitors to inhibit viral diseases, such as: herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV 1), herpes virus 2 (HSV 2), varicella zoster virus (herpes zoster) cytomegalovirus, HIV, epstein barr, papilloma virus, viral influenza, viral parainfluenza, adenovirus, viral encephalitis, viral menigitus, arbovirus, arenavirus, picornavirus, coronavirus, and synsytialvirus. The microbe inhibitors can also comprise bacterial inhibitors to inhibit bacterial diseases, such as: cellulitis, staphylococci, streptococci, mycobacteria, bacterial encephalitis, bacterial meningitis, and anaerobic bacilli. In some circumstances, the microbe inhibitors can include fungi inhibitors.

Better results are obtained if Echinacea or other plants are not used in the medicine in their raw, untreated and uncut state. For even better results, the medicine can exclude: Arabinose, betaine, cellulose, copper, fructose, fatty acids, galactose, glucose, iron, potassium, protein, resin, sucrose, sulfur, vitamin a, vitamin c, vitamin e and xylose.

The improved medical treatment provides a novel method and process for use in treating the above infectious diseases by applying the microbial inhibitors on the microbial infected area and maintaining the microbe inhibitors on the infected area (region or surface) until the external symptoms and physical manifestations of the infection disappear, reside or resolve about the infected area. The medicine can be applied by spraying, dabbing, dusting, swabbing, sponging, brushing, pouring, dispensing, covering, or heavily coating the medicine on the microbial infected areas, such as: oral mucosa, nasal mucosa, vaginal tissue, labial tissue, anal tissue, peri-anal tissue, lips, cutaneous tissue, sub-cutaneous tissue, ocular tissue, conjunctiva, and eyelids.

While the medical treatment and medicine is particularly useful for inhibiting herpes and other infectious diseases in persons (human beings) (homo sapiens), they can also be useful for veterinary purposes for treating viral and bacterial infections and infectious diseases in animals, such as: dogs, cats, birds, horses, cows, sheep, swine (pigs and hogs), and other farm animals, as well as rodents and other animals seen in zoos.

Preferably, the improved medicine, medical composition or microbial compound is a phytochemical concentrate which is combined and simultaneously or concurrently applied with a surfactant and a carrier, solvent or diluent to provide a microbicide medicinal solution.

To this end, the interesting microbicide solution comprises an antimicrobial detergent surfactant, with botanical extracts. The surfactants preferably are cationic surfactants which can comprise singly or any number of quaternary ammonium chlorides having 6-18 carbons such as alkylbenzyldimethylammonium chloride, mixtures of alkylbenzyldimethylammonium chloride, alkyldimethyl/ethylbenzylammonium chloride, n-alkyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride, diisobutylphenoxyethoxyethyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride, N--(C₁₂C₁₄C₁₆)dimethylbenzylammonium chloride, benzalkonium chloride, octyldecyldimethyloammonium chloride, didecyldimethylammonium chloride, dioctyldimethylammonium chloride, dialkyldimethylammonium chloride, dialkylmethylbenzylammonium chloride, octyldecyldimethylammonium chloride, dimethylbenzylammonium chloride, laurryldimethylbenzylammonium chloride, o-benzyl-p-chlorophenol, dideryldimethylammonium chloride, doctyldimethylammonium chloride, alkyl (C₁₄ C₁₂ C₁₆) dimethylbenzylammonium chloride, and preferably comprises alkylbenzyldimethylammonium chloride most preferably benzalkonium chloride. The range of activity of the cationic surfactant can be 5% to 90% but for best results 8% to 20%. Quaternary ammonium salts are readily available commercially. In some circumstances it may be useful to use other surfactants, such as, but not limited to: DMSO, glycolic acid surfactants, enzyme surfactants, ampholytic surfactants, switterionic surfactants, and nonionic surfactants. The surfactants can comprise detergents, wetting agents, emulsifiers, defoamers, and/or surface tension reducing additives.

Carriers are useful for mixing the constituents, keeping the constituents in solution, and providing an easy method of application to the affected area whether by spray, dropper, or applicator. While an aqueous solution, preferably a sterile aqueous carrier and solvent is preferred for best results, in some circumstances it may be desirable to use other liquid or solid carriers, such as: glycerin, mineral oil, silica, cottonseed oil, coconut oil, vegetable oil, seed oil, fish oil, or animal oil, alcohol, talc, corn meal, beeswax, carnauba wax, beta carotene, garlic oil, camphor oil, soluble vitamins, soluble minerals, rape seed oil, nut oils, olive oil, liposomes, ascorbic acid, evening primrose oil, pycnogenol, grape seed oil, lanolin, Ethocyn, collagen, aloe vera, bee pollen, royal jelly, chondroitin sulfate A, sea vegetables, EDTA, fatty acids, herbs, lecithin, bioflavinoids, grain oils or powders, algae, teas, vinegars, acidophilus, cell salts, ascorbic acids, hydra 5, glandulars, amino acids, psyllium, plant derivatives, or other sterile carriers.

The botanical extracts antimicrobial isolates or phytochemicals contained in this new medicine and medical treatment can be comprised of: Arabinose, betaine, copper, echinacen, echinacin B, echinacoside, echinolone, enzymes, fructose, fatty acids, galactose, glucose, glucuronic acid, inulin, inuloid, iron, pentadecadiene, polyacetylene compounds, polysaccharides such as but not limited to arabinogalactan, potassium, protein, resin, rhamnose, sucrose, sulfur, tannins, vitamins a, c, and e, xylose. For better results, the phytochemical concentrates include the above phytochemicals, excluding Arabinose, bataine cellulose, copper, fructose, fatty acids, galactose, glicose, iron, potassium, protein, resin, sucrose, sulfer, xylose and vitamins a, c and e.

The botanical extracts, antimicrobial isolates and phytochemicals are separated, extracted and isolated from portions of plants, such as: pimpinella anisum, myroxylon, arctostaphylos, carum, capsicum, eugenia mytacea, coriandrum, inula, allium, gentiana, juniperus, calendula, origanum, mentha labiate, commiphora, plantago, rosmarinus, ruta, baptisa, artemisa, sage, mentha, parthenium integrifolium, eucalyptus, asteriacea, and preferably from the genus Echinacea of the family Asteriacea, namely, Echinacea purpurea, Echinacea angustofolium, Echinacea pallidae, Echinacea vegetalis, Echinacea atribactilus and their cultivars. For best results, the phytochemicals and antimicrobial isolates are extracts from Echinacea purpurea and Echinacea angustifolium.

The inventive technology, treatment and medicine yield very attractive, unexpected, surprisingly good and consistent results. Tests show the microbicide solution (medicine) and medical treatment to be extremely useful to: heal and control herpes outbreaks, viral shedding, extend the latency periods of the disease, and dramatically inhibit the virus, while being generally safe to the patient and the environment.

Claim 1 of 20 Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A medical composition for use in treating diseases:

substantially greater than 0.01% to about 0.8% by weight aqueous benzalkonium chloride;

from about 40% to about 60% by weight Echinacea purpurea, in the absence of Echinacea angustofolia and raw untreated Echinacea;

said antimicrobial isolates of Echinacea purpurea being selected from the group consisting of: echinacen; echinacen B; echinaceine; echinacoside; caffeic acid ester; echinolone; enzymes; glucuronic acid; inulini; inuloid; pentadecadiene; polyacetylene compounds; polysaccharides; arabinogalactan; rhamnose; tannins; PSI (a 4-O-methylglucoronoarabinoxylan, M_r 35 Kd); PSII (an acid rhamnoarbinogalactan, M_r 450 kD); cynarin; 1,5-di-o-caffeoylquinic acid; acid; 2,3-O-di-caffeoyltartaric acid; borneol; bornyl acetate; pentadeca-8(z)-en-zone; germacrene D; caryophyllene; caryophyllene epoxide; anthocyanin, pyrrolizidine alkaloid, lipophilic amide; isobutylamide; polyacetylene; anthocyanin; 3-O-B-D-glucopyranoside; 3-O-(6-O-malonyl-B-D-glucopyranoside); tussilagine; isotussilagine; isomeric dodeca isobutylamide; tetraenoic acid; and carophylenes; and

said antimicrobial isolates of Echinacea purpurea cooperating with said aqueous benzalkonium chloride to provide a herpes-treating medicine for treatment of herpes selected from the group consisting of herpes simplex virus 1, herpes simplex virus 2, papilloma virus, varicella zoster virus (herpes zoster), and cytomegalovirus.

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