Abstract:
A method of dispersing, in water vapor, an anti-infective therapeutic composition ( 10 ) into the air in a room ( 36 ), in order to treat or prevent transmission of upper respiratory infections, includes: adding to a reservoir of liquid water in a vaporizer ( 34 ), a therapeutic composition ( 10 ) containing one or more antibiotics ( 14 ), alcohol ( 16 ), an analgesic ( 18 ) and an expectorant ( 20 ); and vaporizing the therapeutic composition ( 10 ) into the air along with the water in the vaporizer reservoir for inhalation by persons in the room.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The instant invention relates generally to compositions for alleviating the symptoms of upper respiratory infections in humans and more specifically to anti-infection formulations for vaporizing into the air for delivery via inhalation. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is concerned with an anti-infection composition for alleviating the symptoms of upper respiratory infections in humans and more specifically to anti-infection formulations for vaporizing into the, air for delivery to a person in need of such treatment via inhalation. 
     A primary object of the present invention is to provide a therapeutic composition for addition to the water of a vaporizer for inhalation by a person in need of treating or preventing transmission of an upper respiratory tract infection (URTI). 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a therapeutic composition for addition to the water of a vaporizer which contains one or more antibiotics, an analgesic and an expectorant. 
     A further object of the present invention is to provide a therapeutic composition for addition to the water of a vaporizer which contains camphor. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a method of treating the air of a room with a therapeutic composition which is added to the water of a vaporizer. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a therapeutic composition and method of use which is simple and easy to use by the home user. 
     A further object of the present invention is to provide a therapeutic composition and method of use which is inexpensive to produce and easy to dispose. 
     The foregoing and other objects, advantages and characterizing features will become apparent from the following description of certain illustrative embodiments of the invention. 
     The novel features which are considered characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of the specific embodiments when read and understood in connection with the accompanying drawings. Attention is called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and that changes may be made in the specific construction illustrated and described within the scope of the appended claims. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES 
     Various other objects, features and attendant advantages of the present invention will become more fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views. 
     FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of various components which may find use in the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic view similar to that of FIG. 1, showing the preferred components. 
     FIG. 3 is a graphic depiction of the present invention being utilized in the room of a person. 
     FIG. 4 is a graphic depiction of further method of using the invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Turning now descriptively to the drawings, in which similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views, the figures illustrate a therapeutic composition and method of use of the present invention. With regard to the reference numerals used, the following numbering is used throughout the various drawing figures. 
       10  therapeutic composition of the present invention 
       12  carrier for  10   
       14  antibiotic component of  10   
       16  alcohol component of  10   
       18  analgesic component of  10   
       20  expectorant component of  10   
       22  water 
       24  neomycin 
       26  polymyxin B sulfate 
       28  bacitracin zinc 
       29  ethanol 
       30  pramoxine hydrochloride 
       32  camphor 
       34  vaporizer 
       36  room 
       38  person in need of treatment 
       40  vapor from  34   
     FIG.  1  through FIG. 4 illustrate a therapeutic composition  10  which is to be added to the water of a vaporizer  34  in order to disperse the therapeutic composition, in admixture with water vapor  40  into the air in a room  36  so that it may be inhaled by a person  38  in need of treating or preventing an upper respiratory tract infection. 
     It is well known in the art to treat the air inhaled by a person infected with an URTI with water vapor. Most commonly, a small, room-sized vaporizer  34  is utilized which is sufficient to humidify a single room  36 . In this case, the vaporizer  34  generally contains a reservoir for holding a quantity of water, typically about 2 to 6 liters in volume, which is mechanically vaporized into the air of the room of the person  38  being treated. The present invention provides for a therapeutic composition  10  which is added to the water in the reservoir of the vaporizer  34  so that the therapeutic composition  10  can be vaporized  40 , along with the water in the reservoir, into the air of the room so as to be directly inhaled by the person  38  in need of treatment. Speaking generally, the therapeutic composition  10 , as illustrated in FIG. 1, includes one or more antibiotics  14 , alcohol  16 , an analgesic  18  and an expectorant  20 , all in a suitable alcohol  16  containing carrier  12 . 
     With regard to the antibiotics  14 , it is preferred that the composition  10  contain three or more different antibiotics in combination. A preferred combination is a mixture of polymyxin B sulfate  26 , bacitracin zinc  28  and neomycin  24 . When utilized in a single room sized vaporizer  34 , a preferred proportion for the three antibiotics is about 50,000 units polymyxin B sulfate  26 , about 2,500 units bacitracin zinc  28  and about 18 mg neomycin  24 . It is anticipated that a suitable range for these antibiotics would be from about 20,000 to about 100,000 units polymyxin B sulfate  26 , from about 1500 to about 5,000 units bacitracin zinc  28 , and from about 10 to about 40 mg neomycin  24 . It can readily be appreciated, however, that larger or smaller capacity vaporizers may require proportionally more or less of the combination, with the proportions of each remaining the same. 
     Also included in the composition is an analgesic  18 , for providing relief of aches and pains associated with colds, flu, and other URTIs. For purposes of the present invention, a preferred analgesic  18  is pramoxine hydrochloride  30 . A suitable dosage level is from about 30 to about 100 mg, most preferably about 50 mg pramoxine hydrochloride  30 . As discussed above with regard to the antibiotics  14 , a larger or smaller capacity vaporizer  34  would require proportionally more or less analgesic  18 . 
     The composition of the present invention also contains, as an active component, an expectorant  20 . The preferred expectorant is camphor  32 . A suitable dosage level is from about 500 to about 2,000 mg, most preferably about 900 mg camphor  32 . Again, a larger or smaller capacity vaporizer  34  would require proportionally more or less expectorant  20 . 
     With regard to the carrier  12 , it is necessary to include an alcohol  16  in order to dissolve the camphor  32 , which is insoluble in water  22 . The addition of an alcohol  16  also promotes the production of steam, due to the low boiling point of alcohol as compared with water. The preferred alcohols are low molecular weight alkyl alcohols such as methanol, ethanol  29 , propanol, isopropanol and the like. The preferred alcohol  16  is ethanol  29 . The carrier  12  can, and preferably does, contain water  22 . The proportions of alcohol and water can vary widely, as most proportions will be suitable for practicing the invention, but a preferred range of proportions of water to ethanol is from about 1:10 to about 5:1, respectively by weight, with a particularly preferred proportion being about 1 part water to 5 parts ethanol, on a weight to weight basis. 
     When added to the vaporizer  34 , the therapeutic composition  10  of the present invention should constitute a volume significantly less than the volume of the water in the vaporizer. The active constituents (the antibiotics  14 , analgesic  18  and expectorant  20 ) of the composition  10  do not generally contribute significant volume to the composition. Accordingly, the volume of the carrier liquid  12  approximates the total volume of the entire therapeutic composition  10 . A convenient and preferred volume of carrier liquid  12  is from about 5 to about 30 ml, most preferably about 15 ml, roughly equivalent to one tablespoon, or one-half of a fluid ounce. 
     It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of applications differing from the type described above. These include, for example, conditions other than URTIs which may be suitably treated via pulmonary administration of antibiotics. 
     While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a therapeutic composition and method of use, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the formulation illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, any suitable antibiotic or group of antibiotics may be used instead of the neomycin, polymyxin B sulfate and bacitracin zinc combination described. Also, the analgesic may be selected from the many analgesics available today rather than the pramoxine hydrochloride described. And although camphor has been described as the preferred expectorant, it should be appreciated that other expectorants, both pharmaceutical and natural, may be similarly employed. Furthermore, as the alcohol serves primarily to aid in solubilizing the water insoluble components in addition to promoting steam production, it should be readily appreciated that other short chain alcohols, such as methanol, propanol, isopropanol, et al., may also be employed. 
     Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of this invention. 
     What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.