LECITHIN-TRIETHANOLAMINE SKIN PREPARATION

Abstract: A skin preparation capable of prolonged moisturizing action provides a layer of protection at the surface of the skin and the immediately joining layers just below the skin. The skin preparation is an aqueous mixture which contains from 1 to about 4% by weight of lecithin-containing phosphatide mixture and at least equimolar amount of triethanolamine, the range of triethanolamine being from about 0.15% to about 3.0% by weight of the total composition.

Description: LECITHIN-TRIETHANOLA INE SKIN PREPARATION A skin preparation capable of prolonged moisturizing action is provided which provides a layer of protection at the surface of the skin and the immediately adjoining layers of the skin. In a first aspect of the invention there is provided a skin preparation comprising an aqueous mixture of about 1 to about 4% by weight lecithin and at least- an equimolar amount of triethanolamine which is about 0.2 to about 3% by weight of the total composition. A soy lecithin has been found to be practical for use as the lecithin of the present invention. A thickening agent such as carboxy- methylcellulose may be incorporated into the skin preparation of the present invention, as may an emollient such as a polyoxypropylene fatty ether or isopropylpalmitate. In a preferred embodiment, the skin preparation of the present invention is an aqueous mixture which comprises about 1 to about 4% by weight lecithin; about 0.2 to about 3% by weight triethanolamine, provided that at least an equimolar amount of triethanolamine is provided based upon the amount of lecithin; about 2 to about 6% by weight emollient selected from the group consisting of a polyoxypropylene fatty ether, isopropylpalmitate and mixtures thereof; about 0.5 to about 2% by weight of a thickening agent; and about 0.1 to about 2.0% by weight citric acid. In a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of topically delivering drugs to a patient in a uniform manner which comprises applying drugs onto the skin as part of an aqueous mixture comprising about 3 to 5% of the drug, preferably about 4% by weight lecithin mixture and from about 0.2 to about 3% by weight triethanolamine. Hydrocortisone is an example of a drug which may be delivered to a patient through this aspect of the invention. A third aspect of the present invention provides a method of protecting fluid loss from a burn victim, which comprises administering to the burn victim a topical application of the skin preparation of the present invention which provides a film coating on the skin, permitting oxygen exchange through the skin, while at the same time retarding fluid loss from the skin tissue. The present invention provides a skin preparation based upon the discovery that a mixture of lecithin with at least an equimolar amount of triethanolamine is particularl suited for keeping skin moist. Although the exact theory of the invention has not been conclusively established, OM /,. WWIIPP the inventors believe that the lecithin-triethanolamine preparation provided via the present invention may not deeply..penetrate the skin, or at least a significant portion stays at the outer area near or at the skin surface, the very area which is subject to dryness and flakiness. Due to the chemistry of lecithin, which has a positive and a negative charge site, the lecithin is believed to at least partially remain near the skin. In addition, each molecule of lecithin closely bonds 10 to 12 molecules of water, to the extent that the nature of the water molecule is sufficiently altered so that the water does not freeze. At least one mole triethanolamine should be present in the mixture for every mole lecithin; although the theory has not been established conclusively, one explanation is that lecithin and triethanolamine may form a complex with each other. The total amount of lecithin which is advanta¬ geously incorporated into the preparation of the invention is from about 1 to about 4% by weight of the total composition. Higher ranges could be used, although in practice this would not be contemplated in view of the stickiness of any preparation which would include such a high percentage of lecithin. Even a 4% lecithin composition tends toward stickiness; however, a 4% lecithin composition may be of particular value, offsetting the stickiness, where a drug delivery system is contemplated. For example, it has been found particularly advantageous for the topical administration of hydrocortisone to include 1% hydrocrotison and 4% lecithin in a preparation of the present invention, where the topical application of hydrocortisone is desired. It is also contemplated that a major amount of the lecithin may be replaced ' by other phosphatides and a minor amount of oils which occur in the lecithins obtained from commercial sources. For example, soy lecithin, containing only about 40% lecithin, may be used as the lecithin of the present invention, this soy lecithin containing other phosphatides and soy oil. The amount of triethanolamine depends first of all upon the amount of lecithin that is used, with at least one mole triethanolamine being.required for each mole lecithin. Accordingly, when " 1% by weight lecithin is used, then the corresponding weight of triethanolamine is 0.2%. Accordingly, the weight amount of triethanolamine will have a minimum of about 0.2% triethanolamine while the maximum may exceed the mole amount of lecithin, a maximum amount of triethanolamine of about 3% being contemplated. In a preferred embodiment of the invention in a preparation suitable for skin application to overcome problems of dryness, 0.4% triethanolamine has been found useful. OMPI The lecithin may be any of the compounds or mixtures thereof which are commonly considered to be "lecithin". Soy lecithin has been found satisfactory for applicants' purposes. The lecithin used in testing the present invention is a commercial preparation sold by Sigma Chemical Company as soy lecithin. It contains about 40% lecithin, other phosphatides and some soy oil. This commercial soy lecithin was used unmodified as obtained from Sigma Chemical Company. In addition to lecithin and triethanolamine, there may also be included other ingredients depending upon the intended use of the skin preparation of the present invention. E ulsifiers may be added to the composition for ease of application. Polyoxypropylene fatty ethers (Arlamol, Atlas Chemical) and isopropylpalmitate have been advantageously incorporated into skin preparations of the present invention. For reasons of providing preparations suitable for being squeezed from a tube or other suitable container, a thickening agent such as carboxymethylcellulose may be added to the skin preparation of the present invention. It is also advantageous to include from about 0.1 to about 2% citric acid as ameans of providing pH control. Ethanol may be provided as a component of the skin composition, ethanol having bacteriostatic action and providing a cooling effect OMPI upon application to the skin. The amount of ethanol is not critical; in one preparation, 20% ethanol was used, although higher or lower amounts would also be possible for this optional ingredient. It is often considered desirable to add a fragrance to the composition and it is specifically contemplated that in a preferred embodiment a fragrance is included ' in the skin preparation. One fragrance which has been successfully incorporated into the skin preparation of the present invention is BALSAM 16.596. The skin preparation of the present invention may also be used to treat burn victims. It has been found that thin, deformable layers of approximately 1/8" 1/100" thickness will form upon the topical application of the skin preparation of the present invention to a subject, which provides a strong flexible film. The resultant film both is permeable to atmospheric gas exchange and able to reduce the evaporative loss of water from the tissue surfaces. Films that are thinner can also be formed (ca. 1/300"). The skin preparation of the present invention is also useful for the treatment of ichtyosis. A number of patients with a dry skin condition have been found to have been helped by application of the skin preparation of the present invention. Accordingly, the OMP use- of the skin preparation of the present invention is particularly useful for application to the skin of patients / having a particularly dry or crusty -skin. EXAMPLE I The following skin preparation was made: soy lecithin (Sigma Chemical Co., 2.0% by weight containing about 40% lecithin, other phos¬ phatides and some soy oil.) triethanolamine 0.4 ARLAMOL E (polyoxypropylene fatty 2.0 ether of ICI America) Isopropylpalmitate 2.0 Carboxymethylcellulose 1.0 (Hercules 7H3SF) Citric acid 0.13 Ethanol 20 Fragrance (Balsam 16.596) 0.3 Water remainder 100 % The above skin preparation has been tested on the skin and found to provide a good moisturizing effect. The moisture barrier provided by the molecular complex (each mole of lecithin capable of complexing tightly with 10 to 12 molecules of water) and the lecithin staying near the surface due to the positively and negatively • charged portions of the molecule, the skin preparation of the present invention provides relatively long protection for the skin against drying. Further tests with a large proportion of tri¬ ethanolamine to lecithin have shown that such compositions are also effective in accordance with the present invention. EXAMPLE 2 A drug delivery system may advantageously be based upon the lecithin-triethanolamine skin preparation of the present invention. An advantage of the lecithin- triethanolamine drug delivery system of the present invention is found for those drugs to be topically applied where it is desired that the drug be delivered in a uniform manner to the patient in an area near the skin surface. Du to the characteristics of the lecithin-triethanolamine skin preparation of the present invention, this objective is facilitated. The skin preparation is designed to disperse certain types of drugs such as steroids. Many steroids are non-covalently complexed by phospholipids. This complexing action results in clustering the steroid material in a stable form where one steroid molecular per OM one or more phospholipid molecules form the stable complex. In this manner, the skin preparation should be more effective in dispersing a uniform application of steroids to the skin as compared to conventional topical applications, Also, it is expected that the release of steroids from this complex may require more time than is ordinarily involved in the release of steroids from ordinary solvents. Although the mechanism for the drug delivery system of the present invention has not been conclusively established, one explanation is that the steroid lecithin complex is expected to be retained in the topical zones of skin for a_ longer period of time than when ordinary solvents are used which do not complex the steroid material. The amount of lecithin in the skin preparation of this second aspect of the invention is up to about 5%, e.g., 3% to 5% by weight, and preferably about 4% by weight. The following composition, which may also include optional ingredients mentioned previously, has the following percentage by weight: Lecithin 4% Triethanolamine 0.8% Hydrocortisone 1% The above composition is advantageously used for the topical application not only of hydrocrotisone but also for other drugs which may be topically applied, such as prednisone. When used as a drug delivery system, it may be beneficial to include an antioxidant such as butylated hydrox toluene (BHT) in small percentage (0.02 - 0.2%) to help stabilize the drug. O

Claims: WHAT IS CLAIMED IS: 1. A skin preparation comprising an aqueous mixture of about.1 to about 4% by weight lecithin-containing mixture and at least an equimolar amount of triethanolamine which is about 0.2 to about 3% by weight of the total composition. 2. A skin preparation of claim 1, wherein said lecithin-containing phosphatide mixture is a soy lecithin mixture containing about 40% lecithin, other phosphatides and soy oil. 3. A skin preparation of claim 1, which includes a thickening agent. 4. A skin preparation of claim 3, wherein said thickening agent is carboxymethylcellulose. 5. A skin preparation of claim 1, which includes an emollient selected from the group consisting of polyoxy¬ propylene fatty ether and isopropylpalmitate. 6. A skin preparation of claim 5, wherein said emollient is a polyoxypropylene fatty ether. 7. A skin preparation of claim 5, wherein said emollient is isopropylpalmitate. 8. A skin preparation which is an aqueous mixture comprising about 1 to about 4% by weight lecithin- containing phosphatide mixture; about 0.2 to about 3% by weight triethanolamine, provided that at least an equimolar amount of triethanolamine is.provided based upon the amount of lecithin; about 2 to about 6% by weight emollient selected from the group consisting of polyoxypropylene fatt ether, isopropylpalmitate and mixtures thereof; about 0.5 to about 2% by weight of a thickening agent; and about 0.1 to about 2.0% by weight citric acid. 9. A skin preparation of claim 8, wherein said lecithin-containing phosphatide mixture is a soy lecithin mixture containing about 40% lecithin, other phosphatides and soy oil. 10. A skin preparation of claim 8, wherein said thickening agent is carboxymethylcellulose. 11. A skin preparation of claim 8, which includes about 15 to about 25% by weight ethanol. 12. A skin preparation of claim 8, which includes a fragrance. 13. A skin preparation for the topical applicatio of a medicine contained in said skin preparation, which comprises an aqueous mixture containing about 3 to 5% by weight lecithin-containing phosphatide mixture, from about 0.2% to about 3.0% by weight triethanolamine and a drug to be topically applied to a patient. 14. A skin preparation of claim 13, wherein said lecithin-containing phosphatide mixture is present in an amount of about 4% by weight. OM WIP 15. A skin preparation-of claim 14, wherein said lecithin-containing phosphatide mixture is a soy lecithin mixture containing about 40% lecithin, other phosphatides and soy oil. 16. A skin preparation of claim 13, wherein said drug is contained in an amount up to about 1% by weight. 17. A skin preparation of claim 16, wherein the amount by weight of triethanolamine is about 0.4%. 18. A skin preparation of claim 17, wherein said drug- is hydrocortisone. 19. A method of topically applying a drug to a patient on the skin to achieve uniform delivery of said drug, which comprises applying said drug onto the skin topically as part of an aqueous mixture comprising said drug, about 4% by weight lecithin-containing phosphatide mixture and from about 0.2 to about 3.0% by weight triethanolamine. 20. A method of claim 19, wherein said drug is present in an amount up to about 1% by weight. 21. A skin preparation of claim 13 wherein butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) is included from 0.02% to 0.2% as an anti-oxidant to protect labile drugs.

Inventors: FROST P, KEITH A
Applicants: KEY PHARMA, KEY PHARMA INC
Application year: 1979
Main classification: A61K31
IPC codes: A61K8, A61K47, A61Q19