METHOD FOR THE TREATMENT OF BODY TISSUES AND THE ADMINISTRATION OF DRUGS THERETO

Abstract: An oxygenated fluid is applied to damaged bodily tissue, thereby making oxygen available to the tissue. Perflurinated hydrocarbons may be oxygenated and used in this process. Various therapeutic agents may be mixed with the oxygenated fluid and administered to the damaged tissue.

Description: METHOD FOR THE TREATMENT OF BODY TISSUES AND THE ADMINISTRATION OF DRUGS THERETO The invention relates to a method for a treatment of and the administration of drugs to body tissues and surfaces. In one embodiment, this invention particularly relates to the treatment of structures such as the skin or mucosa which are in need of enhanced or supplemental oxygen supply. This invention also relates to the treatment of individuals or tissues within individuals which may additionally or alternatively require the administration of drugs. Medical science has long sought effective methods of treatment for body tissues which suffer from inadequate oxygen supply. Often this inadequate oxygen supply is the result of chronic circulatory problems and the like. Examples of such conditions include bed sores, diabetic skin ulcers and ulcers which are associated with atherosclerotic conditions. At other times, this oxygen starved condition can be caused by a tramatic injury which interrupts or diminishes the blood supply to a part of the body. Failure to treat these sorts of conditions can result in slow or failed healing, scarring, large scale tissue necrosis and even gangrene. Secondary infections can always be a serious problem in these situations. Yet another long sought goal of medical science is ' an effective, non-invasive technique for the percutaneous administration of drugs. Most known methods are not well suited to be used by patents (e.g., intraveneous injection) or result in poor absorption and utilization of the drug (e.g., enceric administration). It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a method of treatment which will supplement or restore the-;; oxygen supply to damaged tissues. It is also an object of this invention to provide a method of treatment which facilitates the effective percutaneous administration of drugs which can be useful in the treatment of disease and especially useful in the treatment of damaged or diseased mucosa or skin. According to this invention, damaged bodily tissue is treated by oxygenating a pharmaceutically acceptable liquid with a therapeutically effective amount of oxygen and then applying the oxygenated liquid to the affected tissue. In an alternate embodiment of the invention another therapeutic agent is dissolved or suspended in the liquid in addition to • or in place of oxygen. This therapeutic agent may be selected from an exceptionally wide variety of drugs including antibiotics, anti-inflamatories or mixtures of such agents or drugs. Another highly useful group of therapeutic agents are those which are useful in treating skin diseases such as acne, psoriasis, angina pectoris or skin cancers. There are several -compounds which are known to be pharmaceutically acceptable liquids capable of dissolving therapeutically effective amounts of oxygen. These compounds have in the past been known to be useful only as blood replacements. That is, they are used as a temporary supplement to the body's supply of blood when blood is lost through tramatic injury or surgery. These compounds are almost always perfluorinated hydrocarbons. A list of perfluorinated hydrocarbons which can be used in the process of the present invention is set forth in Table I. TABLE I perfluordecalin perfluoro, 1-methydecalin perfluorotributylamine perfluorotribyltetrahydrofuran perfluoropolyether perfluorotripropylamine perfluorodihexylether perfluoro,4-methyloctehydroquinolidizine Because perfluorinated hydrocarbons are generally insoluble in water it is highly preferred that an aqueous emulsion of the perfluorinated hydrocarbons to be used. A number of emulsified perfluorinated hydrocarbons .are commercially available as blood replacements. Examples include Fluosol-DA (Green Cross) a mixture of fluorinated decalin and perfluor¬ inated tripropylamine. Another highly preferred commercially available material is Oxypherol-ET (Alpha Therapeutic Corporation). The composition of Oxypherol-ET is set forth in Table II. *A polyoxyethylene-polyoxypropylene. e ulsifier. While these commercially available perfluorocarbon preparations are well suited to use in this invention / it is often helpful to increase their viscosity by using a greater proportion of thickening agents. Thus, the Oxypheral-ET formulation may be modified by increasing the hydroxyethyl starch level to from 5- to 20%. The oxygenation of the perfluorocarbon or perfluorocarbon emulsion used in the process of the present invention can be carried out by exposing the fluid to an atmosphere of at least 75% oxygen, although an atmosphere of at least 95% oxygen is preferred. This is most effectively accomplished by bubbling oxygen at slightly greater than atmqspheric pressure through the perfluorocarbon. Once oxygenated, the perfluorocarbon or perfluorocarbon emulsion may be applied directly to damaged tissue.. Perfluorocarbon preparations are known to be able to dissolve at least 40% of oxygen and it is desirable to use fully saturated preparations when treating oxygen starved tissues. However, even oxygen starved tissues benefit substantially from the use of 25% solutions. The oxygenated fluid should be applied to the affected tissue at regular intervals to obtain maximum therapeutic effect. It is expected that it will be necessary to reapply the oxygenated fluid to the affected tissue 2 to 6 times each day. Owing to the physical and chemical characteristics of the perfluorinated hydrocarbons used in the method of the present invention, topical or percutaneous administration of drugs can be accomplished with special advantage by the process of the present invention and the absorption of drugs is accomplished with suprising effectiveness. Thus, where the affected tissue has suffered injury as a result of a trama or where secondary infection is present or seriously possible, it will be advisable to include a therapeutic concentration of an appropriate antibotic in the oxygenated perfluorocarbon fluid. Therapeutic concentrations of some suitable topical antibotics are set forth in Table III. TABLE III Bactracin 400-600 units/gm Chloramphenicol 0.5-1.5% by wt. Gentamycin 0.5-1.5% by wt. Polymyxin B 0.5-1.5% by wt. Natamycin 3.0-7.0% by wt. Oxytetracycline 1.0-2.0% by wt Similarly, if inflamation of the affected tissues is or may be a significant problem, an anti-inflamatory agent may be included in the oxygen-containing liquid which is used in the present invention. For example, 0.5 to 1.5% by weight of hydrocortisone may be used. Other therapeutic agents which may be used include nordihydroquaiaretic acid and its derivatives, the usefulness of which is described in co-pending United States Patent Application No. 699,923, filed February 2, 1985. Also, a wide variety of drugs can be administered with exceptional effectiveness through healthy skin by the process of the present invention. This process, therefore, has broad application in the percutaneous administration of drugs without regard to its usefulness as an oxygen supply technique. As a non-limiting example of the present invention, a bedsore may be treated by applying to it sufficient volume of oxygenated Oxypherol-ET to completely over the sore. The sore can be seen to begin to heal within 2 weeks and heal completely in about 4 weeks as the above described procedure is repeated every 12 hours. In yet another example of this invention, nitroglycern can be dissolved in the above-mentioned perfluorocarbon composition and applied in a patch on the skin of a patient suffering from angina pectoris. This procedure can provide immediate and sustained relief to the patient. oxygenated Oxypherol-ET to completely over the sore. The sore can be seen to begin to heal within 2 weeks and heal completely in about 4 weeks as the above described procedure is repeated every 12 hours. In yet another example of this invention, nitroglycern can be dissolved in the above-mentioned perfluorocarbon composition and applied in a patch on the skin of a patient suffering from angina pectoris. This procedure can provide immediate and sustained relief to the patient.

Claims: WHAT IS CLAIMED IS: 1. A method of creating damaged bodily tissue comprising the steps of Oxygenating a pharmaceutically acceptable fluid and Applying the oxygenated pharmaceutically acceptable fluid to the damaged bodily tissue. 2. The process of ' claim 1 wherein said pharmaceuticall ~ y acceptable fluid is an aqueous emulsion of a perfluoronated hydrocarbon and said tissue is skin or mucosa. 3. Th ' e process of claim 2 wherein said oxygenated fluid contains at least 25.0 volume percent oxygen. 4. The process of claim 3 wherein said oxygenated fluid contains an additional therapeutic agent selected from the group consisting antibiotics, anti-inflamatory agents and mixtures of antibiotics, and anti-inflamatory agents. 5. The process of claim 3 wherein said oxygenated fluid contains an additional therapeutic agent sleeted from the group consisting of nordihydroquiraretic acid and its pharmaceutically acceptable derivatives. 6. A method of administering at least on drug to an individual requiring treatment comprising the steps of mixing an efficacious amount of at least one drug with a perfluorocarbon compound applying the drug mixed with the perfluorocarbon to the skin or mucosa of the individual requiring treatment. 7. The method of claim 6 wherein said perfluorocarbon is in the form of an emulsion.

Inventors: NEISS EDWARD S, SMITH CHARLES G, NEISS, EDWARD, S., SMITH, CHARLES, G.
Applicants: CHEMEX PHARMACEUTICALS INC, CHEMEX PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
Application year: 1987
Main classification: A61K31
IPC codes: A61K9, A61K31, A61K33, A61K45, A61P7, A61P9, A61P17, A61P35