Composition for treating condyloma acuminata

Abstract: The invention describes a pharmaceutical composition containing a tea (Camellia sinensis) extract containing catechins (more particularly (-)-epigallocatechin gallate) in the form of a 2-20% by weight ointment or a 50-500 mg tea catechin suppository and its use in the treatment of condyloma acuminata (genital warts) caused by human papilloma virus.

Description: The present invention relates to the use of a tea extract containing catechin or derivative thereof as the effective ingredient for the manufacture of a pharmaceutical composition for treating the hyperplasia caused by papilloma virus, such as condyloma acuminata or genital warts, which contains an extract of tea (e.g. Camellia sinensus) containing catechins. J. Invest. Dermatol., vol 102, n°1, 1994, 3-7 refers to the protective effect of green tea against cancer. Green tea polyphenols caused partial repression of established skin papillomas in mice and were shown to have a protective effect against malignant conversion of benign skin papillomas to carcinomas. The article does not refer to infections caused by papilloma viruses. Papilloma viruses are a DNA virus infecting epithelial cells of mammals which cause uncontrolled cell replication. There are many types of papilloma virus infecting human and animal species, but they all can infect the basal epithelial cells and persist in episomal or as DNA integrated into the host genome. The mechanism by which they cause tissue growth may be related to the E4 and E5 proteins they all produce in related forms which appear to interact with p53 and other host proteins which control the cell cycle. The effects of papilloma virus which have been described include genital warts or Condylomata acuminata, common and plantar warts, bovine papillomas, and cervical intra-epithelial neoplasia in women. According to this method the detection rate is almost 100%. Types HPV6 and 11 of the virus are the ones most commonly detected and because HPV16 has been detected in malignant squamous cell carcinoma from cancer of the penis, cancer of the cervix and Condyloma acuminata, there is a strong possibility that HPV16 is related to the malignancy of Condyloma acuminata. Means for a treatment of Condyloma acuminata caused by human papilloma virus which have been tried at present are by physical means such as surgical excision, electrocauterization, cryosurgery, laser therapy etc. and medication such as applications of Podophyllin, 5-Fluorouracil, Bleomycin, Interferon, Imiquimod, etc. are presently available. However surgical treatment is distressing for the patient, considering the site of infection, and with topical applications there is the concern of side-effects. These medications work either by cytotoxic tissue destruction or by enhancing the cellular immune response by causing local inflammation. Because of this no conclusive treatment is presently available. Condyloma acuminata has a high rate of recurrence, and a complete cure is difficult unless treated constantly. Because of this a treatment which has a high degree of safety and is convenient is strongly desired. Thus for the treatment of condyloma acuminata or other diseases caused by papilloma virus, desired is a treatment which is easy for the patient to take, for example a medication which can be applied to the affected area by the patients themselves showing good results in a relatively short period of use and having no side-effects. We, the present inventors looked for a natural substance which has no side-effects, may be safely applied for a long period of time by the patients themselves and is notably effective; and after extensive testing we discovered that catechin, a component of tea which is an everyday beverage, is effective and thus the present invention was developed. Thus the present invention relates to a composition for a the use of a tea extract containing catechin or derivative thereof as the effective ingredient for the manufacture of a pharmaceutical composition for the treatment of papilloma virus infected tissue, such as condyloma acuminate or other diseases. The tea catechin used in the present invention is shown below in the general formula 1 wherein R 1 represents H or OH and R 2 represents H or The tea catechins are more specifically, epicatechin, epicatechin gallate, epigallocatechin gallate, gallocatechin etc. (including derivatives thereof). These catechins can be used singly or two or more nay be mixed together. Out of these it is particularly desirable to have (-)-epigallocatechin gallate as a main component. For example: Polyphenon 100™ (produced by Mitsui Norin Co.; Composition: (+)-gallocatechin 1.44%, (-)-epicatechin 5.81%, (-)-epigallocatechin 17.57%, (-)-epicatechin gallate 12.51%, (-)-epigallocatechin gallate 53.90%); or Polyphenon E™ (produced by Mitsui Norin Co. ; Composition: (-)-epicatechin 10.8%, (-)-epigallocatechin 9.2%, (-)-epicatechin gallate 6.5%, (-)-epigallocatechin gallate 54.8%, (-)-gallocatechin gallate 4.0%). For the treatment of Condyloma acuminata, the pharmaceutical composition could be used for example in the form of an ointment such as a cream, jelly or emulsion; or in the form of a suppository such as a capsule, and usually the tea catechin component is combined with an excipient, extending agent, emulsifier, dispersing agent etc. Vaseline is suitable as a base for the ointment. For the ointment the content of tea catechin should be between 2-20% by weight, preferably 5-20% by weight, more preferably between 12-18% by weight, most preferably 15% by weight. In the case of suppository the content of tea catechin should be 50-500mg/capsule, preferably 100-500mg/capsule, more preferably 200-300 capsule, and most preferably 250 mg/capsule. A typical usage example for the ointment is to apply directly to the infected area of the external genital organs or vagina, a vaseline cream containing 2-20% by weight catechin, from once to several times everyday for a period of 1-2 months. A typical usage example for the suppository in the case where for example the infected area is the cervix or the vagina is to insert a capsule containing 50-500mg tea catechin, from once to several times everyday for a period of 1-2 months. There is no danger of side-effects from the treatment for condyloma acuminata with the composition of the present invention having tea catechin as the main component thereof since the main component is a natural substance derived from tea which is commonly consumed regularly, and it may be taken for long periods of time. Moreover this medication may be easily applied to or inserted in the infected area by the patients themselves. The composition for a treatment of condyloma acuminata has a very high potential for practical use. The present invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the following examples. Test Example 1 An ointment consisting essentially of a vaseline based vaginal lubricant containing, as the main component, tea catechin (Trade name: Polyphenon 100, produced by Mitsui Norin Co. Ltd., its main component: (-)-epigallocatechin gallate) was applied to the cervix of healthy mice (50 mice in a group) in catechin dosages of 8mg, 15mg, or 38mg for a period of 7 consecutive days. After this time pathological and histological examinations were carried out and it was determined that except for a mild inflammatory reaction in the cervix of the mice of the 38mg dose group no toxic effect was observed. Example 1 Clinical tests of the present invention were carried out at the Cancer Institute, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences in Beijing with a group of 11 women who had been diagnosed with HPV-infected condyloma acuminata, All patients were confirmed to have condyloma in the vulva (external genital organs), and cervix according to clinical examination, cytologic, colposcopic and pathologic tests. Warts were from 0.2 to 2cm in diameter. Tests were carried out on these 11 patients using either a vaseline-based ointment containing 10% of tea catechin (Trade name: Polyphenon 100, produced by Mitsui Norin Co. Ltd., crude catechin content is about 90% and its main component is (-)-epigallocatechin gallate) or using a suppository containing 300mg/capsule of the above tea catechin. Applying the ointment to the external genital organs and applying the suppository to the cervix, the treatments of the present invention were used continuously once a day for about two months. During the period of treatment examinations and colposcopic tests of the infected areas were carried out. Results obtained are shown in Table 1. As shown in the table, when the infected area completely disappeared it was judged to be cured, when 50% or more disappeared it was judged to be improved and when less than 50% or nothing disappeared it was judged there was no effect. Infected Area No. of Patients Cured Improved No Effect External genital organs 9 4 3 2 Cervix 2 1 0 1 As is evident from the table, 7 cases out of 9 (77.8%) of condyloma acuminata of the external genital organ showed a clear effect (being either cured or improved). In one case of the cervical infection the tumor completely disappeared, thus cured. During this period. apart from some patients who experienced slight pain or inflammation in the infected area and a few other patients who felt some itching, there were no obvious side-effects observed. Example 2 The clinical tests at the Cancer Institute, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences in Beijing were conducted in the same manner as in Example 1 using a vaseline-based ointment containing 15% tea catechin as above or external and internal warts with a group of 33 female patients diagnosed with HPV-infected condyloma acuminata. In this group, 8 of the patients were infected in two areas. Results are shown in Table 2. As is evident from the table, 92% of condyloma acuminata of the external genital organs and 70% of the vaginal condyloma acuminata was cured or improved, and in the case of the cervical condyloma acuminata, all cases were cured. 25 cases out of 41 cases showed the result as cured and the curing ratio was 61%. Infected Area No. of Patients Cured Improved No Effect External genital organs 26 18 6 2 Vagina 10 2 5 3 Cervix 5 5 0 0 Total (%) 41 25 (61.0) 11 (26.8) 5 (12.2) Example 3 The clinical test at the Cancer Institute, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences in Beijing was conducted in the same manner as in Example 2 except the ointment contained 15% of a different tea extract (PolyphenonE, produced by Mitsui Norin Co., Ltd., similar to Polyphenon 100, crude catechin content is about 82% and its main component is (-)-epigallocatechin gallate), with a group of 22 female patient diagnosed with HPV-infected condyloma acuminata. Results are shown in Table 3. As is evident from the table, out of 16 cases of condyloma acuminata of the external genital organs 7 were cured and 6 improved; a total of 13 (81.3%) being effected. In the case of condyloma acuminta of the vagina, out of 6 cases 3 were cured and 2 were improved; a total of 83.3% was confirmed to be effected. Infected Area No. of Patients Cured Improved No Effect External genital organs 16 7 6 3 Vagina 6 3 2 1 Total (%) 22 10 (45.5) 8 (36.4) 4 (18.2) It is made reference to the entire disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 8-321195 filed on November 18, 1996 including specification, claims and summary.

Claims: Use of a tea extract containing catechin or derivative thereof as the effective ingredient for the manufacture of a pharmaceutical composition for the treatment of papilloma virus-infected tissue. Use according to claim 1, wherein the tea extract contains (-)-epigallocatechin gallate or a derivative thereof as a main component. Use according to claim 1, wherein the composition is in the form of an ointment. Use according to claim 1, wherein the composition is in the form of a suppository. Use according to claim 3, wherein said ointment contains 2-20% by weight of crude catechin of tea extract containing catechin. Use according to claim 4, wherein said suppository contains 50-500mg of crude catechin of tea extract containing catechin.

Inventors: CHENG SHU JUN, HARA YUKIHIKO, WANG DE CHANG, CHENG, SHU JUN, HARA, YUKIHIKO, WANG, DE CHANG, Cheng, Shu Jun c/o Cancer Institute (hospital), Wang, De Chang c/o Cancer Institute (hospital)
Applicants: CANCER INST HOSPITAL CHINESE A, MITSUI NORIN KK, CANCER INSTITUTE (HOSPITAL) CHINESE ACADEMY OF MEDICAL SCIENCES, MITSUI NORIN CO., LTD.
Application year: 1997
Main classification: A61K31
IPC codes: A61K31, C07D311, A61K36, A61P31, A61P17