NOVEL DISPENSERS FOR ORAL HYGIENE CONTAINING TRICLOSAN AND/OR FLAVOR COMPONENT

Abstract: The invention relates to a dispenser for an oral hygiene composition which composition contains an effective anti-plaque proportion of triclosan and/or a flavour component wherein the dispenser and/or the dispenser parts that contact the composition include a polymeric material that is compatible with and does not cause excessive losses of triclosan and/or flavour from the oral hygiene composition.

Description: NOVEL DISPENSERS FOR ORAL HYGIENE CONTAINING TRICLOSAN AND/OR FLAVOR COMPONENT The present invention relates to dispensers for oral hygiene compositions which compositions comprise an antibacterial agent, triclosan and /or a flavour component, packaged in a dispenser which is or includes a plastics material which is compatible with the antibacterial agent triclosan and/or the flavour. Triclosan (2,4,4-trichloro-2'-hydroxydiphenyI ether) is a well known non cationic antibacterial agent which retards the accumulation of dental plaque. The addition of triclosan to oral hygiene compositions will thus limit bacterial activity within the oral cavity therefore reducing the occurrence of caries, calculus and ultimately periodontal disease. Triclosan is thus widely used in commercial products as an anti-plaque agent, for example the Macleans range of oral hygiene products contains triclosan. The problem of triclosan losses from oral hygiene compositions has been known for many years. Triclosan losses from such compositions will ultimately result in unacceptably low and ineffective anti-plaque activity. The losses can be quite substantial if the composition has been stored, even for short periods of time. The losses will occur mainly through diffusion of the triclosan into the plastics material of which the dispensers are made. In tube dispensers losses can be minimised by using aluminium laminate structures in the main body of the tubes. These laminates are sandwiched between the outer layers of the plastic tube with the inner layer, being approximately 5 to 50% of the thickness. It is inevitable however that some losses will still occur through the shoulder portion of the tube. EP-A-0 467 548 and EP-A-0 469 722 (Colgate-Palmolive Company) both address this problem in toothpaste and mouthwash compositions and in order to avoid unacceptable losses of certain of the active ingredients include, in the parts of the dispensing container that contact the toothpaste a solid synthetic organic polymeric plastic material selected from the group consisting of polyfluorocarbons, polyvinyl halides, polyethylene terephthalates, poly-lower alkylenes, polymethyl pentenes, polyallomers, nylons, polyacrylates, polymethyl methacrylates, polyesters, polycarbonates and polysulfones, and mixtures and pluralities thereof. These materials are thus acting as barriers against the loss of active ingredient. It is essential to include in most oral hygiene compositions a flavour component in order to make the composition taste aesthetically acceptable. Flavour loses from oral hygiene compositions however can also be a problem. Flavour loses are known to increase as storage time increases, thus creating compositions that are no longer acceptable to the consumer from a taste point of view. It has now been discovered that certain other polymeric plastic materials in addition to those described in the prior art also show these barrier properties towards certain oral hygiene ingredients, in particular the non cationic antibacterial agent triclosan, and also flavour components and will prevent unacceptable losses of these important ingredients. The dispensers into which these oral hygiene compositions are put are most commonly of the pump, tube or squeezable container type. Pumps and tubes are perhaps the most widely used forms of dispensers, the squeezable container is a relatively new type and more fully described in EP-A- 0 469 722. Accordingly the present invention provides a dispenser for an oral hygiene composition which composition contains an effective anti-plaque proportion of triclosan and wherein the dispenser and/or the dispenser parts that contact the composition includes a polymeric material that is compatible with and does not cause excessive losses of triclosan from the oral hygiene composition. In a preferred aspect the active ingredient is triclosan, however it has been shown that certain of these polymeric materials will also prevent the loss of flavour components from an oral hygiene composition. According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a dispenser for an oral hygiene composition which composition contains a flavour component and wherein the dispenser and/or the dispenser parts that contact the composition includes a polymeric material that is compatible with and does not cause excessive losses of flavour from the oral hygiene composition. Suitably the polymeric material is a solid synthetic organic polymeric plastic material. Examples include polybutyl terephthalates and other high performance barrier plastic materials. These latter 'high performance' materials are known generically as Liquid Crystal Polymers (LCP's). Certain features of the LCP's are attributable to the highly ordered molecular structure which arises when these materials are processed. The molecules of LCP's are not arranged like ordinary polymers, but have a special architecture which lies between the perfect order in crystals and the complete disorder in liquids and is therefore referred to as liquid crystalline. There are three major classes of liquid crystalline structures: the nematic, smectic and cholesteric units. LCP's arise when certain liquid crystalline units are inserted into a polymer in a suitable manner. Particularly suitable LCP's used in the present invention are prepared from the nematic unit. Such LCP's have been developed by Hoechst Celanese Corporation and are fully aromatic, nematic, thermotropic polyesters. These types of LCP's are known as Vectra LCP's. (Vectra is a registered Trademark of Hoechst Celanese Corporation). Vectra materials are based onp-hydroxybenzoic acid and p- hydroxynaphthoic acid monomers, and are supplied in many different grades. Whilst all available grades of Vectra are suitable for use in the present invention, a preferred grade of Vectra for use in the present invention is known and supplied as Vectra A950. The LCP may be included in the internal walls of the dispenser or just in those parts that come in contact with the oral hygiene compositions. If the LCP is to be incorporated in only part of the dispenser, that part or parts will be those that are in direct contact with the oral hygiene composition, for example the body walls of the dispenser. Also it is proposed that an insert may be suitably used, for example an insert that is put into the shoulder portion of the dispenser is suitable for preventing triclosan loss. The entire dispenser for the oral hygiene compositions is constructed in a way that is conventional in the art of manufacture of oral hygiene compositions. The LCP will be included in the construction in such quantity as to be effective in its desired function. Suitably the triclosan is present in the oral hygiene formulation of from 0.01 to 2.0% w/w, more preferably from 0.05 to 1.0% w/w of the composition. According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of preventing excessive losses of triclosan from oral hygiene compositions by including a LCP in the dispenser containing the composition. In yet a further aspect there is provided a method of preventing excessive losses of flavour from oral hygiene compositions by including a LCP in the dispenser containing the composition. The oral hygiene composition may be prepared by conventional techniques known in the art of oral hygiene formulation and presented in any of the conventional formulations such as gel, paste and liquid dentifrices or mouthwash compositions. Suitably the composition is in the form of a dentifrice which will comprise all conventional dentifrice ingredients such as those described in EP-B-0 076 563. The following data illustrates the invention: INVESTIGATION OF TRICLOSAN AND FLAVOUR LOSS IN PLASTIC DISCS Two different plastics, Polyethylene (PE) and Vectra A950 LCP plus a control were placed in contact with a dentifrice aqueous phase containing triclosan and flavour (see Appendix 1). Triclosan levels (measured in mgs) and corresponding % losses were calculated. PE is used in most tube and pump packaging material currently available. METHOD Eight PE and Vectra A950 LCP discs are placed onto a support spring and put into a jar. The support spring also acts as the control vehicle. 25g of a toothpaste aqueous phase containing triclosan is added. The jar is sealed and left at 40°C for a specified period (eg 4, 8 and 12 weeks). At the appropriate time the springs are removed and placed in a second jar which contains 25g of a toothpaste aqueous phase without triclosan. This is agitated for a few seconds and the springs then removed. Both solutions are then analysed for triclosan and losses calculated accordingly. All apparatus to be used is washed with methanol and dried thoroughly before use to ensure it is free from contamination. RESULTS All experiments were using plastic discs stored in solution as outlined in the previous experiment. Storage was at 40 °C for the times specified. Triclosan level is expressed in micrograms This triclosan loss experiment has shown Vectra A950 to be an almost complete barrier to triclosan loss. In the following study, flavour losses were looked at using PE, Vectra A950 LCP and poly (Butylene Terephthalate) (PBT). The method and analysis used were exactly as outlined above. Flavour levels are expressed in %w/w The overall trend for flavour loss is the same as triclosan loss. Appendix 1 Triclosan Containing Aqueous Phase PEG 6 is polyethylene glycol

Claims: Claims 1. A dispenser for an oral hygiene composition which composition contains an effective anti-plaque proportion of triclosan and wherein the dispenser and/or the dispenser parts that contact the composition includes a polymeric material that is compatible with and does not cause excessive losses of triclosan from the oral hygiene composition. 2. A dispenser for an oral hygiene composition which composition contains a flavour component and wherein the dispenser and/or the dispenser parts that contact the composition includes a polymeric material that is compatible with and does not cause excessive losses of flavour from the oral hygiene composition. 3. A dispenser according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the part in contact with the oral hygiene composition is in the form of a shoulder insert. 4. A dispenser according to claim 3, wherein the polymeric material is a solid synthetic organic polymeric plastic material. 5. A dispenser according to claim 4, wherein the synthetic organic polymeric plastic material include polybutyi terephthalates and other high performance barrier plastic materials. 6. A dispenser according to any one of the above claims, wherein the high performance barrier plastic material is a Liquid Crystal Polymer (LCP). 7. A dispenser according to claim 6, wherein the LCP is based onp- hydroxybenzoic acid and p-hydroxynaphthoic acid monomers. 8. A dispenser according to claim 7, wherein the LCP is known as Vectra A950. 9. A method of preventing excessive losses of triclosan from oral hygiene compositions by including a LCP in the dispenser containing the composition. 10. A method of preventing excessive losses of flavour from oral hygiene compositions by including a LCP in the dispenser containing the composition.

Inventors: DAVIES DAVID EIFION, NISBET MARK ANDREW, DAVIES, DAVID, EIFION, NISBET, MARK, ANDREW
Applicants: DAVIES DAVID EIFION, NISBET MARK ANDREW, SMITHKLINE BEECHAM PLC, DAVIES, DAVID, EIFION, NISBET, MARK, ANDREW
Application year: 1997
Main classification: A61K7
IPC codes: A61K8, A61Q11