Patent ID: 7491406

Claim:
A method for preparing a physiologically compatible film, said method comprising: mixing at least one water soluble film former and at least one stabilizing agent selected from the group consisting of xanthan gum, locust bean gum, carrageenan, guar gum and mixtures thereof to provide a film-forming mixture; providing water soluble ingredients capable of forming electrolytes when dissolved in water; dissolving the water-soluble ingredients in water to provide an electrolyte containing aqueous solution; combining said film-forming mixture and the aqueous solution to provide a hydrated polymer gel; mixing oils to form an oil mixture that comprises at least one essential oil selected from the group consisting of thymol, methyl salicylate, eucalyptol, and menthol wherein the total amount of the oils in the oil mixture is at least about 5 wt % of the total weight of ingredients; adding said oil mixture to said hydrated polymer gel and mixing to provide a uniform gel; casting the uniform gel on a substrate; and drying the cast gel to provide said film.