Patent ID: 7629384

Claim:
A method of increasing localized blood flow in tissues comprising the steps of: applying topically to the skin a delivery vehicle comprising L-arginine hydrochloride at a concentration of 0.25% to 25% by weight, wherein the L-arginine hydrochloride is contained in a package selected from the group consisting of liposomes, emulsions of collagen, collagen peptides and combinations thereof, wherein the delivery vehicle further comprises an ion donor selected from the group consisting of sodium chloride, choline chloride, potassium chloride, lithium chloride and magnesium chloride and mixtures thereof, and said ion donor is present in an amount sufficient to create a high ionic strength environment able to cause the L-arginine hydrochloride to migrate from the delivery vehicle to the skin where the delivery vehicle is applied, wherein (i) said ion donor concentration in the delivery vehicle is 10% to 90% by weight when the concentration of L-arginine hydrochloride in the delivery vehicle is 0.25% to below 5% by weight, (ii) said ion donor concentration in the delivery vehicle is 5% to 80% by weight when the concentration of L-arginine hydrochloride in the delivery vehicle is 5% to 15% by weight, and (iii) said ion donor concentration in the delivery vehicle is 5% to 50% by weight when the concentration of L-arginine hydrochloride in the delivery vehicle is greater than 15% to 25% by weight.