Pharmaceutical composition for topical application

1. A pharmaceutical composition comprising:

(a) an oleaginous pharmaceutical carrier comprising, by weight:

75-99 percent of a hydrophobic solvent, and

1-10 percent of a solidifying agent, wherein said solidifying agent is not beeswax, is a solid at ambient temperature, and is selected from the group consisting of long chain fatty alcohols having at least 15 carbon atoms in its carbon backbone and fatty acids having at least 18 carbons in its carbon backbone; and

(b) a therapeutically effective amount of a biologically active substance to treat a disease or disorder of the skin or mucosal membrane,

wherein the pharmaceutical composition is semi-solid at rest and liquefies upon application of shear forces thereto.

2. A pharmaceutical composition comprising:

(a) an oleaginous pharmaceutical carrier comprising, by weight:

75-99 percent of a hydrophobic solvent, wherein the hydrophobic solvent comprises an omega-3 or omega-6 oil, and

1-10 percent of a solidifying agent, wherein said solidifying agent is not beeswax, is a solid at ambient temperature, and is selected from the group consisting essentially of long chain fatty alcohols having at least 15 carbon atoms in its carbon backbone and fatty acids having at least 18 carbons in its carbon backbone; and

(b) a therapeutically effective amount of a biologically active substance to treat a disease or disorder of the skin or mucosal membrane,

wherein the pharmaceutical composition is semi-solid at rest and liquefies upon application of shear forces thereto.

3. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 1 or 2 , wherein the carrier comprises, by weight, 5-10 percent of the solidifying agent.

4. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 1 or 2 , wherein the solidifying agent has a melting point of less than 80° C.

5. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 1 or 2 , wherein the hydrophobic solvent comprises at least 6% of an omega-3 or omega-6 oil.

6. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 1 , wherein said hydrophobic solvent is selected from the group consisting of marine animal-derived oils, terrestrial animal-derived oils, mineral oils, silicone oils and plant-derived oils.

7. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 2 , wherein said hydrophobic solvent further comprises an oil selected from the group consisting of partially or fully hydrogenated plant-derived oils, marine animal-derived oils and terrestrial animal-derived oils, mineral oils, emollients, and silicone oils.

8. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 1 , wherein said hydrophobic solvent includes an oil selected from the group consisting of olive oil, soybean oil, canola oil, rapeseed oil, cottonseed oil, coconut oil, palm oil, sesame oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, rice bran oil, borage seed oil, syzigium aromaticum oil, hempseed oil, herring oil, cod-liver oil, salmon oil, corn oil, flaxseed oil, wheat germ oil, evening primrose oil, rosehip oil, tea tree oil, melaleuca oil and jojoba oil.

9. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 1 or 2 , wherein said fatty acid or said fatty alcohol has at least one alkyl group side chain in its carbon backbone.

10. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 1 or 2 , wherein said carbon backbone of said fatty acid or said fatty alcohol has at least one hydroxyl group at position α and β.

11. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 1 or 2 , wherein said carbon backbone of said fatty acid or said fatty alcohol has at least one hydroxyl group at positions 8-14.

12. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 1 or 2 , wherein said solidifying agent includes a 12-hydroxy fatty acid.

13. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 1 , wherein at least one of said solidifying agent and said hydrophobic solvent has a therapeutic beneficial effect.

14. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 1 or 2 , wherein said biologically active substance is selected from the group consisting of an antibiotic agent, a free radical generating agent, an antifungal agent, an antiviral agent, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, an immunosuppressant, an antihistamine agent, an anti-inflammatory agent, a retinoid agent, a tar agent, an antipruritics agent and a scabicide agent.

15. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 14 , wherein:

(a) said antibiotic agent is selected from the group consisting of chloramphenicol, tetracyclines, synthetic and semi-synthetic penicillins, beta-lactams, quinolones, fluoroquinolones, macrolide antibiotics, peptide antibiotics, cyclosporines, erythromycin and clyndamycin;

(b) said free radical generating agent is benzoyl peroxide;

(c) said antifungal agent is selected from the group consisting of azoles, diazoles, triazoles, miconazole, fluconazole, ketoconazole, clotrimazol, itraconazole griseofulvin, ciclopirox, amorolfine, terbinafine, Amphotericin B and potassium iodide;

(d) said antiviral agent is selected from the group consisting of flucytosine (5FC), vidarabine, acyclovir and gancyclovir;

(e) said immunosuppressant is selected from the group consisting of Clobetasol proprionate, Halobetasol proprionate, Betamethasone diproprionate, Betamethasone valerate, Fluocinolone acetonide, Halcinonide, Betamethasone valerate, Fluocinolone acetonide, Hydrocortisone valerate, Triamcinolone acetonide, Hydrocortisone and hexachlorobenzene;

(f) said anti-inflammatory agent is a vitamin B3 or a derivative thereof;

(g) said retinoid agent is selected from the group consisting of isotretinoin, adapalene and tretinoin;

(h) said tar agent is selected from the group consisting of coal tar and cade oil;

(i) said antihistamine agent is doxepine hydrochloride;

(j) said antipruritic agent is crotampiton; and

(k) said scabicide agent is selected from the group consisting of benzyl benzoate, malathion and crotamiton.

16. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 1 or 2 , wherein said biologically active substance is effective in the treatment of a disease or disorder selected from the group consisting of psoriasis, acne, seborrhea, seborrheic dermatitis, alopecia and excessive hair growth, ichthyosis, wounds, burns, cuts, ulcers, psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis of the face and trunk, seborrheic blepharitis, contact dermatitis, stasis dermatitis and exfoliative dermatitis.

17. A method of treating a disease or disorder of a skin or a mucosal membrane comprising:

topically administering to the skin or the mucosal membrane a pharmaceutical composition containing, by weight, 1-10 percent of a solidifying agent, wherein the solidifying agent is not beeswax, is a solid at ambient temperature, and is selected from the group consisting of long chain fatty alcohols having at least 15 carbon atoms in its carbon backbone and fatty acids having at least 18 carbon atoms in its carbon backbone, and 75-99 percent of a hydrophobic solvent, wherein at least one of the solidifying agent and the hydrophobic agent has a therapeutic beneficial effect, and wherein the solidifying agent and the hydrophobic solvent are selected such that under ambient conditions, the composition is a semi-solid at rest and liquefies upon application of shear forces thereto,

wherein the disease or disorder is selected from the group consisting of psoriasis, acne, seborrhea, seborrheic dermatitis, alopecia and excessive hair growth, ichthyosis, wounds, burns, cuts, ulcers, psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis of the face and trunk, seborrheic blepharitis, contact dermatitis, stasis dermatitis and exfoliative dermatitis.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the statis dermatitis is selected from the group consisting of gravitational eczema, varicose eczema and further wherein the exfoliative dermatitis is erythroderma.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the mucosal membrane is selected from the group consisting of a mucosa of a nose, a mucosa of a mouth, a mucosa of an eye, a mucosa of an ear, a mucosa of a vagina and a mucosa of a rectum.

20. The method of claim 17 , wherein the disease or disorder is an inflammation caused by an inflammatory agent selected from the group consisting of a bacterial inflammatory agent, a fungal inflammatory agent, a viral inflammatory agent, a parasitic inflammatory agent, an autoimmune inflammatory agent, an allergic inflammatory agent, a hormonal inflammatory agent and a malignant inflammatory agent.

21. The method of claim 17 , wherein the hydrophobic solvent is selected from the group consisting of marine animal-derived oils, terrestrial animal-derived oils, mineral oils, silicone oils and plant-derived oils.

22. The method of claim 17 , wherein the hydrophobic solvent includes an oil selected from the group consisting of olive oil, soybean oil, canola oil, rapeseed oil, cottonseed oil, coconut oil, palm oil, sesame oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, rice bran oil, borage seed oil, syzigium aromaticum oil, hempseed oil, herring oil, cod-liver oil, salmon oil, corn oil, flaxseed oil, wheat germ oil, evening primrose oil, rosehip oil, tea tree oil, melaleuca oil and jojova oil.

23. The method of claim 17 , wherein the hydrophobic solvent includes an oil selected from the group consisting of omega-3 oil and omega-6 oil.

24. The method of claim 17 , wherein at least one of the fatty alcohol and the fatty acid has at least one alkyl group side chain in its carbon backbone.

25. The method of claim 17 , wherein the carbon backbone of at least one of the fatty acid and fatty alcohol has at least one hydroxyl group.

26. The method of claim 25 , wherein the carbon backbone of at least one of the fatty acid and the fatty alcohol has at least one hydroxyl group at positions 8-14.

27. The method of claim 17 , wherein the solidifying agent includes a 12-hydroxy fatty acid.

28. A method of treating a disease or disorder of a skin or a mucosal membrane comprising the step of topically administrating thereto a pharmaceutical composition containing:

(a) a pharmaceutical carrier containing, by weight, 1-10 percent of a solidifying agent, wherein the solidifying agent is not beeswax, is a solid at ambient temperature, and is selected from the group consisting of long chain fatty alcohols having at least 15 carbon atoms in its carbon backbone and fatty acids having at least 18 carbon atoms in its carbon backbone, and 75-99 percent of a hydrophobic solvent; and

(b) a therapeutically effective amount of a biologically active substance,

wherein the pharmaceutical is semi-solid at rest and liquefies upon application of shear forces thereto, and

wherein the biologically active substance is effective in the treatment of a disease or disorder selected from the group consisting of psoriasis, acne, seborrhea, seborrheic dermatitis, alopecia and excessive hair growth, ichthyosis, wounds, burns, cuts, ulcers, psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis of the face and trunk, seborrheic blepharitis, contact dermatitis, stasis dermatitis and exfoliative dermatitis.

29. The method of claim 28 , wherein the mucosal membrane is selected from the group consisting of a mucosa of a nose, a mucosa of a mouth, a mucosa of an eye, a mucosa of an ear, a mucosa of a vagina and mucosa of a rectum.

30. The method of claim 28 , wherein the hydrophobic solvent is selected from the group consisting of marine animal-derived oils, terrestrial animal-derived oils, mineral oils, silicone oils and plant-derived oils.

31. The method of claim 28 , wherein the hydrophobic solvent includes an oil selected from the group consisting of olive oil, soybean oil, canola oil, rapeseed oil, cottonseed oil, coconut oil, palm oil, sesame oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, rice bran oil, borage seed oil, syzigium aromaticum oil, hempseed oil, herring oil, cod-liver oil, salmon oil, corn oil, flaxseed oil, wheat germ oil, evening primrose oil, rosehip oil, tea tree oil, melaleuca oil and jojova oil.

32. The method of claim 28 , wherein the hydrophobic solvent includes an oil selected from the group consisting of omega-3 oil and omega-6 oil.

33. The method of claim 28 , wherein at least one of the fatty acid and the fatty alcohol has at least one alkyl group side chain in its carbon backbone.

34. The method of claim 28 , wherein the carbon backbone of at least one of the fatty acid and the fatty alcohol has at least one hydroxyl group.

35. The method of claim 28 , wherein the carbon backbone of at least one of the fatty acid and the fatty alcohol has at least one hydroxyl group at positions 8-14.

36. The method of claim 28 , wherein the solidifying agent comprises a 12-hydroxy fatty acid.

37. The method of claim 28 , wherein the disease or disorder is inflammation caused by an inflammatory agent selected from the group consisting of a bacterial inflammatory agent, a fungal inflammatory agent, a viral inflammatory agent, a parasitic inflammatory agent, an autoimmune inflammatory agent, an allergic inflammatory agent, a hormonal inflammatory agent and a malignant inflammatory agent.

38. The method of claim 28 , wherein the statis dermatitis is selected from the group consisting of gravitational eczema, varicose eczema and further wherein the exfoliative dermatitis is erythroderma.

39. The method of claim 28 , wherein the biologically active substance is effective in the treatment of a disease or disorder selected from the group consisting of psoriasis, acne, seborrhea, seborrheic dermatitis, alopecia and excessive hair growth, ichthyosis, wounds, burns, cuts, ulcers, psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis of the face and trunk, seborrheic blepharitis, contact dermatitis, stasis dermatitis and exfoliative dermatitis.

40. The method of claim 39 , wherein the statis dermatitis is selected from the group consisting of gravitational eczema, varicose eczema and further wherein the exfoliative dermatitis is erythroderma.

41. The method of claim 28 , wherein the biologically active substance is selected from the group of consisting of an antibiotic agent, a free radical generating agent, an antifungal agent, an antiviral agent, a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor, a non-steroidal antiinflammatory drug, an immunosuppressant, an antihistamine agent, an antiinflammatory agent, a retinoid agent, a tar agent, an antipruritics agent and a scabicide agent.

42. The method of claim 41 , wherein:

(a) the antibiotic agent is selected from the group consisting of chloramphenicol, tetracyclines, synthetic and semi-synthetic penicillins, beta-lactams, quinolones, fluoroquinolnes, macrolide antibiotics, peptide antibiotics, cyclosporines, erytromycin and clinndamycin;

(b) the free radical generating agent is benzoyl peroxide;

(c) the antifungal agent is selected from the group consisting of azoles, diazoles, triazoles, miconazole, fluconazole, ketoconazole, clotrimazole, itraconazole griseofulvin, ciclopirox, amorolfine, terbinafine, Amphotericin B and potassium iodide;

(d) the antiviral agent is selected from the group consisting of flucytosine (5FC), Vidarabine, acyclovir and Gancyclovir;

(e) the immunosuppressant is selected from the group consisting of Clobetasol proprionate, Halobetasol proprionate, Betamethasone diproprionate, Betamethasone valerate, Fluocinolone acetonide, Halcinonide, Betamethasone valerate, Fluocinolone acetonide, Hydrocortisone valerate, Triamcinolone acetonide, Hydrocortisone and hexachlorobenzene;

(f) the anti-inflammatory agent is a vitamin B3;

(g) the retinoid agent is selected from the group consisting of isotretinoin, adapalene and tretinoin;

(h) the tar agent is selected from the group consisting of coal tar and cade oil;

(i) the antihistamine agent is doxepine hydrochloride;

(j) the antipruritic agent is crotampiton; and

(k) the scabicide agent is selected from the group consisting of benzyl benzoate, malathion and crotamiton.

43. A method of treating dermatosis of a skin or a disorder of a mucosal membrane comprising the step of topically administering to the skin or the mucosal membrane a pharmaceutical composition containing,

(a) a carrier comprising, by weight, 1-12 percent of a solidifying agent, wherein said solidifying agent is not beeswax, is a solid at ambient temperature, and is selected from the group consisting of long chain fatty alcohols having 18-22 carbons atoms in its carbon backbone and long chain fatty acids having 18-22 carbon atoms in its carbon backbone and 75-99 percent of a triglyceride hydrophobic solvent; and

(b) a therapeutically effective amount of a biologically active substance that treats a symptom of a dermatosis,

wherein the pharmaceutical composition is semi-solid at rest and liquefies upon application of shear forces thereto.

44. The method of claim 43 , wherein the dermatosis is an inflammation caused by a fungal inflammatory agent.

45. The method of claim 43 , wherein the biologically active agent is an antimicrobial agent.

46. A pharmaceutical composition comprising:

(a) an oleaginous pharmaceutical carrier comprising, by weight, 75-99 percent of a liquid hydrophobic oil, and 1-10 percent of a solidifying agent that includes 12-hydroxy stearic acid, wherein the solidifying agent is not beeswax; and

(b) a therapeutically effective amount of a biologically active substance to treat a disease or disorder of the skin or mucosal membrane,

wherein the pharmaceutical composition is semi-solid at rest and liquefies upon application of shear forces thereto.

47. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 46 , wherein said biologically active substance is selected from the group consisting of a vitamin derivative and a corticosteroid.

48. A pharmaceutical composition comprising:

(a) an oleaginous pharmaceutical carrier comprising, by weight:

75-99 percent of a liquid hydrophobic oil, and

1-10 percent of a solidifying agent, wherein the solidifying agent is not beeswax, is solid at ambient temperatures, and further wherein the solidifying agent is selected from the group consisting of long chain fatty alcohols having at least 15 carbon atoms in its carbon backbone and fatty acids having at least 18 carbons in its carbon backbone; and

(b) a therapeutically effective amount of a biologically active substance to treat a disease or disorder of the skin or mucosal membrane,

wherein the pharmaceutical composition is semi-solid at rest and liquefies upon application of shear forces thereto.

49. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 48 , wherein said biologically active substance is selected from the group consisting of a vitamin derivative and a corticosteroid.

50. A method of treating a disease or disorder of a skin or a mucosal membrane comprising topically administering to the skin or the mucosal membrane a pharmaceutical composition containing:

(a) an oleaginous pharmaceutical carrier comprising, by weight, 75-99 percent of a liquid hydrophobic oil, and 1-10 percent of a solidifying agent that includes 12-hydroxy stearic acid, and is not beeswax; and

(b) a therapeutically effective amount of a biologically active substance to treat a disease or disorder of the skin or mucosal membrane selected from the group consisting of psoriasis, acne, seborrhea, seborrheic dermatitis, alopecia and excessive hair growth, ichthyosis, wounds, burns, cuts, ulcers, psoriasis, inflammation, seborrheic dermatitis of the face and trunk, seborrheic blepharitis, contact dermatitis, stasis dermatitis and exfoliative dermatitis,

wherein the pharmaceutical composition is semi-solid at rest and liquefies upon application of shear forces thereto.

51. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 1 , further comprising one or more excipients.