Feminine anti-itch gel
View Patent ↗The present invention provides a substantially clear gel designed to reduce itching discomfort when applied to the vulvar tissue. The gel includes at least one anesthetic, protectant, emulsifier, and pH modifier, such as a base. The gel has a pH adapted to vulvar use and may be applied to the vulvar tissues.
1. An anti-itch gel, for treating itching of the vulvar tissues, comprising:
20-60% by weight water,
a water-soluble salt of pramoxine,
a pH modifier,
from 5 to 60% by weight of a protectant, and
a water-in-oil emulsifier comprising one or more silicones, where the gel has a turbidity of less than 100 nephelometric turbidity units and the gel has a pH from 4 to 7, and
the gel comprises colloidal particles having average particle diameters of from 1 to 50 microns.
2. The gel of claim 1 having a turbidity of less than 40 nephelometric turbidity units.
3. The gel of claim 1 having a turbidity of from 25 to 35 nephelometric turbidity units.
4. The gel of claim 1 , where the gel comprises colloidal particles having average particle diameters of from 2 to 8 microns.
5. The gel of claim 1 having a turning force of at most 70 Eta[Pas] between 0 and 5 turns per second when measured on a rheometer.
6. The gel of claim 1 having a pH from 5 to 5.3.
7. The gel of claim 1 , where water comprises from 37 to 42% of the gel by weight.
8. The gel of claim 1 , where the water-in-oil emulsifier comprises at least one silicone.
9. The gel of claim 8 , where the water-in-oil emulsifier comprises from 5 to 20% of the gel by weight.
10. The gel of claim 8 , where the water-in-oil emulsifier comprises from 10 to 12% of the gel by weight.
11. The gel of claim 1 , where the water-in-oil emulsifier comprises a dimethicone copolyol based emulsifier.
12. The gel of claim 11 , where the dimethicone copolyol based emulsifier comprises a cyclopentasiloxane and a non-volatile dimethicone.
13. The gel of claim 1 comprising less than 10% by weight of a substantially water-soluble surfactant.
14. The gel of claim 1 , further comprising from 0.01 to 1% by weight of a preservative.
15. The gel of claim 1 , further comprising from 2 to 20% by weight of a silicone- based emollient.
16. The gel of claim 15 , where the silicone-based emollient comprises a cyclomethicone.
17. The gel of claim 1 , where the water-soluble anesthetic comprises from 0.5 to 2% by weight of a salt of pramoxine.
18. The gel of claim 1 , where the water-soluble anesthetic comprises from 0.9 to 1.1% by weight of a salt of pramoxine.
19. The gel of claim 1 , where the pH modifier comprises from 0.005 to 0.08% by weight of the gel and comprises a base.
20. The gel of claim 1 , where the protectant comprises glycerin.
21. The gel of claim 20 , where the protectant comprises from 20 to 45% by weight of the gel.
22. The gel of claim 1 , where the protectant comprises dimethicone and comprises from 5 to 30% by weight of the gel.
23. The gel of claim 1 , further comprising at least one odor modifier.
24. A method for treating vulvar discomfort, comprising: contacting vulvar tissue with the anti-itch gel of claim 1 .
25. A method of forming the anti-itch gel of claim 1 , comprising:
combining a water phase with an oil phase after matching the refractive indices of the water and oil phases to within 0.0004 to 0.0017 to provide the gel a turbidity of less than 100 nephelometric turbidity units; where
the water phase comprises the water, the water-soluble anesthetic, and the protectant; and
the oil phase comprises the water-in-oil emulsifier.
26. The method of claim 25 , where the gel comprises colloidal particles having average particle diameters of from 2 to 8 microns.
27. The method of claim 25 , where the gel has a pH from 5 to 5.3.
28. The method of claim 25 , where the water-in-oil emulsifier comprises from 5 to 20% of the gel by weight and comprises a dimethicone copolyol based emulsifier.
29. The method of claim 28 , where the dimethicone copolyol based emulsifier comprises a cyclopentasiloxane and a non-volatile dimethicone.
30. The method of claim 25 , where the oil phase further comprises a silicone-based emollient comprising a cyclomethicone.
31. The method of claim 25 , where the protectant comprises glycerin.
32. The gel of claim 1 , comprising:
0.5 to 2% by weight of the water-soluble salt of pramoxine,
the pH modifier,
20 to 45% by weight of the protectant,
5 to 20% by weight of the water-in-oil emulsifier,
where the gel has a turbidity of less than 40 nephelometric turbidity units, and a pH from 5 to 5.3.