Pharmaceutical Compositions

1 . A composition comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable metal compound for treatment of a dermatological condition involving an abnormal decrease in the cell-to-cell adhesion between epithelial cells in the epidermal barrier, wherein the metal is a group 12 metal.

2 . (canceled)

3 . A composition according to claim 1 , further comprising a fatty acid, or fatty acid salt or fatty acid derivative having a fatty acid residue, for treatment of a dermatological condition involving damage to or degradation of the skin or epidermal barrier.

4 . A composition as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the dermatological condition involves an abnormal decrease in the cell-to-cell adhesion between epithelial cells in the epidermal barrier.

5 . A composition as claimed in any of claims 1 , 3 or 4 , wherein the metal compound is a particulate solid.

6 . A composition as claimed in claim 5 , wherein at least about 60 % of the particles of the compound are less than about 5 μm in size.

7 . A composition as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the average size of the particles of the compound is less than about 5 μm.

8 . A composition as claimed in any of claims 1 , 3 or 4 , wherein the metal is zinc.

9 . A composition as claimed in any of claims 1 , 3 or 4 , wherein the metal compound is an inorganic salt or an oxide.

10 . A composition as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the compound is zinc oxide.

11 . A composition as claimed in any of claims 3 - 4 , wherein the number of carbon atoms in the fatty acid or fatty acid residue in the fatty acid salt or derivative is selected from the group consisting of 4 to 24, 10 to 20, 14 to 20 and 16 to 18 carbon atoms.

12 . A composition as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the fatty acid or fatty acid residue is saturated.

13 . A composition as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the fatty acid or fatty acid residue is stearic acid or a stearic acid residue, or palmitic acid or a palmitic acid residue.

14 . A composition as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the fatty acid salt is a metal stearate or a metal palmitate.

15 . A composition as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the fatty acid salt is zinc stearate or zinc palmitate.

16 . A composition comprising zinc and a fatty acid, or a fatty acid residue in a fatty acid salt or derivative, for use in therapeutic treatment.

17 . A composition as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the composition is effective for treating a dermatological condition involving damage to or degradation of the epidermal barrier.

18 . A composition as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the dermatological condition involves an abnormal decrease in the cell-to-cell adhesion between epithelial cells in the epidermal barrier.

19 . A composition as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the zinc is in the form of a salt or oxide.

20 . (canceled)

21 . A composition as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the zinc is in the form of a salt or oxide and is a particulate solid.

22 . A composition as claimed in claim 21 , wherein at least about 60% of particles of the particulate solid are less than 5 μm in size, or wherein the average size of the particles of the particulate solid is less than about 5 μm.

23 . A composition as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the fatty acid, or fatty acid residue in the fatty acid salt or derivative, contains 4 to 24 carbon atoms.

24 . A composition as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the fatty acid or fatty acid residue is saturated.

25 . A composition as claimed in claim 24 , wherein the fatty acid or fatty acid residue is stearic acid or a stearic acid residue, or palmitic acid or a palmitic acid residue.

26 . A composition as claimed in claim 25 , wherein the fatty acid salt is a metal stearate or metal palmitate.

27 . A composition as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the zinc and fatty acid residue form a zinc fatty acid salt.

28 . A composition as claimed in claim 27 , wherein the zinc fatty acid salt is zinc stearate or zinc palmitate.

29 . A composition comprising a zinc compound for use in therapeutic treatment, wherein the zinc compound is a microfine particulate solid.

30 . A composition as claimed in claim 29 , wherein the composition is effective for treating a dermatological condition involving damage to or degradation of the epidermal barrier.

31 . A composition as claimed in claim 30 , wherein the dermatological condition involves an abnormal decrease in the cell-to-cell adhesion between epithelial cells in the epidermal barrier.

32 . A composition as claimed in claim 29 , wherein at least about 60% of the particles of the compound are less than about 5 μm in size, or wherein the average size of the particles in the compound is less than about 5 μm.

33 . A composition as claimed in claim 29 , wherein the zinc compound is a zinc salt or zinc oxide.

34 . A composition as claimed in claim 29 , further comprising a fatty acid, or a fatty acid residue in a fatty acid salt or derivative.

35 . (canceled)

36 . A composition as claimed in claim 34 , wherein the number of carbon atoms in the fatty acid residue is selected from the group consisting of 4 to 24, 10 to 20, 14 to 20, and 16 to 18 carbon atoms.

37 . A composition as claimed in claim 36 , wherein the fatty acid residue is saturated.

38 . A composition as claimed in claim 37 , wherein the fatty acid residue is a stearic acid residue, or a palmitic acid residue.

39 . A composition as claimed in any of claims 1 , 3 , 16 , or 29 , further comprising an ingredient that assists in the repair of the lipid lamellae.

40 . A composition as claimed in claim 39 further comprising a ceramide, sodium pyrrolidone carboxylic acid, urea, urocoic acid or lactic acid.

41 . (canceled)

42 . A composition as claimed in any of claims 1 , 3 , 16 or 29 , wherein such composition is effective for the treatment of atopic eczema, non-atopic eczema, seborrhoeic eczema, irritant contact dermatitis, allergic contact dermatitis or pruritus.

43 . A composition as claimed in any of claims 1 , 3 , 16 , or 29 , wherein the concentration of the zinc, zinc compound or group 12 metal compound is selected from the group consisting of 0.5 to 75%, 1 to 50%, 4 to 30%, and 5 to 25% by weight of the composition.

44 . A composition as claimed in any of claims 3 , 16 or 29 , wherein the concentration of the fatty acid residue, fatty acid, fatty acid salt or fatty acid derivative is selected from the group consisting of 1 to 50, 2 to 30, 5 to 20, or 8 to 16 mg/ml of the composition.

45 . A composition as claimed in any of claims 1 , 3 , 16 , or 29 , formulated for topical application to the skin.

46 . A composition as claimed in any of claims 1 , 3 , 16 , or 29 , further comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient, carrier, diluent or vehicle.

47 . A composition as claimed in any of claims 1 , 3 , 16 , or 29 , wherein such composition is effective for slowing, reducing or prophylaxis of atopic march, and/or for reducing TH1 to TH2 switching.

48 . A composition as claimed in claim 47 , for use in controlling development of, reducing risk of development of, or for prophylaxis of asthma and/or allergic rhinitis in a patient suffering from a dermatological condition.

49 . A composition as claimed in any of claims 1 , 3 , 16 , or 29 , wherein the treatment involves topical application of the composition to skin.

50 . A composition as claimed in any of claims 1 , 3 , 16 , or 29 , wherein the treatment is prophylactic.

51 . A method of treating a dermatological condition involving damage to or degradation of the epidermal or skin barrier, comprising administering a composition as claimed in any one of claims 1 , 3 , 16 , or 29 to a patient suffering from such a dermatological condition.

52 . A method as claimed in claim 51 , wherein the dermatological condition involves an abnormal decrease in the cell-to-cell adhesion between epithelial cells.

53 . A method as claimed in claim 52 , wherein the epithelial cells are corneocytes.

54 . A method of for slowing, reducing or prophylaxis of atopic march, and/or for reducing TH1 to TH2 switching, comprising administering a composition as claimed in any one of claims 1 , 3 , 16 , or 29 to a patient suffering from a dermatological condition.

55 . A method for use in controlling development of, reducing risk of development of, or for prophylaxis of asthma and/or allergic rhinitis, comprising administering a composition as claimed in any one of claims 1 , 3 , 16 , or 29 to a patient suffering from a dermatological condition.

56 . A method for treating a dermatological condition according to claim 51 , wherein said dermatological condition is selected from the group consisting of atopic eczema, non-atopic eczema, seborrhoeic eczema, irritant contact dermatitis, allergic contact dermatitis or pruritus.

57 . A method as claimed in claim 51 , wherein the composition is applied topically to the skin.

58 . A method as claimed in claim 57 , wherein the composition is administered once or twice a day.

59 . A method as claimed in claim 51 , wherein the treating is prophylactic.