THERAPEUTIC OIL COMPOSITION CONTAINING CARVONE
A therapeutic composition having at least one botanical active ingredient, carvone, derived from plants such as mint Mentha sp., caraway Carum carvi or dill Anethum graveolens . Carvone is capable of anesthetizing teleost, elasmobranch, and agnathan fishes as well as amphibians by contact with skin and/or gills. Carvone has two natural enantiomers; both have anesthetic properties on these fishes and amphibians. Carvone in combinations with other sodium channel blockers such as methyl salicylate have a synergistic effect and are more efficient at anesthetizing teleosts, elasmobranchs and agnathan fishes than carvone alone. This invention has value because it offers an opportunity to forumulate fish anesthetizing drugs with a compound that is also documented to be safe for human consumption.
1 . A method for therapeutically treating a fish, shellfish, or amphibian comprising the steps of:
providing an aqueous solution comprising carvone; and
immersing a fish, shellfish or amphibian into the solution.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the aqueous solution further comprises a sodium channel blocker.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the sodium channel blocker is one selected from the group consisting of methyl salicylate, wintergreen, peppermint oil, menthol, the immediate precursors of menthol and the immediate metabolites of menthol.
4 . The method of claim 1 further comprising an emulsifier.
5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the emulsifier is one selected from the group consisting of polysorbate 80, glycerin, and alcohol.
6 . A composition for therapeutically treating a fish, shellfish or amphibian comprising:
carvone; and
water.
7 . The composition of claim 6 further comprising a sodium channel blocker.
8 . The composition of claim 7 , wherein the sodium channel blocker is one selected from the group consisting of methyl salicylate, wintergreen, peppermint oil, menthol, the immediate precursors of menthol and the immediate metabolites of menthol.
9 . The composition of claim 6 further comprising an emulsifier.
10 . The composition of claim 9 , wherein the emulsifier is polysorbate 80.
11 . The composition of claim 9 , wherein the emulsifier is glycerin.
12 . The composition of claim 9 , wherein the emulsifier is alcohol.
13 . The composition of claim 6 wherein the concentration of carvone in water is between 400 mg/L and 600 mg/L.
14 . The composition of claim 8 wherein the concentration of carvone in water is between 75 mg/L and 225 mg/L and the concentration of methyl salicylate in water is between 11 mg/L and 32 mg/L.
15 . The composition of claim 8 wherein the concentration of carvone in water is 750 mg/L and the concentration of methyl salicylate in water is 106 mg/L.
16 . A composition for therapeutically treating a fish, shellfish or amphibian comprising:
spearmint; and
water.
17 . The composition of claim 16 further comprising wintergreen.
18 . The composition of claim 17 further comprising vegetable glycerin.
19 . The composition of claim 18 further comprising polysorbate 80.
20 . The composition of claim 19 that is 22.8% spearmint, 3.2% wintergreen, 25% vegetable glycerin, 5% polysorbate 80, and 44% water.