Pharmaceutical compositions comprising plant extracts and methods for reducing duration of a common cold using same

Abstract

The present disclosure describes pharmaceutical compositions and methods for reducing duration, intensity, and/or bothersomeness of common colds in humans and for reducing severity or duration of common cold symptoms such as nasal congestion, runny nose, watery eyes, dry/scratchy throat and sneezing in humans exhibiting such symptoms. The compositions herein comprise extracts of at least one of Luffa Operculata (L. operculata), S. officinale (V. sabadilla), and Galphimia Glauca (G. glauca) in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, and in various embodiments, comprise a mixture of all three Luffa Operculata (L. operculata) 10% extract MT, S. officinale (V. sabadilla) 3× extract, and Galphimia Glauca (G. glauca) 10% extract MT in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for reducing duration of common cold symptoms, said method comprising: nasally administering to a human exhibiting common cold symptoms a therapeutically effective amount of a composition comprising:
 (a) from about 0.001 wt. % to about 0.5 wt. % of an extract mixture of  L. operculata  10 wt. % extract (MT) and  S. officinale  3× extract;   (b) an effective amount of an inhalant; and   (c) from about 90 wt. % to about 99 wt. % water,   wherein each wt. % is based on the total weight of the composition, wherein the common cold symptoms are selected from the group consisting of: nasal congestion, runny nose, watery eyes, dry/scratchy throat and/or sneezing.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said composition further comprises from about 0.001 wt. % to about 10 wt. % of a thickener selected from the group consisting of carboxymethyl cellulose, carboxyethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydrophobically modified hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, methyl cellulose, ethyl cellulose, microcrystalline cellulose, nitrocellulose, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyvinylmethacrylate, polyacrylates, acrylic acid/vinyl pyrrolidone cross-polymer, carboxyvinyl polymers, polyvinylacetate, polyvinyl co-polymers, polyurethanes, starch, modified starch, dextrin, xanthan gum, agar, alginic acid, alginate, pectin, gelatin, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said composition further comprises from about 0.01 wt. % to about 10 wt. % of an organic acid, and from about 0.01 wt. % to about 10 wt. % of an alkaline material. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein said organic acid is selected from the group consisting of formic acid, carbonic acid, acetic acid, lactic acid, oxalic acid, propionic acid, valeric acid, enanthic acid, pelargonic acid, butyric acid, lauric acid, docosahexaenoic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, pyruvic acid, acetoacetic acid, benzoic acid, salicylic acid, aldaric acid, fumaric acid, glutaconic acid, traumatic acid, muconic acid, malonic acid, malic acid, succinic acid, glutaric acid, adipic acid, pimelic acid, suberic acid, azelaic acid, abietic acid, pimaric acid, sebacic acid, phthalic acid, isophthalic acid, terephthalic acid, maleic acid, citric acid, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein said alkaline material is chosen from the group consisting of NaOH, KOH, NH 3 , sodium acetate, sodium succinate, disodium succinate, monosodium citrate, disodium citrate, trisodium citrate, NaH 2 PO 4 , Na 2 HPO 4 , Na 3 PO 4 , KH 2 PO 4 , K 2 HPO 4 , K 3 PO 4 , NaHSO 4 , Na 2 SO 4 , KHSO 4 , K 2 SO 4 , NaHCO 3 , Na 2 CO 3 , KHCO 3 , K 2 CO 3 , NaH 3 P 2 O 7 , Na 2 H 2 P 2 O 7 , Na 3 HP 2 O 7 , Na 4 P 2 O 7 , KH 3 P 2 O 7 , K 2 H 2 P 2 O 7 , K 31 HP 2 O 7 , K 4 P 2 O 7 , and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said inhalant is present at from about 0.001 wt. % to about 1 wt. % in the composition and is selected from the group consisting of anethole, menthol, eucalyptol, borneol, borneol acetate, camphor, 1,8-cineole, cinnamaldehyde, benzaldehyde, citral, thujone, eugenol, limonene, geraniol, citronellol, citronellal, pinene, linalool, thymol, carvone, caryphyllene, linalyl acetate, methyl salicylate, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein said inhalant is selected from the group consisting of eucalyptol, eugenol, menthol, camphor, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said composition further comprises from about 0.01 wt. % to about 10 wt. % of an α-amino acid. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein said α-amino acid is chosen from the group consisting alanine, arginine, asparagine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamic acid, glutamine, glycine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, L-lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, proline, serine, threonine, tryptophan, tyrosine, valine, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein said α-amino acid is selected from the group consisting of glycine, L-lysine, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said composition further comprises from about 0.001 wt. % to about 10 wt. % of a surfactant. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein said surfactant is selected from the group consisting of polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters, polyoxyethylene sorbitol esters, polyoxyethylene esters, polyoxyethylene alcohols, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said composition further comprises at least one drug active. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein said drug active is selected from the group consisting of zanamivir, oseltamivir, abacavir, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said composition further comprises 2-phenylethanol at a level of about 0.001 wt. % to about 1 wt. %, based on the total weight of the composition. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said composition further comprises from about 0.01 wt. % to about 1 wt. % of a salt selected from the group consisting of sodium chloride, potassium chloride, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said therapeutically effective amount comprises from about 50 μL to about 250 μL of said composition. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein said therapeutically effective amount comprises from about 50 μL to about 250 μL of said composition administered twice in each nostril of the human exhibiting common cold symptoms thereof, 5 times daily, approximately every 3 hours during waking hours, for 6 days.