Healing topical composition

Abstract

There are provided, inter alia, novel stabilized compositions for treating skin conditions wherein a therapeutically effective dosage of sulfur compound is applied which results in healing. The utilized dosage of sulfur compound results in a quicker breakdown of the virus capsid structure, resulting e.g., in faster healing. The dosing regimen to maintain the concentrations of the sulfur containing amino acid at the affected site also helps achieve quicker healing. The formulations and the methods are applicable to a variety of skin conditions including cold sores, herpes, genital herpes and shingles.

1 - 40 . (canceled) 
     
     
         41 . A method of treating post-herpetic neuralgia in a subject in need thereof, the method comprising topically administering to the subject an effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition comprising:
 (i) glycerol;   (ii) about 0.5 w/w % to about 20 w/w % of N-acetylcysteine; and   (iii) about 0.01 w/w % to about 5.0 w/w % of ascorbic acid.   
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the composition further comprises benzalkonium chloride. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the composition comprises:
 (i) glycerol;   (ii) about 1.0 w/w % to about 10.0 w/w % of N-acetylcysteine;   (iii) about 0.1 w/w % to about 1.0 w/w % of ascorbic acid; and   (iv) about 0.10 w/w % to about 0.15 wt/w% of benzalkonium chloride.   
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the composition comprises:
 (i) glycerol;   (ii) about 3 w/w % of N-acetylcysteine;   (iii) about 0.5 w/w % of ascorbic acid; and   (iv) about 0.13 w/w % benzalkonium chloride.   
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the composition further comprises sodium hydroxide. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the composition further comprises a topical analgesic agent. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the composition comprises less than 10 w/w % of water. 
     
     
         48 . A method of treating post-herpetic neuralgia in a subject in need thereof, the method comprising topically administering to the subject an effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition comprising:
 (i) a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier selected from the group consisting of glycerol, sorbitol, mannitol, erythritol, xylitol, glyceryl triacetate, propylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, and a combination of two or more thereof;   (ii) from about 0.5% w/w to about 20% w/w of N-acetylcysteine, N-acetylhomocysteine, N,N′-diacetylcysteine, an N-acetylcysteine salt, an N-acetylcysteine ester, an N-acetylcysteine amide, or an N-acetylcysteine metal thiol chelate; and   (iii) an antioxidant selected from the group consisting of caffeic acid, glutamic acid, succinic acid, maleic acid, lactic acid, lipoic acid, ascorbic acid, ascorbyl-2-glucoside, ascorbic acid 2-phosphate, ascorbic acid 2-sulfate, ascorbyl-6-octanoate, ascorbyl laurate, ascorbyl myristate, ascorbyl-6-palmitate, ascorbyl-6-stearate, ascorbyl-2,6-dipalmitate, kojic acid, ferulic acid, alpha-tocopherol, and a combination of two or more thereof.   
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein the composition further comprises benzalkonium chloride. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein the composition further comprises sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein the composition further comprises a topical analgesic agent. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein the composition comprises from about 0.01 w/w % to about 5.0 w/w % of the antioxidant. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein the non-aqueous pharmaceutically acceptable carrier comprises glycerol. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein the non-aqueous pharmaceutically acceptable carrier comprises glycerol and sorbitol. 
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein the antioxidant is ascorbic acid. 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein the composition is a liquid composition or a semi-solid composition. 
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein the composition further comprises a reducing agent, a gelling agent, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein the antioxidant is selected from the group consisting of ascorbic acid, ascorbyl-2-glucoside, ascorbic acid 2-phosphate, ascorbic acid 2-sulfate, ascorbyl-6-octanoate, ascorbyl laurate, ascorbyl myristate, ascorbyl-6-palmitate, ascorbyl-6-stearate, ascorbyl-2,6-dipalmitate, a mixture of ascorbic acid and kojic acid, a mixture of ascorbic acid and ferulic acid, a mixture of ascorbic acid and alpha-tocopherol, and a combination of two or more thereof. 
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein the antioxidant is selected from the group consisting of caffeic acid, glutamic acid, succinic acid, maleic acid, lactic acid, ascorbic acid, and a combination of two or more thereof. 
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein the composition further comprises a reducing agent selected from the group consisting of aminoethanesulfinic acid, ammonium sulfate, ammonium thiolactate, ammonium thioglycolate, calcium thioglycolate, cysteine, a cysteine salt, dithioglycolate, magnesium thioglycolate, potassium thioglycolate, sodium thioglycolate, strontium thioglycolate, ethanolamine dithioglycolate, ethanolamine thioglycolate, glyceryl thiopropionate, hydroquinone, lysine HCl, mercaptopropionic acid, thioglycerin, thioglycolic acid, histidine HCl, cysteamine, dihydroxy acetone, stannous chloride, thiomorpholinone, and a combination of two or more thereof. 
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein the composition further comprises a gelling agent selected from the group consisting of a cross-linked homopolymer of acrylic acid, a C 10-30  alkyl acrylate crosspolymer with hydrophobically modified crosslinked polyacrylate polymer, or a combination of thereof. 
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein the composition comprises less than 10 w/w % of water. 
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein the composition comprises less than 5 w/w % of water. 
     
     
         64 . A method of treating post-herpetic neuralgia in a subject in need thereof, the method comprising topically administering to the subject an effective amount of an anhydrous pharmaceutical composition comprising:
 (i) N-acetylcysteine, N-acetylhomocysteine, N,N′-diacetylcysteine, an N-acetylcysteine salt, an N-acetylcysteine ester, an N-acetylcysteine amide, or an N-acetylcysteine metal thiol chelate; and   (ii) a non-aqueous liquid carrier selected from the group consisting of glycerol, sorbitol, mannitol, erythritol, xylitol, glyceryl triacetate, propylene glycol, a polyethylene glycol, and a combination of two or more thereof.