Personal lubricants comprising lambda-carrageenan

Abstract

The present invention includes pourable, non-toxic lubricating compositions containing carrageenan and more precisely λ carrageenan as an anti-viral agent, for protection from Human Papillomavirus (HPV), and methods of using the lubricating compositions as a non-oily, psuedoplastic lubrication product and administering the carrageenan for reducing the propagation of HPV during sexual activity.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A pourable antiviral lubricous composition, consisting essentially of:
 (a) about 1.5% to about 1.7% by weight of carrageenan, the carrageenan comprising about 90% by weight lambda-carrageenan and about 10% by weight kappa-carrageenan;   (b) about 4.0% to about 4.5% by weight of propylene glycol;   (c) about 0.01% to about 1% by weight of one or more pH-adjusting agents; and   (d) optionally up to about 0.5% by weight of one of more sweeteners and up to about 1% by weight of one or more preservatives;   wherein:
 (i) the antiviral lubricous composition has a viscosity of about 2,000 cP to about 3,000 cP; 
 (ii) the antiviral lubricous composition is an aqueous homogeneous solution having a turbidity that is less than or equal to about 25 Nephelometric Turbidity Units (NTU); and 
 (iii) the pH of the antiviral lubricous composition is about 3.5 to about 7.0. 
   
     
     
         2 . The antiviral lubricous composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the antiviral lubricous composition has an osmolality of about 650 mOsmol/kg to about 850 mOsmol/kg. 
     
     
         3 . The antiviral lubricous composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the pH of the antiviral lubricous composition is about 3.5 to about 5.5. 
     
     
         4 . The antiviral lubricous composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the pH of the antiviral lubricous composition is about 5.5 to about 7.0. 
     
     
         5 . The antiviral lubricous composition according to  claim 4 , wherein the antiviral lubricous composition has an osmolality of about 650 mOsmol/kg to about 850 mOsmol/kg. 
     
     
         6 . The antiviral lubricous composition according to  claim 5 , wherein the antiviral lubricous composition further consists essentially of, by weight, up to about 0.5% one or more sweeteners and up to about 1% one or more preservatives. 
     
     
         7 . A lubricated substrate comprising at least one skin-contacting surface lubricated with the pourable antiviral lubricious composition of  claim 1 , useful for transferring an antiviral lubricous composition from the skin-contacting surface to a person's skin or epithelial tissue. 
     
     
         8 . The lubricated substrate according to  claim 7 , wherein the antiviral lubricous composition has an osmolality of about 650 mOsmol/kg to about 850 mOsmol/kg. 
     
     
         9 . The lubricated substrate according to  claim 7 , wherein the pH of the antiviral lubricous composition is about 3.5 to about 5.5. 
     
     
         10 . The lubricated substrate according to  claim 7 , wherein the pH of the antiviral lubricous composition is about 5.5 to about 7.0. 
     
     
         11 . The lubricated substrate according to  claim 10 , wherein the antiviral lubricous composition has an osmolality of about 650 mOsmol/kg to about 850 mOsmol/kg. 
     
     
         12 . The lubricated substrate according to  claim 11 , wherein the lubricated substrate is a condom. 
     
     
         13 . The lubricated substrate according to  claim 7 , wherein the lubricated substrate is a condom. 
     
     
         14 . The lubricated substrate according to  claim 11 , wherein the lubricated substrate is a sexual accessory device selected from the group consisting of a sex toy, a dildo, a vibrator, a ring, and beads. 
     
     
         15 . The lubricated substrate according to  claim 7 , wherein the lubricated substrate is a sexual accessory device selected from the group consisting of a sex toy, a dildo, a vibrator, a ring, and beads. 
     
     
         16 . The lubricated substrate according to  claim 11 , wherein the lubricated substrate is an internal applicator having a skin-contacting surface that is configured to contact epithelial tissue within a person's body cavity, the internal applicator selected from the group consisting of a swab, an elongate stick or rod, a wearable insert, an injector, a syringe, a cannula, and a pipette. 
     
     
         17 . The lubricated substrate according to  claim 16 , wherein the internal applicator is a swab. 
     
     
         18 . The lubricated substrate according to  claim 7 , wherein the lubricated substrate is an internal applicator having a skin-contacting surface that is configured to contact epithelial tissue within a person's body cavity, the internal applicator selected from the group consisting of a swab, an elongate stick or rod, a wearable insert, an injector, a syringe, a cannula, and a pipette. 
     
     
         19 . The lubricated substrate according to  claim 18 , wherein the internal applicator is a swab. 
     
     
         20 . A pourable antiviral lubricous composition, comprising:
 (a) about 1.5% to about 1.7% by weight of carrageenan, the carrageenan comprising about 90% by weight lambda-carrageenan and about 10% by weight kappa-carrageenan;   (b) about 4.0% to about 4.5% by weight of propylene glycol;   (c) about 0.01% to about 1% by weight of one or more pH-adjusting agents; and   (d) optionally up to about 0.5% by weight of one of more sweeteners and up to about 1% by weight of one or more preservatives;   wherein:
 (i) the antiviral lubricous composition has a viscosity of about 2,000 cP to about 3,000 cP; 
   (ii) the antiviral lubricous composition is an aqueous homogeneous solution having a turbidity that is less than or equal to about 25 Nephelometric Turbidity Units (NTU); and   (iii) the pH of the antiviral lubricous composition is about 3.5 to about 7.0.