Topical antimicrobial pharmaceutical compositions

Claim 2

A topical antimicrobial pharmaceutical composition according to claim 1 comprising: (a) an ethoxylated or propoxylated glyceryl fatty acid ester; (b) a fatty acid mixture comprising (i) a first fatty acid antimicrobial agent which is a C₆-C₁₈ fatty acid; and (ii) a second fatty acid antimicrobial agent which is a C₆-C₁₈ fatty acid wherein the second fatty acid is not the same as the first fatty acid; and (c) a pharmaceutically-acceptable carrier.

Claim 3

A topical antimicrobial pharmaceutical composition according to claim 2 wherein the ratio by weight of the ester to the first and second fatty acids combined is 1:10 to 10:1.

Claim 4

A topical antimicrobial pharmaceutical composition according to claim 2 or 3 wherein the first fatty acid and/or the second fatty acid is a straight chain fatty acid having from six to twelve carbon atoms.

Claim 5

A topical antimicrobial pharmaceutical composition according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the glyceryl ester comprises at least 1 mole of ethoxy or propoxy moiety per 4 moles of glyceryl ester.

Claim 6

A topical antimicrobial pharmaceutical composition according to claim 5 wherein 0.5 to 5 moles of ethoxy or propoxy moiety are present per mole of glyceryl ester.

Claim 7

A topical antimicrobial pharmaceutical composition according to any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the glyceryl fatty acid ester is a monoester.

Claim 8

A topical antimicrobial pharmaceutical composition according to claim 7 wherein the monoester contains 6 to 21 carbon atoms.

Claim 9

A topical antimicrobial pharmaceutical composition according to claim 8 wherein the monoester is monocaprylin, monocaprin, monolaurin, monomyristin, monopalmitolein, monolein, monoicosenoin, monoerucin or a mixture thereof.

Claim 10

A topical antimicrobial pharmaceutical composition according to any one of claims 7 to 9 wherein the monoester is present in an amount of 0.025 to 20.0% by weight of the composition.

Claim 11

A topical antimicrobial pharmaceutical composition according to any one of claims 1 to 10 in which the carrier comprises an alcohol, chelating agent, surfactant, paraben, water, or a mixture thereof.

Claim 12

A topical antimicrobial pharmaceutical composition according to claim 11 wherein the pharmaceutical carrier comprises an alcohol which is propylene glycol, phenoxyethanol, methanol, ethanol, isopropyl alcohol, or a mixture thereof; a chelating agent which is EDTA, Na₂(EDTA), Na₄(EDTA), TEA, lactic acid, citric acid or a mixture thereof; a surfactant which is a sarcosinate, an amine oxide, pluronic 68, sodium lauryl sulfate or a mixture thereof; or a paraben which is methyl paraben, propyl paraben or a mixture thereof.

Claim 13

A topical antimicrobial pharamaceutical composition according to claim 11 or 12 which comprises 5 percent to 60 percent by volume of the alcohol; 0.25 percent to 10 percent by weight of the surfactant; 0.05 percent to 5 percent by weight of the paraben; 0.05 percent to 4 percent by weight of the chelating agent.

Claim 14

A composition according to any one of claims 1 to 13 for use as a topical antimicrobial agent.

Claim 15

Use of a composition according to any one of claims 1 to 14 in the preparation of a topical antimicrobial medicament.