Patent Application
20130172969
The invention is related to methods and articles for ameliorating or treating a tumor condition.
Cancer or tumor is a major health concern of modern human life. Tumor can be caused by an abnormal proliferation of tissues (neoplasm), which can be caused by genetic mutations, although all types of neoplasms cause a tumorous overgrowth of tissue (such as leukemia or carcinoma in situ). Tumors can be malignant (cancer) or benign. According to traditional Chinese medicine, tumor is caused by blocking of Qi flow in the human body system.
According to traditional Chinese medicine, blocking of the free flow of human biological system happens in certain places (points) in the human body and cause diseases to occur. A particular disorder corresponds to blocking of a particular point or set of points in the biological system. Stimulating one of these points can free up the flow of biological system of human being so as to treat or ameliorate a disease arising out of blocking of such point or set of points. According to this school of medicine, a method of therapeutics—acupuncture—was developed and practiced in China for thousands of years. The oldest medical book known, written in China 4000 years ago, describes the use of acupuncture to treat medical problems. The use of the treatment spread to other Asian countries and to other regions of the world, including to Europe by the 1700s. In the United States, acupuncture has been used for about 200 years.
Research on acupuncture began in the United States in 1976. Twenty years later, according to National Cancer Institute, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the acupuncture needle as a medical device. Many illnesses are treated with acupuncture, but it is used mainly to control pain, including pain in cancer patients and to help control nausea and vomiting. Its primary use in cancer patients has been as an addition to conventional (standard) therapy.
The FDA approved acupuncture needles for use by licensed practitioners in 1996. The FDA requires that sterile, nontoxic needles be used and that they be labeled for single use by qualified practitioners only.
More than 40 states and the District of Columbia have laws regulating acupuncture practice. The National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine certifies practitioners of acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Most states require this certification.
A common side effect of acupuncture is concern of infection caused by cross-contamination of acupuncture needles that may include viral or bacterial pathogens. Other concerns may arise out of patient's negative reactions against piercing of acupuncture needles or misapplication of such needles by a practitioner. Further, access to acupuncture by a practitioner is limited so as to limit the effect of acupuncture.
Therefore, there is a need for a different way of acupuncture treating or management paradigm for tumor.
The embodiments described below address the above identified needs and issues.
In one aspect of the present invention, it is provided a composition for tumor, the composition comprises a heat generation component, the composition is formulated in a formulation for selective application to a set of acupoints or one or more acupoint(s) for tumor (“acupoint(s) for tumor”) in a patient, and the composition generates heat upon application to the acupoint(s) for tumor for a sufficient period of time to generate an effect to ameliorate or treat tumor.
In some embodiments of the composition, the set of acupoints comprises the tumor site, baihui, quchi, qimen, shangwan, zhongwan, shenque, zusanli, taixi, laogong, yemen, feishu, ganshu, danshu, yishu, and shenshu acupoints of a tumor patient.
In some embodiments of the composition, optionally in combination with any or all of the above various embodiments, the composition is capable of generating heat for at least 1 hour (e.g., 1 hour, 2 hours, 4 hours, 8 hours, or 10 hours) after application to the set of acupoints or one or more acupoint(s) for tumor.
In some embodiments of the composition, optionally in combination with any or all of the above various embodiments, the heat generation component comprises a rare earth component.
In some embodiments of the composition, optionally in combination with any or all of the above various embodiments, the heat generation component comprises a rare earth magnetic powder, saussurea in volucrata, musk, sea otter, chuanwu, caowu, lilac, menthol, meiyao, wujiapi, and maqianzhi.
In some embodiments of the composition, optionally in combination with any or all of the above various embodiments, the formulation is a patch comprising a cover. In some embodiments, the cover is a plastic, rubber, or paper cover.
In another aspect of the present invention, it is provided a method of fabricating a composition for tumor, comprising providing a heat generation component, and formulating the composition in a formulation for selective application to a set of acupoints or one or more acupoint(s) for tumor (“acupoint(s) for tumor”) in a patient. The composition generates heat upon application to the set of acupoints or one or more acupoint(s) for tumor for a sufficient period of time to generate an effect to ameliorate or treat tumor.
In some embodiments of the method, the set of acupoints comprises the tumor site, baihui, quchi, qimen, shangwan, zhongwan, shenque, zusanli, taixi, laogong, yemen, feishu, ganshu, danshu, yishu, and shenshu acupoints of a tumor patient.
In some embodiments of method, optionally in combination with any or all of the above various embodiments, the composition is capable of generating heat for at least 1 hour (e.g., 1 hour, 2 hours, 4 hours, 8 hours, or 10 hours) after application to the set of acupoints or one or more acupoint(s) for tumor.
In some embodiments of method, optionally in combination with any or all of the above various embodiments, the heat generation component comprises a rare earth component.
In some embodiments of method, optionally in combination with any or all of the above various embodiments, the heat generation component comprises a rare earth magnetic powder, saussurea in volucrata, musk, sea otter, chuanwu, caowu, lilac, menthol, meiyao, wujiapi, and maqianzhi.
In some embodiments of method, optionally in combination with any or all of the above various embodiments, the formulation is a patch comprising a cover. In some embodiments, the cover is a plastic, rubber, or paper cover.
In a further embodiment of the present invention, it is provided a method of ameliorating or treating a tumor condition, comprising applying a composition at least once per day to a set of acupoints or one or more acupoint(s) for tumor (“acupoint(s) for tumor”) in a tumor patient, which composition comprising a heat generation component, wherein the composition is formulated in a formulation for selective application to the set of acupoints or one or more acupoint(s) for tumor over the entire length of a prescribed treatment course, wherein the composition generates heat upon application to the set of acupoints or one or more acupoint(s) for tumor for a sufficient period of time to generate an effect to ameliorate tumor.
In some embodiments of the method, the set of acupoints comprises the tumor site, baihui, quchi, qimen, shangwan, zhongwan, shenque, zusanli, taixi, laogong, yemen, feishu, ganshu, danshu, yishu, and shenshu acupoints of a tumor patient.
In some embodiments of method, optionally in combination with any or all of the above various embodiments, the composition is capable of generating heat for at least 1 hour (e.g., 1 hour, 2 hours, 4 hours, 8 hours, or 10 hours) after application to the set of acupoints or one or more acupoint(s) for tumor.
In some embodiments of method, optionally in combination with any or all of the above various embodiments, the heat generation component comprises a rare earth component.
In some embodiments of method, optionally in combination with any or all of the above various embodiments, the heat generation component comprises a rare earth magnetic powder, saussurea in volucrata, musk, sea otter, chuanwu, caowu, lilac, menthol, meiyao, wujiapi, and maqianzhi.
In some embodiments of method, optionally in combination with any or all of the above various embodiments, the formulation is a patch comprising a cover. In some embodiments of method, the cover is a plastic, rubber, or paper cover.
In some embodiments of method, optionally in combination with any or all of the above various embodiments, the treatment course lasts for about 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, or 12 months.
In one aspect of the present invention, it is provided a composition for tumor, the composition comprises a heat generation component, the composition is formulated in a formulation for selective application to a set of acupoints or one or more acupoint(s) for tumor (“acupoint(s) for tumor”) in a patient, and the composition generates heat upon application to the acupoint(s) for tumor for a sufficient period of time to generate an effect to ameliorate or treat tumor. As used herein, the term tumor includes the disorder as diagnosed by general medical standards and symptoms of tumor.
the set of acupoints comprises the tumor site, baihui, quchi, qimen, shangwan, zhongwan, shenque, zusanli, taixi, laogong, yemen, feishu, ganshu, danshu, yishu, and shenshu acupoints of a tumor patient (
In some embodiments, optionally in combination with any or all of the above various embodiments, the composition is capable of generating heat for at least 10 minutes, e.g., 20 minutes, 30 minutes, 60 minutes (1 hour), 2 hours, 3 hours, 4 hours, 5 hours, 6 hours, 7 hours, 8 hours, 10 hours, 12 hours, or 24 hrs. In some embodiments, the composition is capable of generating heat for at least 2 hours after application to the acupoint(s) for tumor.
In some embodiments of the composition, optionally in combination with any or all of the above various embodiments, the heat generation component comprises a rare earth component. Such rare earth component can be a rare earth magnetic powder (e.g., samarium-cobalt magnetic material or neodymium based magnetic material) or a rare earth oxide, which can be any oxide of a rare earth element. Rare earth elements include lanthanide series elements and actinide series elements. Lanthanide series elements are Lanthanum, Cerium, Praseodymium, Neodymium, Promethium, Samarium, Europium, Gadolinium, Terbium, Dysprosium, Holmium, Erbium, Thulium, Ytterbium, and Lutetium; Actinide series elements are Actinium, Thorium, Protactinium, Uranium, Neptunium, Plutonium, Americium, Curium, Berkelium, Californium, Einsteinium, Fermium, Mendelevium, Nobelium, and Lawrencium.
In some embodiments of the composition, optionally in combination with any or all of the above various embodiments, the heat generation component comprises a rare earth magnetic powder, saussurea in volucrata, musk, sea otter, chuanwu, caowu, lilac, menthol, meiyao, wujiapi, and maqianzhi.
In some embodiments of the composition, optionally in combination with any or all of the above various embodiments, the formulation is a patch comprising a cover. In some embodiments, the cover can be e.g., a plastic, rubber, or paper cover.
In another aspect of the present invention, it is provided a method of fabricating: a composition for tumor, comprising providing a heat generation component, and formulating the composition in a formulation for selective application to a set of acupoints or one or more acupoint(s) for tumor (“acupoint(s) for tumor”) in a patient. The composition generates heat upon application to the set of acupoints or one or more acupoint(s) for tumor for a sufficient period of time to generate an effect to ameliorate or treat tumor.
In some embodiments of the composition, the set of acupoints comprises the tumor site, baihui, quchi, qimen, shangwan, zhongwan, shenque, zusanli, taixi, laogong, yemen, feishu, ganshu, danshu, yishu, and shenshu acupoints of a tumor patient.
In some embodiments of the method, optionally in combination with any or all of the above various embodiments, the composition is capable of generating heat for at least 10 minutes, e.g., 20 minutes, 30 minutes, 60 minutes (1 hour), 2 hours, 3 hours, 4 hours, 5 hours, 6 hours, 7 hours, 8 hours, 10 hours, 12 hours, 14 hours, or 24 hours. In some embodiments, the composition is capable of generating heat for at least 2 hours after application to the acupoint(s) for tumor.
In some embodiments of the method, optionally in combination with any or all of the above various embodiments, the heat generation component comprises a rare earth component. Such rare earth component can be a rare earth magnetic powder (e.g., samarium-cobalt magnetic material or neodymium based magnetic material) or a rare earth oxide, which can be any oxide of a rare earth element. Rare earth elements include lanthanide series elements and actinide series elements. Lanthanide series elements are Lanthanum, Cerium, Praseodymium, Neodymium, Promethium, Samarium, Europium, Gadolinium, Terbium, Dysprosium, Holmium, Erbium, Thulium, Ytterbium, and Lutetium; Actinide series elements are Actinium, Thorium, Protactinium, Uranium, Neptunium, Plutonium, Americium, Curium, Berkelium, Californium, Einsteinium, Fermium, Mendelevium, Nobelium, and Lawrencium.
In some embodiments of the method, optionally in combination with any or all of the above various embodiments, the formulation is a patch comprising a cover. In some embodiments, the cover can be e.g., a plastic, rubber, or paper cover.
In a further embodiment of the present invention, it is provided a method of ameliorating or treating a tumor condition, comprising applying a composition at least once per day to a set of acupoints or one or more acupoint(s) for tumor (“acupoint(s) for tumor”) in a tumor patient, which composition comprising a heat generation component, wherein the composition is formulated in a formulation for selective application to the set of acupoints or one or more acupoint(s) for tumor over the entire length of a prescribed treatment course, wherein the composition generates heat upon application to the set of acupoints or one or more acupoint(s) for tumor for a sufficient period of time to generate an effect to ameliorate tumor.
In some embodiments of the method, the composition is capable of generating heat for at least 10 minutes, e.g., 20 minutes, 30 minutes, 60 minutes (1 hour), 2 hours, 3 hours, 4 hours, 5 hours, 6 hours, 7 hours, 8 hours, 10 hours, 12 hours, 15 hours or a day. In some embodiments, the composition is capable of generating heat for at least 2 hours after application to the acupoint(s) for tumor. In some embodiments, the composition is capable of generating heat for at least 2 hours after application to the acupoint(s) for tumor.
In some embodiments of the method, optionally in combination with any or all of the above various embodiments, the heat generation component comprises a rare earth component. Such rare earth component can be a rare earth magnetic powder (e.g., samarium-cobalt magnetic material or neodymium based magnetic material) or a rare earth oxide, which can be any oxide of a rare earth element. Rare earth elements include lanthanide series elements and actinide series elements. Lanthanide series elements are Lanthanum, Cerium, Praseodymium, Neodymium, Promethium, Samarium, Europium, Gadolinium, Terbium, Dysprosium, Holmium, Erbium, Thulium, Ytterbium, and Lutetium; Actinide series elements are Actinium, Thorium, Protactinium, Uranium, Neptunium, Plutonium, Americium, Curium, Berkelium, Californium, Einsteinium, Fermium, Mendelevium, Nobelium, and Lawrencium.
In some embodiments of the method, optionally in combination with any or all of the above various embodiments, the heat generation component comprises a rare earth magnetic powder, saussurea in volucrata, musk, sea otter, chuanwu, caowu, lilac, menthol, meiyao, wujiapi, and maqianzhi.
In some embodiments of method, optionally in combination with any or all of the above various embodiments, the formulation is a patch comprising a cover. In some embodiments of method, the cover is a plastic, rubber, or paper cover.
In some embodiments of method, optionally in combination with any or all of the above various embodiments, the treatment course lasts for about 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, or 12 months.
As used herein, the term “heat generation component” can be any component capable generating heat upon exposure to moisture or air that provides a local temperature above body temperature (e.g., 37° C.) to about 50° C. Local temperature refers to the temperature of the skin area in contact with a composition disclosed herein. Such heat generation can last at least about 10 minutes, e.g., e.g., 20 minutes, 30 minutes, 60 minutes (1 hour), 2 hours, 3 hours, 4 hours, 5 hours, 6 hours, 7 hours, 8 hours, 10 hours, 12 hours, 14 hours, or 24 hours. An example of the heat generating component is a chemical composition commonly in baby products or winter comfort products. For example, in some embodiments, the heat generation component can comprise iron powder, activated carbon, vermiculitm, and inorganic salt. In another embodiment, the heat generation component can comprise the heat generation component comprises a rare earth component. Such rare earth component can be a rare earth magnetic powder (e.g., samarium-cobalt magnetic material or neodymium based magnetic material) or a rare earth oxide, which can be any oxide of a rare earth element. Rare earth elements include lanthanide series elements and actinide series elements. Lanthanide series elements are Lanthanum, Cerium, Praseodymium, Neodymium, Promethium, Samarium, Europium, Gadolinium, Terbium, Dysprosium, Holmium, Erbium, Thulium, Ytterbium, and Lutetium; Actinide series elements are Actinium, Thorium, Protactinium, Uranium, Neptunium, Plutonium, Americium, Curium, Berkelium, Californium, Einsteinium, Fermium, Mendelevium, Nobelium, and Lawrencium.
As used herein, the term “a set of acupoints or one or more acupoint(s) for tumor” shall mean any set of acupoints or one or more acupoint(s) identified as acupuncture target for ameliorating or treating a tumor condition. In some embodiments, the set of acupoints or one or more acupoint(s) shall include the set of acupoints comprises the tumor site, baihui, quchi, qimen, shangwan, zhongwan, shenque, zusanli, taixi, laogong, yemen, feishu, ganshu, danshu, yishu, and shenshu acupoints of a tumor patient (
As used herein, the tem “tumor” includes any types of tumor or cancer. In some embodiments, a tumor can be a benign tumor. In some embodiments, a tumor can be a malignant tumor (cancer). Examples of tumor includes tumor in an organ or tissue, such as breast, lung, liver, spleen, throat, skin, gastric track organs such as stomach or colon, bone, ovarian, bladder, testicle, kidney, brain, and leukemia, etc.
Acupuncture, practiced for several thousand years in China (Veith I. The yellow emperor's classic of internal medicine. Williams & Wilkins: Baltimore; 1949. pp 58-76.), is increasingly used worldwide in the treatment of many disorders. An accumulating body of evidence summarized in a NIH Consensus Statement on Acupuncture (NIH Consensus Development Panel. Acupuncture. JAMA 1998; 280: 1518-1524) confirms that acupuncture treatment has beneficial effects for conditions ranging from postoperative dental pain to chemotherapy-associated emesis. It is also effective as an adjunctive modality for joint and muscle pain, addictions, and asthma, for example.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), life force or ‘Qi’ (‘chee’) is thought to circulate within energy pathways or ‘meridians’ longitudinally throughout the body. There are 14 major meridians, corresponding (loosely) to the Western definition of ‘organs.’ Acupoints are specific locations on the body considered to be connected to these energy meridians (NIH Consensus Development Panel. Acupuncture. JAMA 1998; 280: 1518-1524; Vickers A, Zollman C. ABC of complementary medicine: acupuncture. BMJ 1999; 319: 973-976; and Mitchell E R. Fighting drug abuse with acupuncture: the treatment that works. Pacific View Press: Berkeley, Calif.; 1995). During illness Qi is thought to be out of balance, and stimulation of acupoints corrects this imbalance. Theoretically, an ‘excess’ or ‘deficiency’ of Qi can be ‘normalized’ by the specific manner of point stimulation.
In terms of traditional medicine, it is believed that acupuncture works to alter central nervous system neurotransmitter levels by stimulating peripheral nerves at acupoints. These stimulated nerves then carry the signals centrally (Stux G, Pomeranz B. Basics of acupuncture, 4th ed. Springer-Verlag: Berlin; 1998; Mann F. Acupuncture: cure of many diseases. Butterworth-Heinemann Ltd.: Oxford; 1992), including to the spinal cord, pituitary, and midbrain. Activated centers can then release neurochemicals: endorphins, monoamines, and cortisol (Stux G, Pomeranz B. Basics of acupuncture, 4th edn. Springer-Verlag: Berlin; 1998).
A large number of acupoints (365 points have been identified in Chinese acupuncture maps) show concentrations of peripheral nerve junctions, referred to as ‘trigger points (Vickers A, Zollman C. ABC of complementary medicine: acupuncture. BMJ 1999; 319: 973-976). A variety of methods are used to stimulate acupoints (NIH Consensus Development Panel. Acupuncture. JAMA 1998; 280: 1518-1524; Stux G, Pomeranz B. Basics of acupuncture, 4th edn. Springer-Verlag: Berlin; 1998; Lao L. Acupuncture technique and devices. J Altern Complem Med 1996; 2: 23-25). These include:
For providing complementary treatment of cancer or tumor using the device of invention, acupoints generally include baihui, quchi, qimen, shangwan, zhongwan, shenque, zusanli, taixi, laogong, yemen, feishu, ganshu, danshu, yishu, and shenshu. Acupuncture at these acupoints are proven to be effective for treating various cancer or tumor and/or alleviating symptoms associated with cancer or tumor (see, e.g., Dincer F, Linde K. Sham interventions in randomized clinical trials of acupuncture—a review. Complement Ther Med. 2003; 11:235-242; Ernst E. Acupuncture: what does the most reliable evidence tell us? J Pain Symptom Manage. 2009; 37(4):109-714; Ernst E (ed). The Desktop Guide to Complementary and Alternative Medicine. New York, N.Y.: Mosby 2001; Ernst G, Strzyz H, Hagmeister H. Incidence of adverse effects during acupuncture therapy-a multicentre survey. Complement Ther Med. 2003; 11:93-97; Ezzo J M, Richardson M A, Vickers A., et al. Acupuncture-point stimulation for chemotherapy-induced nausea or vomiting. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2006;(2); Gejervall A L, Stener-Victorin E, Moller A, et al. Electro-acupuncture versus conventional analgesia: a comparison of pain levels during oocyte aspiration and patients' experiences of well-being after surgery. Hum Reprod. 2005; 20:728-735; and Hammar M, Frisk J, Grimas O, et al. Acupuncture treatment of vasomotor symptoms in men with prostatic carcinoma: a pilot study. J. Urol. 1999; 161:853-856).
These acupoints are fully described in the acupoints diagram generally available in the art. These acupoints are generally applicable to all types of cancer or tumor.
For a particular type of cancer or tumor, the acupoints include the above described set of acupoints and further, additional acupoints. For example, in some embodiments, the acupoints can include a set of acupoints for reducing pain. The acupoints for reducing pain can include the point(s) where the aching occurs, shenshu, taixi, and laogong. Acupuncture has long being practice on cancer or tumor patients for pain management (see, e.g. He J P, Friedrich M, Ertan A K, Muller K, Schmidt W. Pain-relief and movement improvement by acupuncture after ablation and axillary lymphadenectomy in patients with mammary cancer. Clin Exp Obstet Gynecol. 1999; 26:81-84).
For ameliorating or treating a tumor condition of a particular patient, the acupoints include the above described set of acupoints and further, additional acupoints, which are generally known in the art.
The composition of invention can be formulated in any formulation suitable for topical, selective application to one or more acupoint(s) for tumor. One example of the formulation is a paste. Another example is a patch. The patch can include having a cover or protective layer one side of which has a composition of invention placed thereonto. The cover can be plastic, paper, or a foil (e.g., aluminum containing foil). A thin film can be used to sandwich the composition with the cover so as to prevent the composition from exposure to moisture prior to application to acupoint(s) for tumor of a user. A person of ordinary skill in the art can readily formulate a composition of invention into any of such formulations.
A composition disclosed herein is formulated into a patch and applied to one or any of the acupoints for tumor of a patient. The patch generates heat to cause the temperature of the one or more of the acupoints to have a temperature of about 50° C., which lasts several hours. The procedure is repeated over a course of 3 months. Improvement on patient conditions is observed.
While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications can be made without departing from this invention in its broader aspects. Therefore, the claims are to encompass within their scope all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/471,138, filed on May 14, 2012. This application is also a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/341,874, filed on Dec. 30, 2011. The teachings in these applications are incorporated herein in their entirety by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 13471138 | May 2012 | US |
| Child | 13533921 | US | |
| Parent | 13341874 | Dec 2011 | US |
| Child | 13471138 | US |
