Patent Application
20150328149
1. Field of the Invention
This disclosure relates to the field of drug delivery, particularly to the delivery of antibiotics in a direct route to infection sites.
2. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Antibiotics are typically delivered orally or via injection into the bloodstream. Orally delivered antibiotics enter the bloodstream via the digestive system. The antibiotic, or its metabolites, are dispersed throughout the patient's body. In some cases this may be desirable, but in many cases an infection is highly localized. In such cases, antibiotic delivery to the locations of the infection may be more effective at lower doses. The antibiotic may also have a much quicker effect and improved efficiency. In some cases, antibiotics may be adversely affected by the conditions of the digestive track or may be tempered by other bodily systems in route to an infection site.
Desired is delivery of an antibiotic compound which results in more antibiotic reaching the infection site, and less throughout the rest of the body during initial dosing. As infections are sites of other disease and foreign bodily invasion due to localized body resistance, the antibiotics can be supplemented with bacterial retardants and antivirals. A more direct administration of antibiotics and other compounds to an infection site would allow faster response times to the medications, lower effective dosages with less impact on the rest of the body.
Common illnesses often cause mucus glands to increase production as part of a defense mechanism. This thicker mucus can trap drugs from reaching the site of desired impact. This mucus is meant to protect the body by trapping bacteria or viruses. However, it also traps antivirals and antibiotics as well, preventing them from reaching the mucosal glands where infection may reside. Therefore, it is desirable to include mucosin compounds with the antibiotic and antivirals to help them reach the infection through the body's defenses.
In another embodiment, an antibiotic is combined with other medicinal compounds. In one embodiment, the antibiotic is combined with a bacterial retardant. Many bacterial retardants are commonly known, such as 2-isopropyl-5-methylphenol (commonly known as Thymol) and Carvacrol or Cymophenol, which may assist the antibiotic by weakening bacterial strains. The bacterial retardant may further prevent bacterial re-infection. In one embodiment, antibiotic and bacterial retardant may work to remove the bacterial infection from a wound site while other compounds may prevent re-infection or otherwise promote healing properties and conditions.
An exemplary embodiment relates to an antibiotic delivery device which involves the enrobing of one compound with another in a layered configuration to aid the compounds in bypassing bodily defenses. For instance, an antibiotic may be utilized as a core which is surrounded by an anti-viral or bacterial retardant. In addition, the anti-viral or bacterial retardant may be further surrounded by a third layer consisting of a mucosin. This muli-part compound may be a single dosage tablet, or may be further contained in capsules. The components may be layered such that the first bodily defenses are encountered by the outer compounds, and later defenses are encountered by more internal compounds. In another embodiment, the layers may be alternated such that fresh compounds are exposed at different release points during the dosage process. One skilled in the arts would appreciate that the materials in each layer and the number of layers can be configured for specific applications depending on the resistance expected.
Another exemplary embodiment relates to an antibiotic delivery device that provides the antibiotic in a form adapted for inhalation into the patient's lungs. In this embodiment, a solid form may be rendered into nanoparticles which are inhaled into the respiratory track. In another embodiment, the antibiotics can be dissolved into solution then atomized and inhaled into the respiratory track. Either method results in the antibiotic compound being delivered directly to the respiratory track where it can immediately fight infections of the respiratory system. This direct delivery method results in faster delivery and more concentration at the site of infection, allowing for lower overall dosage. One skilled in the art would appreciate that the antibiotic delivery to the patient's respiratory system may be via inhaling of an aerosol, gas, mist, or vapor and can be done with an aerosol inhaler or a nebulizer.
In the preceding examples, the liquid medication used in an inhaler or nebulizer may be the drug that is itself a liquid, or it may be a solution, suspension, or emulsion that contains the medicates of interest. In the preferred embodiment, the liquid medicament is a combination of the antibiotic which is mixed along with one or more of the described enhancers into a solution, a suspension, or an emulsion.
The diagrams in accordance with exemplary embodiments of the present invention are provided as examples and should not be construed to limit other embodiments within the scope of the invention. Drawings may not be to scale and should not be construed to limit the invention to the particular proportions illustrated. Additionally, some elements illustrated in the singularity may actually be implemented in a plurality. Further, some element illustrated in the plurality could actually vary in count. Further, some elements illustrated in one form could actually vary in detail. Further yet, specific numerical data values (such as specific quantities, numbers, categories, etc.) or other specific information should be interpreted as illustrative for discussing exemplary embodiments. Such specific information is not provided to limit the invention.
The above discussion is meant to be illustrative of the principles and various embodiments of the present invention. Numerous variations and modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art once the above disclosure is fully appreciated. It is intended that the following claims be interpreted to embrace all such variations and modifications.
