Synergistic compound essential oil for treating and preventing tinea pedis and preparation method thereof
The synergistic compound essential oil, prepared through scientific formulation and advanced technology, solves the problems of drug resistance, irritation, and insufficient synergy in existing athlete's foot products, achieving highly efficient, safe, and stable treatment and prevention effects.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-11-11
- Publication Date
- 2026-03-31
AI Technical Summary
Existing products for treating athlete's foot have problems such as easy development of drug resistance, strong skin irritation, slow onset of action, and insufficient synergy of formulations, making it difficult to achieve the ideal treatment effect. In addition, some products add chemical ingredients, which goes against the natural requirements.
By scientifically blending juniper essential oil, lemongrass essential oil, geranium essential oil, and jojoba oil, a synergistic compound essential oil is prepared. Ultrasonic homogenization and nitrogen-filling processes are used to ensure uniform and stable composition, avoid chemical additives, and achieve multiple effects such as antifungal, skin soothing, and barrier repair.
It significantly enhances antifungal effects, reduces skin irritation, provides rapid symptom relief and prevents recurrence, has high product stability, is suitable for a wide range of skin types, and is highly safe.
Smart Images
Figure 229FD25F-9EAF-4490-86A6-1A5C9E500A44
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to the field of essential oil skincare and antifungal technology, specifically to a synergistic compound essential oil for treating and preventing athlete's foot and its preparation method. Background Technology
[0002] Tinea pedis (also known as athlete's foot) is a common skin disease caused by dermatophytes such as Trichophyton rubrum and Trichophyton mentagrophytes infecting the skin of the feet. Clinical manifestations include itching, peeling, blisters, and thickened keratinization. It is highly contagious and prone to recurrence, seriously affecting the quality of life of patients.
[0003] Current products for treating athlete's foot mainly include chemically synthesized ointments, oral antifungal drugs, and traditional Chinese medicine preparations. While chemically synthesized ointments (such as those containing terbinafine or clotrimazole) show significant short-term antifungal effects, long-term use can easily lead to fungal resistance. Furthermore, some products are highly irritating and may cause adverse reactions such as dry skin, stinging, and allergies, affecting treatment adherence. Oral antifungal drugs place a certain burden on the liver and limit their applicability. Traditional Chinese medicine preparations have a slow onset of action, insufficient synergistic effects in their formulation, and poor recurrence prevention.
[0004] Essential oils, as secondary metabolites of natural plants, have attracted increasing attention due to their natural origin and broad bioactivity. For example, tea tree oil and lemongrass oil have been proven to have antifungal properties. However, single essential oils suffer from limitations such as limited active ingredients, volatility, poor skin penetration, and single target sites. Some existing compound essential oil products are often simply a combination of multiple essential oils, lacking synergistic ratio studies based on scientific experiments, resulting in unstable effects and difficulty in achieving ideal therapeutic results. Furthermore, to address volatility and penetration issues, some products add chemical emulsifiers or penetration enhancers, which contradicts consumers' demand for natural and safe products.
[0005] Therefore, there is an urgent need in this field for an antifungal essential oil compound that is highly effective, does not easily induce drug resistance, has a mild effect, and is naturally safe, in order to overcome the shortcomings of existing technologies. Summary of the Invention
[0006] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention provides a synergistic compound essential oil for the treatment and prevention of athlete's foot and its preparation method. By scientifically combining natural essential oil components with base oil, it achieves synergistic enhancement of antifungal activity, while also soothing the skin, repairing the skin barrier, and preventing recurrence. Furthermore, it is gentle, non-irritating, skin-friendly, and easily absorbed.
[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: a synergistic compound essential oil for treating and preventing athlete's foot, characterized in that:
[0008] 1. By weight percentage, it is composed of the following ingredients: juniper essential oil 0.5%–9.0%, lemongrass essential oil 0.5%–8.9%, geranium essential oil 0.5%–9.3%, chamomile essential oil 0.5%–8.7%, and the balance is jojoba oil (to 100%).
[0009] 2. Preferably, the weight percentage of each raw material is as follows: 1.8% juniper essential oil, 1.8% lemongrass essential oil, 1.0% geranium essential oil, 1.0% chamomile essential oil, and 94.4% jojoba oil.
[0010] 3. The juniper essential oil is Siberian juniper extract, the lemongrass essential oil is lemongrass extract, the geranium essential oil is rose geranium extract, and the chamomile essential oil is German chamomile extract.
[0011] 4. The jojoba oil is cold-pressed virgin jojoba oil with a purity of ≥99.5% and good skin compatibility and permeability.
[0012] 5. The preparation method of the above-mentioned synergistic compound essential oil includes the following steps: (1) accurately weigh each component; (2) preheat jojoba oil to 33-37°C and stir it in a reaction vessel; (3) while stirring, add juniper essential oil, lemongrass essential oil, geranium essential oil and chamomile essential oil dropwise to the preheated jojoba oil; (4) perform ultrasonic homogenization on the mixed oil; (5) let the homogenized product stand in the dark to age; (6) filter and fill the aged product.
[0013] The stirring in step (3) is magnetic stirring, with a speed of 300-500 rpm, and the total time for dripping and stirring is 20-30 minutes.
[0014] The ultrasonic homogenization conditions in step (4) are: temperature 40°C, power 500W, and time 5 minutes.
[0015] The light-proof and static aging time in step (5) shall not be less than 24 hours.
[0016] The filtration in step (6) is aseptic filtration using a 0.22μm microporous membrane, and the filling is carried out under nitrogen protection.
[0017] Beneficial effects
[0018] 1. Synergistic effect: Significant synergistic effect: Through scientific formulation, each essential oil component produces a good synergistic antifungal effect, which can achieve or even exceed the effect of high concentration of single essential oil or chemical drug with a lower total concentration, and reduce potential skin irritation.
[0019] 2. Multiple effects, treating both symptoms and root cause: It not only strongly inhibits fungi, but also has anti-inflammatory, antipruritic, and skin barrier repair functions, which can quickly relieve symptoms and prevent recurrence;
[0020] 3. Natural and safe with few side effects: Made entirely with natural plant ingredients, with gentle jojoba oil as the base, avoiding the drug resistance and side effects of chemical drugs. Verified by skin irritation tests, it has a high safety profile.
[0021] 4. Advanced technology and stable products: The use of ultrasonic homogenization and nitrogen filling processes ensures uniform product composition and stable properties, effectively extending the shelf life. Attached Figure Description
[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a synergistic compound essential oil for treating and preventing athlete's foot and its preparation method, as described in this invention.
[0023] Various other advantages and benefits will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed description of preferred embodiments. The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this application. Furthermore, the same reference numerals denote the same parts throughout the drawings. Detailed Implementation
[0024] Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that the present disclosure may be implemented in various forms and should not be limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art.
[0025] It should be noted that, unless otherwise stated, the technical or scientific terms used in this application shall have the ordinary meaning as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains.
[0026] This application provides a synergistic compound essential oil for treating and preventing athlete's foot, composed of the following components by volume percentage: juniper essential oil 0.5%–9.0%, lemongrass essential oil 0.5%–8.9%, geranium essential oil 0.5%–9.3%, chamomile essential oil 0.5%–8.7%, with the balance being jojoba oil (to 100%).
[0027] Preferably, the chamomile essential oil is German chamomile essential oil, which is pre-dissolved in a 3% concentration solution of jojoba oil. Pre-dissolving it in the highly fluid jojoba oil creates a standardized, low-viscosity, clear solution. This ensures that the active ingredients of German chamomile are quickly and evenly dispersed throughout the system during the final product manufacturing process, avoiding instability or component stratification caused by excessively high or low local concentrations. This further ensures the gentleness of the final product, making it suitable for a wider range of skin types, including sensitive skin. It not only helps the anti-inflammatory and soothing active ingredients of chamomile to better penetrate the skin and exert their effects, but its own moisturizing and repairing properties also synergize with other essential oils in the formula (such as the repairing function of geranium), jointly enhancing the product's repair effect on damaged skin.
[0028] like Figure 1 As shown in the embodiments of this application, a method for preparing the above-mentioned synergistic compound essential oil is also provided, comprising the following steps:
[0029] 1) Weigh each component accurately;
[0030] 2) Preheat the jojoba oil to 33-37°C and stir it in the reaction vessel;
[0031] 3) While stirring, add juniper essential oil, lemongrass essential oil, geranium essential oil and chamomile essential oil dropwise to preheated jojoba oil. The solution will undergo a chemical reaction and change color.
[0032] 4) The mixed oil is subjected to ultrasonic homogenization;
[0033] 5) After homogenization, the product should be left to stand in the dark for aging. The aging time should be no less than 24 hours to allow the various essential oil molecules sufficient time to rearrange and interact, forming a more stable and harmonious balance system. This will make the product's aroma and efficacy more integrated and mellow, and will also prevent photodegradation and protect the active ingredients.
[0034] 6) The aged product is filtered and filled. Filtration is performed using a 0.22μm microporous membrane for aseptic filtration, which physically intercepts and removes all bacteria, yeast, and mold from the solution. Filling is carried out under nitrogen protection. Nitrogen protection means that before filling, inert nitrogen gas is introduced into the container, expelling air (especially oxygen). This anaerobic environment eliminates oxidation at its source, significantly extending the product's shelf life and ensuring that the product remains in optimal condition for consumers within its expiration date.
[0035] In some embodiments of this application, the stirring in step 3) is magnetic stirring at a speed of 300-500 rpm, and the total time for dripping and stirring is 20-30 minutes. This method ensures rapid dispersion of the essential oils without introducing excessive air due to overly rapid stirring, which could lead to oxidation or excessive bubble formation. Furthermore, it provides ample time for the various essential oil molecules in the jojoba oil to undergo initial dissolution and diffusion. This is not merely physical mixing, but rather allows different essential oil molecules to come into contact, laying the foundation for subsequent synergistic effects and system stability.
[0036] The ultrasonic homogenization conditions in step 4) are: temperature 40°C, power 500W, and time 5 minutes. This not only ensures that the essential oil forms an extremely stable and homogeneous dispersion system in the jojoba oil, fundamentally solving the problem of layering or sedimentation that may occur during long-term storage, but also reduces the viscosity of the oil, resulting in better homogenization, while remaining well below the degradation temperature of most essential oil active ingredients, thus protecting their efficacy. Smaller oil droplets are also more easily absorbed by the skin, thereby improving bioavailability and efficacy. The physical energy of ultrasound can promote closer contact and interaction between different essential oil molecules, which may help form more stable intermolecular complexes, thereby enhancing the synergistic antifungal effect of the formulation.
[0037] This application, through extensive in vitro antibacterial zone experiments and clinical observations, found that when juniper essential oil, lemongrass essential oil, geranium essential oil, and German chamomile essential oil are combined in the aforementioned specific proportions, their inhibitory effect on Trichophyton rubrum far exceeds the sum of the effects of each component used alone, exhibiting a significant synergistic effect (see subsequent experimental data for details). Furthermore, this formula combines multiple effects such as antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antipruritic, and skin barrier repair, achieving a "treatment-prevention integration."
[0038] The following embodiments are shown to illustrate the present application in more detail, but the present application is not limited to these embodiments.
[0039] Example 1: Preparation of synergistic compound essential oils
[0040] Material proportions (precisely measured): Juniper essential oil: 1.2 mL; Lemongrass essential oil: 1.3 mL; Geranium essential oil: 0.8 mL; Chamomile essential oil (3% concentration solution): 0.7 mL; Jojoba oil: 96.0 mL. Following the above preparation method, the jojoba oil was preheated, and then the mixed essential oils were added dropwise under stirring. The mixture was then homogenized by ultrasound, aged in the dark for 24 hours, aseptically filtered, and nitrogen-filled to obtain the compound essential oil of this application.
[0041] Example 2: Antibacterial effect experiment
[0042] 1. In vitro antibacterial experiment (against Trichophyton rubrum ATCC 28188) Objective: To verify the inhibitory ability of the formula of this application against the main pathogenic bacteria of tinea pedis and prove its synergistic effect. Method: The agar diffusion method (paper disc method) and the microdilution method (to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration MIC) were used. Test samples included: the formula of Example 1 of this application, the comparative examples (each single essential oil and the physical mixture group), and the positive control (1% terbinafine solution).
[0043] Table 1 of results: Inhibition zone diameter
[0044] Group concentration Diameter of the inhibition zone Blank control (jojoba oil) 0 No antibacterial zone Juniper essential oil (single) 1.2% 12.5 ± 0.5 Lemongrass essential oil (single ingredient) 1.3% 14.1 ± 0.6 Geranium essential oil (single ingredient) 0.8% 8.2 ± 0.3 Physical mixture group (non-optimal ratio) Total 4.0% 16.8 ± 0.7 Formula of Example 1 of this application Total 4.0% 24.5 ± 0.9 Positive control (1% terbinafine) 1% 28.3 ± 1.1
[0045] Table 2 of results: Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC, μL / mL)
[0046] Group MIC value Juniper essential oil (single) 512 Lemongrass essential oil (single ingredient) 256 Formula of Example 1 of this application 64 Positive control (terbinafine) 0.25
[0047] Conclusion: The inhibition zone of the formula of this application is significantly larger than that of any single component and the physical mixture group (p < 0.01), and its MIC value is much lower than that of the single essential oil, proving that its antibacterial activity is not a simple addition, but a strong synergistic effect has occurred.
[0048] 2. Calculation of the synergy index (FICI)
[0049] To quantify the synergistic effect, this application used the checkerboard dilution method to calculate the fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICI) of the main components juniper essential oil and citronella essential oil.
[0050] Calculation formula: FICI = (MIC_A_combo / MIC_A_alone) + (MIC_B_combo / MIC_B_alone)
[0051] Judgment criterion: FICI ≤ 0.5 indicates synergistic effect; 0.5 < FICI ≤ 1.0 indicates additive effect; 1.0 < FICI ≤ 4.0 indicates no relevant effect; FICI > 4.0 indicates antagonistic effect.
[0052] Calculation process:
[0053] MIC_juniper_alone = 512 μL / mL
[0054] MIC_citronella_alone = 256 μL / mL
[0055] In the compound formula of Example 1 of this application, when the total MIC is 64 μL / mL, the content of juniper essential oil is 30% (1.2 / 4.0), and the content of citronella essential oil is 32.5% (1.3 / 4.0).
[0056] MIC_juniper_in_combo = 64 * 30% = 19.2 μL / mL
[0057] MIC_lemongrass_in_combo = 64 * 32.5% = 20.8 μL / mL
[0058] FICI = (19.2 / 512) + (20.8 / 256) = 0.0375 + 0.08125 = 0.11875
[0059] Conclusion: The calculated FICI value is 0.11875, which is much less than 0.5. This strongly demonstrates from a quantitative perspective that there is a very significant synergistic antifungal effect between juniper essential oil and lemongrass essential oil in the formulation of this application.
[0060] 3. Skin irritation test
[0061] Objective: To assess the potential skin irritation of the formulation in this application.
[0062] Methods: In accordance with the "Cosmetic Safety Technical Specifications", a rabbit skin irritation test was conducted.
[0063] Results: During the entire observation period, no obvious erythema or edema appeared at the application site on the rabbits, and the overall irritation response score was 0.4, which is classified as "non-irritating".
[0064] Conclusion: The compound essential oil of this application, at the stated concentration and process, has good skin safety and is suitable for topical application.
[0065] 4. Preliminary Clinical Efficacy Observation (Supplemented and Improved)
[0066] Objective: To initially verify the actual effectiveness of the product in a small group of people.
[0067] Methods: Thirty volunteers with mild to moderate tinea pedis were recruited and treated with the product described in Example 1 of this application twice daily for four consecutive weeks. A four-point scoring system (0 = asymptomatic, 1 = mild, 2 = moderate, 3 = severe) was used to score the symptoms of itching, peeling, and blisters.
[0068] Results Table 3: Changes in symptom scores observed in clinical practice (Mean ± SD)
[0069] Assessment time Itching score Peeling score vesicle score Overall efficiency Before treatment 2.1 ± 0.6 1.8 ± 0.7 1.5 ± 0.8 / Weekend 2 0.8 ± 0.4 1.0 ± 0.5 0.6 ± 0.5 / Weekend 4 0.2 ± 0.3 0.3 ± 0.4 0.1 ± 0.2 86.7%(26 / 30)
[0070] Conclusion: The compound essential oil in this application showed a clear improvement effect on the symptoms of tinea pedis in the preliminary clinical observation. The scores of all symptoms decreased significantly in the second and fourth weeks (p < 0.01), and the product was well tolerated with no serious adverse reactions reported.
[0071] How to use:
[0072] Take an appropriate amount of the compound essential oil (about 1-2 drops) and apply it to the affected area of the feet and surrounding skin 1-2 times daily after washing and drying. Gently massage until absorbed. To prevent recurrence, it is recommended to continue use for 1-2 weeks after symptoms disappear.
[0073] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and are not intended to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and they should all be covered within the scope of the claims and specification of this application.
Claims
1. A synergistic compound essential oil for treating and preventing athlete's foot, characterized in that, By weight percentage, it consists of the following ingredients: 0.5%–9.0% juniper essential oil, 0.5%–8.9% lemongrass essential oil, 0.5%–9.3% geranium essential oil, 0.5%–8.7% chamomile essential oil, with the balance being jojoba oil (to 100%).
2. The synergistic compound essential oil according to claim 1, characterized in that, The weight percentages of each ingredient are as follows: juniper essential oil 1.8%, lemongrass essential oil 1.8%, geranium essential oil 1.0%, chamomile essential oil 1.0%, and jojoba oil 94.4%.
3. The synergistic compound essential oil according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The juniper essential oil is Siberian juniper extract, the lemongrass essential oil is lemongrass extract, the geranium essential oil is rose geranium extract, and the chamomile essential oil is German chamomile extract.
4. The synergistic compound essential oil according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The chamomile essential oil is a 3% concentration solution pre-dissolved in jojoba oil.
5. A method for preparing a synergistic compound essential oil as described in any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The process includes the following steps: (1) accurately weigh each component; (2) preheat jojoba oil to 35±2°C and stir it in a reaction vessel; (3) while stirring, add juniper essential oil, lemongrass essential oil, geranium essential oil and chamomile essential oil dropwise to the preheated jojoba oil; (4) perform ultrasonic homogenization on the mixed oil; (5) allow the homogenized product to stand in the dark for aging; (6) filter and fill the aged product.
6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The stirring in step (3) is magnetic stirring, with a speed of 300-500 rpm, and the total time for dripping and stirring is 20-30 minutes.
7. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The light-proof and static aging time in step (5) shall not be less than 24 hours.
8. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The filtration in step (6) is aseptic filtration using a 0.22μm microporous membrane, and the filling is carried out under nitrogen protection.