Method for treating tinea pedis and tinea unguium by means of loading acetic acid solution onto superabsorbent material

Abstract

A method for loading an acetic acid solution onto a superabsorbent material solid or colloid while maintaining the bactericidal efficacy thereof. The method uses the good properties of a superabsorbent material to realize effective loading and sustained releasing of acetic acid, thereby providing a portable and easy-to-administer topical treatment regimen. The superabsorbent material may be polymers such as polyacrylate, and is suitable for aqueous acetic acid solutions of different concentrations. By means of the method, tinea pedis fungi can be effectively killed, and the method can be used for treating tinea pedis and tinea unguium. The method is also applicable to other water-soluble topical drugs.

Description

Untitled Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of medical technology, specifically relating to a method for treating athlete's foot and onychomycosis by loading an acetic acid solution into a solid or colloid of a highly absorbent material. Background Technology

[0002] Current treatments for tinea pedis and onychomycosis primarily involve oral or topical antifungal medications, which relieve symptoms by killing or inhibiting fungal growth (Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology 80, no. 4 (2019): 853). However, the main challenge is that these antifungal medications often fail to completely eliminate the symptoms of tinea pedis or onychomycosis, leading to high recurrence rates. Furthermore, undrugged fungi may develop stronger drug resistance, further increasing the difficulty of treatment. This not only makes fungal infection symptoms harder to eliminate but also prolongs the treatment duration and increases the dosage. Simultaneously, antifungal medications often come with certain side effects, and long-term or high-dose use may damage organs (Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology 34, no. 9 (2020): 1972).

[0003] Acetic acid has been shown to effectively kill tinea pedis fungi at certain concentrations (Hong Kong J Dermatol Venereol 2(2014):57-64.) without inducing drug resistance. Therefore, acetic acid offers a potentially economical treatment option for patients with tinea pedis. However, because acetic acid exists in liquid form and requires a relatively long time to penetrate the affected area and exert its bactericidal effect, it is clearly inconvenient in practical applications, leading many patients to prefer other treatment methods.

[0004] Compared to antifungal drugs, acetic acid has several advantages, including extremely low harm to the body and no risk of inducing fungal resistance. However, the liquid state of acetic acid limits its convenience for long-term use, making it difficult to maximize its effectiveness in practical applications.

[0005] Superabsorbent materials not only possess excellent water absorption capacity but also outstanding water-locking properties. These materials have been widely used in the field of drug sustained release to reduce the dosage and frequency of drug use (CardioVascular and Interventional Radiology 46, no.11(2023):1632-1640.). Since acetic acid is readily soluble in water, superabsorbent materials have the potential to serve as carriers for acetic acid.

[0006] This invention patent uses acetic acid as the experimental drug and a highly absorbent polymer material as the carrier to prepare a saturated acetic acid carrier, which is then used to kill tinea pedis fungi. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The purpose of this invention is to provide a method for treating athlete's foot or onychomycosis by loading an acetic acid solution into a solid or colloid based on a superabsorbent material. This invention fully utilizes the excellent water absorption properties of superabsorbent materials to effectively load and retain a large amount of acetic acid solution, thereby achieving convenient portability and continuous bactericidal effects. This method has the advantages of being simple, convenient, and effective.

[0008] In this invention, sodium polyacrylate is selected as a highly absorbent material and xanthan gum is selected as a thickener to prepare a solid or colloid loaded with acetic acid solution.

[0009] The initial concentration of acetic acid used in this invention is 0.1 w / w%-45 w / w, preferably 1 w / w%-30 w / w. The 45 w / w% acetic acid is diluted with deionized water to different concentrations of 0.1 w / w%-30 w / w%. The specific operation method is as follows: 6.67 mL of 45 w / w% acetic acid is mixed evenly with 3.33 mL of deionized water to prepare 10 mL of 30 w / w% acetic acid solution. Then, 2 mL of the 30 w / w% acetic acid solution is mixed with 4 mL of deionized water to prepare 6 mL of 10 w / w% acetic acid solution. Next, 1 mL of the 10 w / w% acetic acid solution is mixed with 9 mL of deionized water to prepare 10 mL of 1 w / w% acetic acid solution. Finally, 1 mL of the 1 w / w% acetic acid solution is mixed with 9 mL of deionized water to prepare 10 mL of 0.1 w / w% acetic acid solution.

[0010] Preparation method of saturated sodium acetate polyacrylate: Mix 10 mL of acetic acid solution of different concentrations with 0.1 g to 0.2 g of sodium acetate polyacrylate powder. After the sodium acetate polyacrylate is saturated, filter the solution with filter paper to remove the remaining acetic acid liquid to prepare saturated sodium acetate polyacrylate containing different concentrations of acetic acid.

[0011] Preparation method of saturated sodium acetate polyacrylate colloid: Xanthan gum is dissolved in acetic acid solutions of different concentrations, and then mixed with saturated sodium acetate polyacrylate containing the same concentration of acetic acid to prepare saturated sodium acetate polyacrylate colloid.

[0012] pH Testing: pH test strips are used to test the pH values ​​of acetic acid solutions of different concentrations and the corresponding concentrations of saturated sodium polyacrylate acetate. The specific procedure is to drop a drop of the acetic acid solution to be tested onto the pH test strip using a pipette, or to apply saturated sodium polyacrylate acetate to the pH test strip and observe the color change. According to the instructions for the test strips, compare the color of the test strip with a pH standard chart to determine and record the pH value of the solution being tested.

[0013] Sterilization performance test: The affected area of ​​athlete's foot was wiped with a cotton swab, then transferred to nutrient agar solid medium and incubated at 37°C for 2 days to form colonies. Then, saturated sodium acetate or saturated sodium acetate colloid containing different concentrations of acetic acid solution was applied to the formed colonies and incubated at 37°C for 0.5 to 48 hours. The applied saturated sodium acetate or saturated sodium acetate colloid was then removed, and the culture was continued at 37°C for 36 hours, observing the colony growth at the original colony site. Table 1 shows the pH values ​​of different concentrations of acetic acid solution. Table 2. pH values ​​of saturated sodium polyacrylate solutions containing different concentrations of acetic acid. Detailed Implementation Example 1

[0014] 10 ml of 45 w / w acetic acid was mixed with 0.2 g of sodium polyacrylate powder. After the sodium polyacrylate was saturated, the mixture was filtered through filter paper to remove the excess acetic acid liquid, thus preparing saturated sodium polyacrylate acetate. The saturated sodium polyacrylate acetate was placed on tinea pedis colonies and incubated at 37°C for 0.5 hours. The sodium polyacrylate was then removed, and the mixture was incubated at 37°C for another 36 hours. No new colonies grew at the original sites. Example 2

[0015] 6.67 mL of 45 w / w acetic acid was mixed with 3.33 mL of deionized water to prepare 10 mL of 30 w / w acetic acid solution. Then, 10 mL of 30 w / w acetic acid was mixed with 0.2 g of sodium polyacrylate. After the sodium polyacrylate was saturated, the solution was filtered through filter paper to remove excess acetic acid, preparing saturated sodium polyacrylate acetate. The saturated sodium polyacrylate acetate was then placed on tinea pedis colonies and incubated at 37°C for 0.5 hours. After removing the saturated sodium polyacrylate acetate, the colonies were incubated at 37°C for another 36 hours. No new colonies grew at the original sites. Example 3

[0016] 6.67 mL of 45 w / w acetic acid was mixed with 3.33 mL of deionized water to prepare 10 mL of 30 w / w acetic acid solution. Then, 4 mL of the 30 w / w acetic acid solution was mixed with 8 mL of deionized water to prepare 12 mL of 10 w / w acetic acid solution. Next, 10 mL of 10 w / w acetic acid was mixed with 0.2 g of sodium polyacrylate. After the sodium polyacrylate was saturated, the mixture was filtered through filter paper to remove the remaining acetic acid solution, preparing saturated sodium polyacrylate acetate. The saturated sodium polyacrylate acetate was then placed on tinea pedis colonies and incubated at 37°C for 0.5 hours. After removing the saturated sodium polyacrylate acetate, the colonies were incubated at 37°C for another 36 hours. No new colonies grew at the original sites. Example 4

[0017] Prepare a 10 mL 30 w / w acetic acid solution by mixing 6.67 mL of 45 w / w acetic acid with 3.33 mL of deionized water. Then, prepare a 6 mL 10 w / w acetic acid solution by mixing 2 mL of the 30 w / w acetic acid solution with 4 mL of deionized water. Next, prepare a 10 mL 1 w / w acetic acid solution by mixing 1 mL of the 10 w / w acetic acid solution with 9 mL of deionized water. Finally, prepare a 10 mL 1 w / w acetic acid solution by mixing 10 mL of the 1 w / w acetic acid solution with 0.2 g of sodium polyacrylate. After the sodium polyacrylate solution is saturated, filter the solution using filter paper to remove excess acetic acid, thus preparing saturated sodium polyacrylate acetate. Dissolve 0.1 g of xanthan gum in 5 mL of the 1 w / w acetic acid solution, and then mix it with the saturated sodium polyacrylate acetate solution to prepare a saturated sodium polyacrylate acetate colloid. The prepared saturated sodium acetate polyacrylate colloid was applied to the tinea pedis colonies and incubated at 37°C for 0.5 hours. After removing the saturated sodium acetate polyacrylate colloid, the colonies were incubated at 37°C for another 36 hours. New colonies were observed to grow at the original sites. Example 5

[0018] Prepare a 10 mL 30 w / w glacial acetic acid solution by mixing 6.67 mL of 45 w / w acetic acid with 3.33 mL of deionized water. Then, prepare a 6 mL 10 w / w acetic acid solution by mixing 2 mL of the 30 w / w acetic acid solution with 4 mL of deionized water. Next, prepare a 10 mL 1 w / w acetic acid solution by mixing 1 mL of the 10 w / w acetic acid solution with 9 mL of deionized water. Mix 10 mL of the 1 w / w acetic acid solution with 0.2 g of sodium polyacrylate. After the sodium polyacrylate is saturated, filter the solution using filter paper to remove excess acetic acid, thus preparing saturated sodium polyacrylate acetate. Dissolve 0.1 g of xanthan gum in 5 mL of the 1 w / w acetic acid solution, then mix it with 0.5 g of the saturated sodium polyacrylate acetate to prepare a saturated sodium polyacrylate acetate colloid. Then, saturated sodium acetate polyacrylate colloid was placed on the tinea pedis colonies and incubated at 37°C for 48 hours. After removing the saturated sodium acetate polyacrylate colloid, the colonies were incubated at 37°C for another 36 hours. No new colonies grew at the original sites. Example 6

[0019] Prepare a 10 mL 30 w / w acetic acid solution by mixing 6.67 mL of 45 w / w acetic acid with 3.33 mL of deionized water. Then, prepare a 6 mL 10 w / w acetic acid solution by mixing 2 mL of the 30 w / w acetic acid solution with 4 mL of deionized water. Next, prepare a 10 mL 1 w / w acetic acid solution by mixing 1 mL of the 10 w / w acetic acid solution with 9 mL of deionized water. Finally, prepare a 10 mL 0.1 w / w acetic acid solution by mixing 1 mL of the 1 w / w acetic acid solution with 9 mL of deionized water. Mix 0.1 g of sodium polyacrylate with the 10 mL 0.1 w / w acetic acid solution. After the sodium polyacrylate is saturated, filter the solution using filter paper to remove the remaining acetic acid, thus preparing saturated sodium polyacrylate acetate. Then, saturated sodium acetate was placed on the tinea pedis colonies and incubated at 37°C for 0.5 hours. After removing the saturated sodium acetate, the colonies were incubated at 37°C for another 36 hours. New colonies were observed growing at the original sites. Example 7

[0020] 6.67 mL of 45 w / w acetic acid was mixed thoroughly with 3.33 mL of deionized water to prepare 10 mL of 30 w / w acetic acid solution. Then, 2 mL of the 30 w / w acetic acid solution was mixed with 4 mL of deionized water to prepare 6 mL of 10 w / w acetic acid solution. Next, 1 mL of the 10 w / w acetic acid solution was mixed with 9 mL of deionized water to prepare 10 mL of 1 w / w acetic acid solution. Finally, 1 mL of the 1 w / w acetic acid solution was mixed with 9 mL of deionized water to prepare 10 mL of 0.1 w / w acetic acid solution. 10 mL of 0.1 w / w acetic acid was then mixed with 0.1 g of sodium polyacrylate. After the sodium polyacrylate was saturated, the mixture was filtered through filter paper to remove the remaining acetic acid liquid, thus preparing saturated sodium polyacrylate acetate. 0.1 g of xanthan gum was dissolved in 5 mL of 0.1 w / w acetic acid solution and mixed with 0.5 g of saturated sodium acetate to prepare a saturated sodium acetate colloid. This colloid was applied to tinea pedis colonies and incubated at 37°C for 48 hours. The saturated sodium acetate colloid was then removed, and the colonies were incubated at 37°C for another 36 hours. New colonies were observed growing at the original sites.

[0021] The above are some preferred embodiments of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. The technical solutions of the present invention include, but are not limited to, various variations and combinations of component composition, component concentration, and application method, and any variations, combinations, and adjustments made by any person are within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. This invention provides a method for loading an acetic acid solution into a solid or colloid of a highly absorbent material while maintaining its bactericidal efficacy.

2. The superabsorbent material carrier according to claim 1 can be a solid or a colloid.

3. The superabsorbent material according to claim 2 includes, but is not limited to, polyacrylates, polyacrylamide copolymers, maleic anhydride copolymers, crosslinked carboxymethyl cellulose, polyvinyl alcohol copolymers, crosslinked polyethylene oxide and starch-grafted polyacrylonitrile copolymers, starch acrylate polymers, starch-acrylonitrile graft copolymers, acrylamide-acrylonitrile-acrylic acid terpolymers, and other superabsorbent polymers.

4. The colloidal carrier according to claim 2 can be prepared by adding auxiliary agents and thickeners, etc., wherein the auxiliary agents and thickeners include, but are not limited to, ethanol, glycerol, polyethylene glycol, carboplatin, sodium hyaluronate, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, polyvinyl alcohol, starch, carboxymethyl cellulose, guar gum, xanthan gum, gelatin, gum arabic, etc.

5. According to claim 1, the concentration range of the aqueous acetic acid solution used in this invention is from 0.1 w / w% to 45 w / w%.

6. According to claim 1, the present invention uses tinea pedis fungus as the test object to test the bactericidal efficacy of superabsorbent materials loaded with acetic acid, whether solid or colloidal.

7. According to claim 1, the superabsorbent material solid or colloid loaded with acetic acid in this invention can be directly applied externally to the affected area, and has the advantages of being easy to carry and apply for a long time.

8. The method of the present invention is also applicable to other water-soluble topical medications and can be used to treat other diseases.

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