Lactic Acid Oligomers for Sustained Vaginal pH Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current treatments for bacterial vaginosis, particularly bacterial vaginosis, often require frequent administration and fail to maintain a low vaginal pH effectively, leading to recurrent infections and malodour issues.
Innovation Solution
The use of oligomers of lactic acid, which release lactic acid in an aqueous medium and act as a depot, providing a prolonged acidic environment to treat and prevent gynaecological infections by maintaining a low pH, thereby inhibiting pathogenic bacteria growth.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional treatments for bacterial vaginosis are used, then the infection can be treated initially, but frequent re-administration is required and low pH is not maintained effectively, leading to recurrent infections
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates lactic acid into vaginal tablets in advance, which then release the acid gradually over time after insertion. This preliminary action allows the low pH environment to be maintained for extended periods (multiple days) without requiring frequent re-administration, thereby resolving the contradiction between treatment reliability and duration of action.
2Reliability
If frequent administration of treatments is performed, then low pH can be maintained better, but this increases treatment complexity and patient burden
Solution Approach 1:
By pre-formulating vaginal tablets containing lactic acid that release gradually over time, the treatment requires only occasional insertion rather than frequent applications. This preliminary preparation of the medication delivery system significantly improves ease of operation while maintaining treatment reliability through sustained low pH levels.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If conventional treatments are used, then initial infection can be addressed, but recurrence and malodour issues persist due to inability to maintain low pH
Solution Approach 1:
The vaginal tablets are prepared in advance with lactic acid that releases gradually to maintain low pH for extended periods. This preliminary action ensures that the acidic environment is sustained long enough to prevent bacterial recurrence and eliminate malodour, directly addressing the harmful factors that persist with conventional treatments.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The oligomers of lactic acid formulations offer a less frequent administration option, effectively maintaining a low vaginal pH for extended periods, reducing recurrence of bacterial vaginosis and associated malodour, while promoting a healthy vaginal flora.
Implementation Method 1
The oligomers release lactic acid in an aqueous medium and act as a depot, providing a prolonged acidic environment
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to the use of one or more oligomers of lactic acid or a lactic acid oligomeric product for the prophylaxis and/or treatment of a disease or condition that benefits from an acidic environment, especially a gynaecological infection including a bacterial infection such as bacterial vaginosis, unspecific colpitis, senile colpitis, cervicitis, and urethritis, a fungal infection, such as candidosis (Candida albicans), cryptococcosis, actinomycosis, or a viral infection, such as Human Immunodefiency Virus (HIV), Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV), Human Papilloma Virus (HPV).