Nasal irrigation solutions and methods of using same

Abstract

A nasal irrigation solution comprising is disclosed comprising water and hydrastine extracted from one or more plants. Another solution comprises water and berberine extracted from one or more plants. These solutions are provided from an extract of goldenseal plant. Solutions are also disclosed having canadine, canadaline, and hydrastidine, all extracted from the goldenseal plant. More general solutions are disclosed including alkaloids extracted from one or more plants. The alkaloids are selected from one or more of the group consisting of: berberine, oxyberberine, berbamine, palmatine, magnoflorine, phellodendrine, jateorrhizine, candicine, menisperine, coptisine, worenine, columbamine, epiberberine, hydrastine, canadine, canadaline, hydrastidine, oxycyanthine, berberrubine, and isotetrandine. Alkaloids are provided from plant from the group consisting of: Oregon grape root, yellow root, phellodendron bark, coptis rhizome, barberry root, and Indian barberry root bark. Other constituents may include extract of grapefruit seed, vegetable glycerine, salt, and water soluble zinc. A method for using these solutions is disclosed which includes flowing the solution through desired portions of nasal cavities.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A nasal irrigation solution comprising: 
 water; and,    alkaloids extracted from one or more plants.    
     
     
         2 . The nasal irrigation solution of  claim 2  wherein the alkaloids are selected from one or more of the group consisting of: berberine, oxyberberine, berbamine, palmatine, magnoflorine, phellodendrine, jateorrhizine, candicine, menisperine, coptisine, worenine, columbamine, epiberberine, hydrastine, canadine, canadaline, hydrastidine, oxycyanthine, berberrubine, and isotetrandine.  
     
     
         3 . The solution of  claim 2  wherein at least hydrastine is extracted from a Goldenseal plant.  
     
     
         4 . The solution of  claim 1  wherein the extract including canadine, canadaline, and hydrastidine, all extracted from the goldenseal plant.  
     
     
         5 . The nasal irrigation solution of  claim 1  wherein the one or more plants are selected from the group consisting of: Oregon grape root, yellow root, phellodendron bark, coptis rhizome, barberry root, and Indian barberry root bark.  
     
     
         6 . The nasal irrigation solution of  claim 2  wherein the one or more plants are selected from the group consisting of: Oregon grape root, yellow root, phellodendron bark, coptis rhizome, barberry root, and Indian barberry root bark.  
     
     
         7 . The nasal irrigation solution of  claim 1  further comprising an extract of grapefruit seed.  
     
     
         8 . The nasal irrigation solution of  claim 2  further comprising an extract of grapefruit seed.  
     
     
         9 . The nasal irrigation solution of  claim 6  further comprising an extract of grapefruit seed.  
     
     
         10 . The nasal irrigation solution of  claim 1  further comprising vegetable glycerine.  
     
     
         11 . The nasal irrigation solution of  claim 2  further comprising vegetable glycerine.  
     
     
         12 . The nasal irrigation solution of  claim 6  further comprising vegetable glycerine.  
     
     
         13 . The nasal irrigation solution of  claim 9  further comprising vegetable glycerine.  
     
     
         14 . The nasal irrigation solution of  claim 1  further comprising salt.  
     
     
         15 . The nasal irrigation solution of  claim 2  further comprising salt.  
     
     
         16 . The nasal irrigation solution of  claim 6  further comprising salt.  
     
     
         17 . The nasal irrigation solution of  claim 14  further comprising salt.  
     
     
         18 . The nasal irrigation solution of  claim 1  further comprising water soluble zinc preferably zinc acetate dihydrate.  
     
     
         19 . The nasal irrigation solution of  claim 2  further comprising water soluble zinc preferably zinc acetate dihydrate.  
     
     
         20 . The nasal irrigation solution of  claim 6  further comprising water soluble zinc preferably zinc acetate dihydrate.  
     
     
         21 . The nasal irrigation solution of  claim 17  further comprising water soluble zinc preferably zinc acetate dihydrate.  
     
     
         22 . The nasal irrigation solution of  claim 19  wherein the zinc acetate is in the range of about 2 to about 12 mg/ml.  
     
     
         23 . The solution of  claim 5  wherein the concentrations are: about 0.0001 to about 0.002 ml/ml for grapefruit seed extract; about 1 to about 10 mg/ml for Phellodendron bark; about 1 to about 10 mg/ml for goldenseal root; about 1 to about 10 mg/ml for barberry root; and, about 1 to about 10 mg/ml for coptis rhizome.  
     
     
         24 . The solution of  claim 6  wherein the concentrations are: about 0.0001 to about 0.002 ml/ml for grapefruit seed extract; about 1 to about 10 mg/ml for Phellodendron bark; about 1 to about 10 mg/ml for goldenseal root; about 1 to about 10 mg/ml for barberry root; and, about 1 to about 10 mg/ml for coptis rhizome.  
     
     
         25 . The solution of  claim 21  wherein the concentrations are: about 0.0001 to about 0.002 ml/ml for grapefruit seed extract; about 1 to about 10 mg/ml for Phellodendron bark; about 1 to about 10 mg/ml for goldenseal root; about 1 to about 10 mg/ml for barberry root; and, about 1 to about 10 mg/ml for coptis rhizome.  
     
     
         26 . The solution of  claim 6  wherein the family of alkaloids are those extracted by ethyl alcohol.  
     
     
         27 . The solution of  claim 1  wherein the solution contains one or more of the group of constituents consisting of: colloidal silver; an essential oil; and extracts of echinacea.  
     
     
         28 . The solution of  claim 2  wherein the solution contains one or more of the group of constituents consisting of: colloidal silver; an essential oil; and extracts of one or more of the group consisting of  echinacea - angustifolia, echinacea - purpurea , and  echinacea - pallida.    
     
     
         29 . A method of treating nasal cavities comprising: 
 providing a solution having one or more constituents selected from the group consisting of: a family of alkaloids extracted from one or more plants; essential oils; zinc; salt; glycerine; colloidial silver; extracts of echinacea; and grapefruit seed; and,    flowing the solution through at least a portion of the nasal cavities.    
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29  including the step of first diluting the solution as desired into water or a saline solution to form a dilute solution and flowing the dilute solution through a desired portion of the nasal cavities.  
     
     
         31 . The method of claims  29  wherein the flowing step includes feeding the solution into a first nostril while discharging the solution through a second nostril.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31  further comprising placing the solution into a vessel having a port which cooperates with a nostril to provide an acceptable degree of sealing between the vessel and the first nostril, and, positioning the nostril and the vessel with respect to each other such that either gravity or ambient air pressure will flow the solution from the vessel into the first nostril and out of the second nostril.  
     
     
         33 . The method of claims  29  wherein the flowing step includes flowing about 4 to about 16 ounces, and more preferably about the 8 ounces of solution, are flowed through the nasal cavities.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 29  wherein the alkaloid are selected from the group consisting of berberine, oxyberberine, berbamine, palmatine, magnoflorine, phellodendrine, jateorrhizine, candicine, menisperine, coptisine, worenine, columbamine, epiberberine, hydrastine, canadine, canadaline, hydrastidine, oxycyanthine, berberrubine, and isotetrandine.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34  wherein the plants from which the alkaloids are extracted are selected from the group consisting of Oregon grape root, yellow root, phellodendron bark, coptis rhizome, barberry root, and Indian barberry root bark.