Composition

Abstract

A therapeutic composition is described comprising honey or a honey derivative, a fatty ester wax or wax-like compound and a surfactant. The honey or derivative may comprise a single type of honey or may be a mixture of two or more different types of honey. The fatty ester, wax or wax-like compound preferably has a melting point around 45° C. or less and most preferably between 40 and 43° C. The wax may be myristyl myristate. The surfactant is preferably ethoxylated sweet almond oil but may also comprise ethoxylated caster oil and ethoxylated evening primrose oil. The preferred embodiment comprises honey or honey derivative 80%, myristyl myristate 15% and ethoxylated sweet almond oil 5%. The invention extends to a method of producing a therapeutic honey composition by heating the honey to a temperature that will not cause degradation of one or more functional enzymes of the honey, combining wax and surfactant by heating and mixing and cooling the mixture before mixing it with honey. The maximum temperature of honey in this method is preferably 45° C. or less while the wax and surfactant may be mixed in the temperature range of 50-60° C.

1 . A composition for treating a patient, said composition comprising: 
 honey or a honey derivative;    a fatty ester, wax or wax-like compound; and    a surfactant.    
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1  comprising honey of a single type substantially derived from one floral species.  
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 1  comprising honey selected from two or more of different types of honey each substantially derived from different floral species.  
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 3  wherein at least one type of honey has peroxide associated activity and at least one other honey has non-peroxide associated activity.  
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the honey or honey derivative is present as at least 50% of the composition.  
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 5  wherein the honey or honey derivative is present in the range of 70-90% of the composition.  
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 6  wherein the honey or honey derivative is present in a concentration of around 80% of the composition.  
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the fatty ester, wax or wax-like compound has a melting point around 45°C or less.  
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 9  wherein the fatty ester, wax or wax-like compound has a melting point around 40° C.  
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the fatty ester, wax or wax-like compound is myristyl myristate.  
     
     
         11 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the fatty ester, wax or wax-like compound is an emollient fatty ester or fatty alcohol.  
     
     
         12 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the surfactant is a non-ionic surfactant.  
     
     
         13 . The composition of  claim 12  wherein the surfactant comprises or includes ethoxylated sweet almond oil.  
     
     
         14 . The composition of  claim 12  wherein the surfactant comprises or includes ethoxylated caster oil and/or ethoxylated evening primrose oil.  
     
     
         15 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the surfactant is present in the range of 2-10% of the composition.  
     
     
         16 . The composition of  claim 15  wherein the surfactant is present in the range of 2-7% of the composition.  
     
     
         17 . The composition of  claim 16  wherein the surfactant is present at around 5% of the composition.  
     
     
         18 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the fatty ester, wax or wax-like compound is present in the range of 1-50% of the composition.  
     
     
         19 . The composition of  claim 17  wherein the fatty ester, wax or wax-like compound is present in the range of 10-30%.  
     
     
         20 . The composition of  claim 19  wherein the fatty ester, wax or wax-like compound is present at around 15% of the composition.  
     
     
         21 . A composition for treatment of a patient, said composition comprising 80% honey, 15% myristyl myristate and 5% ethoxylated sweet almond oil.  
     
     
         22 . A method of producing a therapeutic honey composition or ointment, said method comprising the steps of: 
 heating honey to a temperature which is below a temperature that will cause degradation, complete or partial, of one or more functional enzymes in the honey;    combining a wax and a surfactant by heating and mixing;    cooling the mixture of wax and surfactant until the mixture has a temperature similar to the temperature of the honey;    combining the honey with the wax and surfactant.    
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the one or more functional enzymes in the honey is glucose oxidase.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the maximum temperature of the heated honey is 45° C.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the wax and surfactant mixture is heated to a temperature in the range of 50-60° C.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25  wherein the wax and surfactant mixture is mixed through the honey with high shear mixing until substantially homogenous.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the wax is myristyl myristate.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the surfactant is ethoxylated sweet almond oil.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 22  further including the step of sterilising the composition or ointment.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29  wherein the ointment is sterilised by applying one or more dosages of gamma irradiation.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30  wherein the gamma irradiation is applied at levels between 25-35 kGy.  
     
     
         32 . The method of either one of  claim 22  or  claim 31  further including the step of impregnating a bandage or dressing with the composition or ointment.  
     
     
         33 . A method of treating a subject, human or animal, comprising applying the composition of  claim 1  in a therapeutically effective dose to the human or animal subject.  
     
     
         34 . A wound dressing comprising a material dressing and the composition of  claim 1.