Screening method for the identification of compositions suitable for the treatment of oral cavity malodor associated with smoking a tobacco product

Abstract

This invention generally relates to a screening method for identifying compositions suitable for use in an oral composition (e.g., a confection or chewing gum product) effective for the treatment of oral cavity malodor associated with smoking a tobacco product. In particular, this invention relates to a screening method for determining the ability of a composition to reduce the concentration of a pyridine or pyrazine compound present in a model sample or solution which is representative of the oral cavity of a subject after smoking a tobacco product, as an indicator of the effectiveness of that composition in the treatment of oral malodor associated with smoking a tobacco product.

1 . A method for preparing an oral composition effective for reducing oral malodor associated with tobacco smoke, the method comprising: 
 contacting in a vessel a test composition and a model solution comprising a pyridine or pyrazine compound present in tobacco smoke, wherein the test composition comprises cranberry extract, crabapple extract, hawthorn berry extract, plum extract, prune extract, grape seed extract, grape skin extract, cardamom oil, alfalfa extract, honeysuckle extract, rosemary extract, basil extract, thyme extract, aloe extract, chrysanthemum extract, green tea extract, coffee berry extract, licorice, parsley seed oil, pine extract, coffee extract, ginseng extract, dandelion root extract, chlorogenic acid, ascorbic acid, caffeic acid, zinc lactate, silica gel, citric acid, maleic acid, tartaric acid, eugenol, α-cyclodextrin, β-cyclodextrin, γ-cyclodextrin, quinic acid, activated carbon, or a combination thereof;    determining the ability of the test composition to reduce the concentration of the pyridine or pyrazine compound in a headspace of said vessel; and    preparing an oral composition comprising said test composition.    
   
   
       2 . A method as set forth in  claim 1  further comprising diluting said test composition prior to said contacting.  
   
   
       3 . A method as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said oral composition comprises a confection, chewing gum, lozenge, pressed tablet, edible film, mouthspray, mouthwash, toothpaste product or combinations thereof.  
   
   
       4 . A method as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the ability of the test composition to reduce the concentration of a pyridine or pyrazine compound in the headspace of said vessel is determined by a method comprising: 
 measuring the concentration of the pyridine or pyrazine compound in the headspace of said vessel containing the model solution prior to contact with the test composition, to determine an initial pyridine or pyrazine compound concentration in said headspace;    measuring the concentration of the pyridine or pyrazine compound in the headspace of said vessel containing the model solution after contact with the test composition, to determine a final pyridine or pyrazine compound concentration in said headspace; and    determining the difference between the initial and final concentration of the pyridine or pyrazine compound in the headspace of the vessel.    
   
   
       5 . A method as set forth in  claim 4  wherein the test composition is contacted, and optionally agitated, with the model solution comprising the pyridine or pyrazine compound in the vessel for at least about 10 minutes at a temperature of about 20° C., prior to measuring the pyridine or pyrazine compound concentration in the headspace of the vessel containing the test composition and the model solution.  
   
   
       6 . A method as set forth in  claim 4  wherein measuring the concentration of the pyridine or pyrazine compound in the headspace of the vessel, before and/or after contact with the test composition, comprises: 
 sampling a portion of the vapors comprising the pyridine or pyrazine compound in the headspace; and    subjecting the sampled portion of the vapors to analysis comprising chromatography.    
   
   
       7 . A method as set forth in  claim 6  wherein said sampling comprises contacting the headspace with a gas tight syringe and extracting a portion of the vapors comprising the pyridine or pyrazine compound in the headspace from the vessel, wherein the vessel is hermetically sealed.  
   
   
       8 . A method as set forth in  claim 6  further comprising subjecting the sampled portion of the vapors to mass spectrometry.  
   
   
       9 . A method as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the test composition contacts a model solution comprising a pyridine compound.  
   
   
       10 . A method as set forth in  claim 9  wherein the concentration of a pyridine compound is reduced by at least about 50%.  
   
   
       11 . A method as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the test composition contacts a model solution comprising a pyrazine compound.  
   
   
       12 . A method as set forth in  claim 11  wherein the concentration of a pyrazine compound is reduced by at least about 50%.  
   
   
       13 . A method as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the test composition contacts a model solution comprising a pyridine compound and a pyrazine compound.  
   
   
       14 . A method as set forth in  claim 13  wherein the concentration of a pyridine compound and the concentration of a pyrazine compound is reduced by at least about 50%.  
   
   
       15 . A method as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the test composition comprises cardamom oil, cranberry extract or a combination thereof.  
   
   
       16 . A method for identifying a composition suitable for use in an oral composition effective for reducing oral malodor associated with tobacco smoke, the method comprising: 
 contacting in a vessel a test composition and a model solution comprising tobacco smoke odorants, the odorants comprising pyridine, 2-ethyl pyridine, 3-ethyl pyrazine and ethyl pyrazine, wherein the test composition comprises cranberry extract, crabapple extract, hawthorn berry extract, plum extract, prune extract, grape seed extract, grape skin extract, cardamom oil, alfalfa extract, honeysuckle extract, rosemary extract, basil extract, thyme extract, aloe extract, chrysanthemum extract, green tea extract, coffee berry extract, licorice, parsley seed oil, pine extract, coffee extract, ginseng extract, dandelion root extract, chlorogenic acid, ascorbic acid, caffeic acid, zinc lactate, silica gel, citric acid, maleic acid, tartaric acid, eugenol, α-cyclodextrin, β-cyclodextrin, γ-cyclodextrin, quinic acid, activated carbon, or a combination thereof; and    determining the ability of the test composition to reduce the concentration of one or more of the odorants in said model solution in the headspace of said vessel.    
   
   
       17 . A method as set forth in  claim 16  wherein the model solution further comprises 2,4,6-trimethyl pyridine, 2,6-dimethyl pyridine, 3-ethyl pyridine, 2-ethyl-3-methyl pyrazine, or combinations thereof.  
   
   
       18 . A method as set forth in  claim 16  wherein the model solution further comprises 3,5-dimethyl pyridine, 2-ethyl pyridine, 3-ethyl pyridine, 2,3-dimethyl pyrazine, 2,5-dimethyl pyrazine, or combinations thereof.  
   
   
       19 . A method as set forth in  claim 16  wherein said oral composition comprises a confection, chewing gum, lozenge, pressed tablet, edible film, mouthspray, mouthwash, toothpaste product or combinations thereof.  
   
   
       20 . A method as set forth in  claim 16  wherein the ability of the test composition to reduce the concentration of one or more of the odorants in the headspace of said vessel is determined by a method comprising: 
 measuring the concentration of one or more of the odorants in the headspace of said vessel containing the model solution prior to contact with the test composition, to determine an initial odorant concentration in said headspace;    measuring the concentration of one or more of the odorants in the headspace of said vessel containing the model solution after contact with the test composition, to determine a final odorant concentration in said headspace; and    determining the difference between the initial and final concentration of one or more of the odorants in the headspace of the vessel.    
   
   
       21 . A method as set forth in  claim 20  wherein the concentration of an odorant is reduced by at least about 50%.  
   
   
       22 . A method as set forth in  claim 16  wherein the test composition comprises cardamom oil, cranberry extract, or a combination thereof.  
   
   
       23 . A method for treatment of oral malodor associated with tobacco smoke, the method comprising: 
 administering to a subject an oral composition comprising an ingredient effective to reduce the concentration of tobacco smoke odorants present in the subject's oral cavity as a result of smoking a tobacco product by at least about 50%, wherein said odorants comprise 2,4,6-trimethyl pyridine, 2,6-dimethyl pyridine, 3-ethyl pyridine and 2-ethyl-3-methyl pyrazine and the ingredient comprises cranberry extract, crabapple extract, hawthorn berry extract, plum extract, prune extract, grape seed extract, grape skin extract, cardamom oil, alfalfa extract, honeysuckle extract, rosemary extract, basil extract, thyme extract, aloe extract, chrysanthemum extract, green tea extract, coffee berry extract, licorice, parsley seed oil, pine extract, coffee extract, ginseng extract, dandelion root extract, chlorogenic acid, ascorbic acid, caffeic acid, zinc lactate, silica gel, citric acid, maleic acid, tartaric acid, eugenol, α-cyclodextrin, β-cyclodextrin, γ-cyclodextrin, quinic acid, activated carbon, or a combination thereof.    
   
   
       24 . A method as set forth in  claim 23  wherein said oral composition comprises a confection, chewing gum, lozenge, pressed tablet, edible film, mouthspray, mouthwash, toothpaste product or combinations thereof.  
   
   
       25 . A method as set forth in  claim 23  wherein administration comprises chewing a gum comprising said composition for at least about 5 minutes.  
   
   
       26 . A method as set forth in  claim 23  wherein administration comprises chewing the gum for from about 5 to about 60 minutes.  
   
   
       27 . A method as set forth in  claim 23  wherein said odorants further comprise 3,5-dimethyl pyridine, 2-ethyl pyridine and pyridine.  
   
   
       28 . A method as set forth in  claim 23  wherein said odorants further comprise ethyl pyrazine, 2,3-dimethyl pyrazine and 2,5-dimethyl pyrazine.  
   
   
       29 . A method as set forth in  claim 23  wherein the ingredient comprises cardamom oil, cranberry extract, or a combination thereof.