Compositions and Methods for Treating Burns

Abstract

The present invention provides compositions and methods for treating burns comprising administering to a burn area of a subject in need thereof of a therapeutically effective amount of a composition comprising an anti-cytokine or anti-inflammatory agent or a functional derivative thereof, and a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient.

1 . A method for reducing the severity of inflammation and edema associated with a pulmonary disease, comprising administering a pharmaceutical composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of (i) a pharmaceutically acceptable fluorophosphate salt, (ii) a dihydrofolate reductase inhibitor selected from the group consisting of aminopterin, methotrexate, pyramethamine, and trimethoprim, or (iii) a combination of the fluorophosphate salt and the dihydrofolate reductase inhibitor, in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier to a mammal in need thereof. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition comprises a therapeutically effective amount of aminopterin or methotrexate, and said pharmaceutical composition inhibits dihydrofolate reductase. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pulmonary disease is selected from the group consisting of pneumonia, pulmonary edema, pulmonary emphysema, asthma, bronchitis and reversible obstructive airway disease. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the pulmonary disease is selected from the group consisting of nosocomial pneumonia, ARDS (acute respiratory distress syndrome), ventilator associated pneumonia, thromboembolic complications, alveolar proteinosis pneumonia, bronchiocolotis obliterans organizing pneumonia (BOOP), chronic aspiration lipoid pneumonia, community acquired pneumonia (CAP), coronavirus pneumonia, cryptoccal pneumonia,  chlamydia  pneumonia, desquamative interstitial pneumonia, eosinophilic pneumonia,  haemophilus influenza  pneumonia,  haemophilus influenza  pneumonia,  haemophilus parainfluenzae  pneumonia, idiopathic pneumonia, influenza associated pneumonia, idiopathic interstitial pneumonia,  kliebsiella  pneumonia, mycoplasma pneumonia, non-specific interstitial pneumonia (associated with dermatomyositis-DM),  pasteurella multocida  pneumonia,  pneumocystis carinnii -(PCP) pneumonia,  pseudomonas aeruginosa  pneumonia, respiratory synctial virus infection, staphylococcal necrotising pneumonia, tuberculosis pneumonia, usual interstitial pneumonitis (UIP), and varicella zoster virus pneumonia. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition further comprises a therapeutically effective amount of one or more anti-inflammatory compounds and/or a therapeutically effective amount of one or more immunomodulatory agents. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the anti-inflammatory compound or immunomodulatory drug comprises at least one of interferon; betaseron or β-interferon; prostane; iloprost or cicaprost; a glucocorticoid; an immunosuppressive; a lipoxygenase inhibitor; a leukotriene antagonist; ACTH; a soluble TNF-receptor; an anti-TNF-antibody; a soluble receptor of interleukin, an Il-1 receptor antagonist, or a T-cell-protein; an antibody against a receptor of interleukin, another cytokine, or a T-cell-protein; or a calcipotriol. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition further comprises a therapeutically effective amount of one or more additional anti-inflammatory compounds and/or a therapeutically effective amount of one or more additional immunomodulatory agents. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the mammal is a human being. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition comprises the pharmaceutically acceptable fluorophosphate salt. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the fluorophosphate salt comprises sodium fluorophosphate in an amount of from 1.5% to 15% by weight per unit volume of the pharmaceutical composition. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the pharmaceutically effective amount is a dose of from 0.001 to 100 mg of aminopterin, methotrexate, pyramethamine, trimethoprim or functional derivative thereof per 70 kg of body weight of said mammal. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the pharmaceutically effective amount is a dose of from 0.01 to 20 mg of aminopterin, methotrexate, pyramethamine, trimethoprim or functional derivative thereof per 70 kg of body weight of said mammal. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 1 , comprising administering the pharmaceutical composition parenterally. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition comprises a pharmaceutically acceptable solution, dispersion, suspension or emulsion. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising administering an antibacterial agent to said mammal. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition comprises the antibacterial agent. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein administering the pharmaceutical composition comprises oral, systemic, implant, intravenous, topical, intrathecal, or nasal administration. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the pharmaceutically acceptable carrier comprises dicalcium phosphate dihydrate (DCP), insoluble sodium metaphosphate, sorbitol syrup solution, guar gum, xanthan gum, monosodium phosphate, titanium dioxide, sodium dodecylbenzene sulphate, water, trimagnesium phosphate, and hydroxethyl cellulose ester. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition comprises about 21.4% dicalcium phosphate dihydrate (DCP) by weight, about 13% insoluble sodium metaphosphate by weight, about 23.3% sorbitol syrup solution by weight, about 4.2% guar gum by weight, about 1.7% xanthan gum by weight, about 0.28% monosodium phosphate by weight, about 0.56% titanium dioxide by weight, about 0.46% sodium dodecylbenzene sulphate by weight, about 22.4% water by weight, about 0.74% trimagnesium phosphate by weight, and about 2.9% hydroxethyl cellulose ester by weight. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition comprises about 8.9% of the pharmaceutically acceptable fluorophosphate salt by weight, and about 0.0015% of the dihydrofolate reductase inhibitor by weight. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition further comprises one or more macrolide antibiotics. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition further comprises one or more anti-fungal agents. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition further comprises one or more anti-viral agents. 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition further comprises one or more anti-parasitic agents.