Nail fungus treatment and composition

Abstract

A method for delivering an antifungal agent to a nail surface or a surface of a body excluding an oral cavity includes the step of adding the antifungal agent and a penetration enhancer containing composition sequentially or simultaneously to the nail surface or the surface of the body to form a further composition. Penetration through the nail or the surface of the body of the antifungal agent is enhanced by the penetration enhancer, and the penetration enhancer is a metal chlorite salt.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for delivering an antifungal agent to a nail surface or a surface of a body excluding an oral cavity comprising: adding the antifungal agent and a penetration enhancer containing composition sequentially or simultaneously to the nail surface or the surface of the body to form a further composition, wherein penetration through the nail or the surface of the body of the antifungal agent is enhanced by the penetration enhancer, wherein the penetration enhancer is a metal chlorite salt. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the antifungal agent is in a condensed phase. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the antifungal agent is a compound other than chlorine dioxide. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the metal chlorite salt comprises one of sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said compositions further comprise an alpha hydroxy acid. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the further composition comprises a broad spectrum antibiotic agent. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the metal chlorite salt comprises at least 1% by weight. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the metal chlorite salt comprises at least 2% by weight. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the antifungal agent is selected from the group consisting of; amorolfine, amphotericin B, carbol-fuchsin, ciclopirox, clotrimazole, dapsone econazole, fluconazole, flucytosine, griseofulvin, Gentian Violet, haloprogin, itraconazole, ketoconazole, mafenide, miconazole, naftifine, nystatin, oxiconazole, silver sulfadiazine, sulconazole terbinafine, tioconazole, tolnafiat, undecylenic acid, voriconazole, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts and esters thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the surface is a nail. 
     
     
         11 . A method for treating or preventing a fungal infection of nail or skin excluding an oral cavity, comprising: applying one or more compositions to a surface of the infection or nearby tissue; wherein the one or more compositions comprise an antifungal agent and a metal chlorite salt. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the antifungal agent is in a condensed phase. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the antifungal agent is a compound other than chlorine dioxide. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the metal chlorite salt comprises one of sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more compositions further comprise an alpha hydroxy acid. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more composition comprises a broad spectrum antibiotic agent. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the metal chlorite salt comprises at least 1% by weight. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the metal chlorite salt comprises at least 2% by weight.