Topical compositions incorporating silica fibers

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention include topical compositions comprising silica fiber powder or dust and a topical carrier, for treatment of skin tissue. The silica fiber powder or dust may be generated from silica fiber mats that may be formed via electrospinning of a sol gel produced with a silicon alkoxide reagent, such as tetraethyl ortho silicate, alcohol solvent, and an acid catalyst.

1 .- 40 . (canceled) 
     
     
         41 . A topical composition comprising a silica fiber powder or dust, and a topical carrier. 
     
     
         42 . The topical composition of  claim 41 , wherein the topical carrier is a lotion, ointment, balm, paste, cream, foam, soap, shampoo, conditioner, bath salt, or gel. 
     
     
         43 . The topical composition of  claim 41 , wherein the topical carrier is a lotion, ointment, balm, paste, cream, or gel. 
     
     
         44 . The topical composition of  claim 41 , wherein the silica fiber powder or dust consists essentially of SiO 2 . 
     
     
         45 . The topical composition of  claim 41 , wherein the topical composition comprises a hydrophobic phase. 
     
     
         46 . The topical composition of  claim 45 , wherein the hydrophobic phase comprises one or more of almond oil, castor oil, cacao butter, coconut oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, linseed oil, olive oil, palm oil, peanut oil, poppy seed oil, rapeseed oil, sesame oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil, teaseed oil, jojoba oil, mineral oils, silicone oils, fatty oils, liquid paraffin, beeswax, lanolin, white soft paraffin, yellow soft paraffin, petrolatum, triglycerides, cetyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol, isopropyl myristate, oleic acid, isopropyl palmitate, stearic acid, a sorbitan esters of a fatty acid, and a sorbitan ester of a fatty acid and ethylene oxide. 
     
     
         47 . The topical composition of  claim 41 , wherein the topical composition comprises an aqueous phase. 
     
     
         48 . The topical composition of  claim 47 , wherein the aqueous phase comprises a solvent comprising one or more of water, polyethylene glycol, propylene glycol, glycerol, sorbitol, ethanol, and isopropyl alcohol. 
     
     
         49 . The topical composition of  claim 41 , wherein the silica fiber powder or dust is incorporated into the composition at from about 5 mg/ml to about 500 mg/ml. 
     
     
         50 . The topical composition of  claim 41 , wherein the silica fiber powder or dust is incorporated into the composition at from about 5 mg/ml to about 250 mg/ml. 
     
     
         51 . The topical composition of  claim 41 , wherein the silica fiber powder or dust is incorporated into the composition at from about 25 mg/ml to about 100 mg/ml. 
     
     
         52 . The topical composition of  claim 41 , wherein the topical composition is prepared by electrospinning a sol-gel into a silica fiber composition, processing the silica fiber composition into powder or dust, and incorporating the powder or dust with the topical carrier. 
     
     
         53 . The topical composition of  claim 52 , wherein the sol-gel is prepared with tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS). 
     
     
         54 . The topical composition of  claim 41 , wherein the fibers of the silica fiber powder or dust have a variable diameter of from about 50 nm to about 5 μm. 
     
     
         55 . The topical composition of  claim 54 , wherein the fibers have a variable diameter predominately in the range of about 200 to about 2000 nm. 
     
     
         56 . The topical composition of  claim 41 , further comprising one or more pharmaceutical or antimicrobial agents. 
     
     
         57 . The topical composition of  claim 56 , further comprising at least one of an antibiotic, an antiseptic, an anti-inflammatory agent, an immunosuppressant, a pain reducing agent, an anti-fibrotic, or an anti-scarring agent. 
     
     
         58 . The topical composition of  claim 41 , further comprising an antibiotic selected from the group consisting of cephalosporin antibiotics, tetracycline antibiotics, beta-lactams, carbapenem antibiotics, polymyxin B, neomycin, and bacitracin. 
     
     
         59 . The topical composition of  claim 41 , further comprising an antiseptic selected from the group consisting of phenol, meta-cresol, methylparaben, and sodium benzoate. 
     
     
         60 . The topical composition of  claim 41 , further comprising a steroidal anti-inflammatory agent selected from the group consisting of hydroxyltriamcinolone, alpha-methyl dexamethasone, beta-methyl betamethasone, beclomethasone dipropionate, clobetasol valerate, desonide, desoxymethasone, dexamethasone, diflorasone diacetate, diflucortolone valerate, fluadrenolone, fluclorolone acetonide, flumethasone pivalate, fluosinolone acetonide, fluocinonide, flucortine butylester, fluocortolone, fluprednidene (fluprednylidene) acetate, flurandrenolone, halcinonide, triamcinolone acetonide, cortisone, cortodoxone, flucetonide, fludrocortisone, difluorosone diacetate, fluradrenolone acetonide, medrysone, amcinafel, amcinafide, betamethasone, chloroprednisone, clocortelone, clescinolone, dichlorisone, difluprednate, flucloronide, flunisolide, fluoromethalone, fluperolone, fluprednisolone, hydrocortisone, paramethasone, prednisolone, methylprednisolone, prednisone, and budesonide. 
     
     
         61 . The topical composition of  claim 41 , further comprising a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agent selected from the group consisting of salicylic acid, acetyl salicylic acid, methyl salicylate, glycol salicylate, salicylmides, benzyl-2,5-diacetoxybenzoic acid, ibuprofen, fulindac, naproxen, ketoprofen, etofenamate, phenylbutazone, and indomethacin. 
     
     
         62 . The topical composition of  claim 41 , further comprising one or more of cortisone, hydrocortisone, acetaminophen, or a cannabinoid. 
     
     
         63 . The topical composition of  claim 41 , further comprising a thickener comprising one or more of acacia, an alginate, carageenan, chitosan, collagen, tragacanth, xantham, a cellulose, an acrylic acid, a colloidal solid, a hydrogel, and a thermoreversible polymer. 
     
     
         64 . The topical composition of  claim 41 , further comprising an emulsifier selected from the group consisting of polyol esters, glycerol esters, sorbitan derivatives, sorbitan monolaurate, sorbitan monooleate, sorbitan monostearate, sorbitan monopalmitate, sorbitan sesquioleate, sorbitan trioleate, sorbitan tristearate, polyoxyethylene sorbitan esters, polyoxyethylene esters, stearate esters of PEG, laurate esters of PEG, oleate esters of PEG, and myristate esters of PEG. 
     
     
         65 . A method for treating skin tissue in a mammalian subject, the method comprising, applying the topical composition of  claim 41  to said skin tissue. 
     
     
         66 . The method of  claim 65 , wherein the composition is applied to a skin lesion, scar, superficial wound or infection, burn, cut, scrape, rash, blister, bug bite, poison ivy or poison oak, or hives. 
     
     
         67 . The method of  claim 65 , wherein the subject has epidermolysis bullosa or ichthyosis. 
     
     
         68 . The method of  claim 65 , wherein the composition is applied to a sunburn or to a first, second, and/or third degree burn. 
     
     
         69 . The method of  claim 65 , wherein the composition is applied to skin affected by eczema, atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, acne, rosacea, pruritus, shingles, lupus, dermatitis herpetiformis, or dermatomyositis. 
     
     
         70 . The method of  claim 65 , wherein the topical composition is applied as a bath comprising the silica fiber powder or dust.