JP2006036725A - Solution for inkjet nebulization/inhalation - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a solution for nebulization/inhalation such as a Perilla seed solution, etc., capable of being sprayed by an inkjet type nebulization device, without having clogging caused by mold, etc., and capable of spraying for a long period stably. <P>SOLUTION: This solution of Perilla seeds contains the Perilla seed extract, at least 1 kind selected from a group consisting of ethanol and isopropyl alcohol, at least 1 kind of a polyhydric alcohol selected from a group consisting of glycerol, ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol and a polyethylene glycol, and at least 1 kind nonionic surfactants selected from a group including polyoxyethylene alkyl ether-based, polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid ester-based and sucrose fatty acid ester-based surfactants, and has 30-50 dyne/cm surface tension and ≤5 centipoise viscosity. The inhalation solution can be sprayed into an inhalation mask attached on the mouth and nose of a human by using the inkjet type device. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a spray inhalation solution capable of giving a physical effect such as ingestion of medicinal ingredients and supplementation of nutrients to an inhaled person by being sprayed, and particularly suitable for spraying by an ink jet method. Related to inhalable solutions.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as an example of spraying a solution using an ink jet spraying device, spraying a herb solution (fragrance liquid) obtained by extracting a component (aroma component) such as an aroma of herbs is known (see, for example, FIG. 2 of Patent Document 1). ).

  The ink jet type spraying apparatus of Patent Document 1 uses a piezo type or thermal type spray head similar to an ink jet printer. For example, a piezo-type spray device (fragrance output device) includes a spray head in which a fragrance discharger and a deodorant discharge device are alternately arranged, and a fragrance liquid from a fragrance liquid storage portion of the head is provided in a cavity of each fragrance discharger. Pressure is applied to the fragrance liquid by a piezo element provided at one end of the cavity, and droplets of the fragrance liquid are ejected into the air from the nozzle provided in the cavity (deodorant liquid release). The same applies to the vessel).

By the way, perilla extract, perilla leaf extract, perilla extract (extract from whole perilla including leaf and leaf) contains many medicinal ingredients, for example, histamine release inhibitory action relieves hay fever symptoms. There is an effect to. Therefore, spray a perilla solution (perilla extract or a solution in which it is dissolved) into an inhalation mask (inhaler) applied to the mouth and nose of a person, and inhale a fog of perilla solution from the mouth and nose. It is considered to ingest the contained medicinal ingredients, and in order to supply the optimal amount of inhalation, it is conceivable to use an ink jet system that can precisely control the amount of discharge in the spray device of the inhaler. Yes.
JP-A-10-146385

  However, when an additive-free perilla solution is sprayed by an ink jet type spraying device, physical properties such as surface tension and viscosity are not suitable for spraying by the ink jet method, and an additive-free herb solution (fragrance liquid) As in the above case, there is a possibility that the perilla solution cannot be sprayed into a good mist having fine droplets and uniform size. In addition, if the antiseptic and antifungal measures of the perilla solution are not taken sufficiently, corrosion deposits and molds will be generated in the solution, which will clog the nozzles of the spraying device and prevent stable spraying for a long time. In addition, the effect of ingestion is impaired by the alteration of medicinal properties. Furthermore, the deposit of the precipitate due to the dry concentration of the perilla solution also causes a clogging of the nozzle.

  A similar problem is that a supplement solution containing a dietary supplement (supplement) such as L-carnitine is sprayed into an inhalation mask (inhaler) applied to a person's mouth and nose, and the mist of the supplement solution is sprayed from the mouth and nose. It is considered that humans can be replenished with nutrients by inhaling and ingesting, but when using an ink jet type spray device that can precisely control the supply amount, the discharge port Since clogging is fine, clogging is a particular problem.

  Therefore, the present invention, when sprayed on the inside of an inhalation mask or the like, mainly gives physical effects such as ingestion of medicinal ingredients contained in natural products such as perilla and supplementation of nutrients to supplements. A spray inhalation solution that can be sprayed in a good mist with an ink jet type spray device and can be stably sprayed for a long period of time without causing nozzle clogging due to mold or the like. The solution is intended.

  The above objective is accomplished by the ink jet spray inhalation solution of the present invention. The present invention is an inhalation spray solution that is sprayed by an ink jet method and inhaled by a person, and is a liquid or liquid-soluble purified product that mainly gives a human physical effect, water, ethanol, and At least one monohydric alcohol selected from the group consisting of isopropyl alcohol, at least one polyhydric alcohol selected from the group consisting of glycerin, ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol and polyethylene glycol, and a polyoxyethylene alkyl ether interface And at least one nonionic surfactant selected from the group comprising an activator, a polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid ester surfactant and a sucrose fatty acid ester surfactant, and a surface tension of 30 to 50 dyne / Cm, viscosity is 5 centipoise or more And characterized in that.

  According to one aspect of the present invention, the purified product is at least one natural product extract selected from the group comprising perilla extract, perilla leaf extract, perilla extract, guarana extract. According to another aspect of the present invention, the purified product is at least one supplement selected from the group comprising L-carnitine, coenzyme Q10, and DHA 46%. The content of the purified product in the spray inhalation solution is 0.1 to 50.0 wt% in terms of the active ingredient amount. The monohydric alcohol content in the spray inhalation solution is 5.0 to 8.0 wt%, and the polyhydric alcohol content is 5.0 to 10.0 wt%. The content of the nonionic surfactant in the spray inhalation solution is 0.05 to 5.0 wt%.

  The spray inhalation solution of the present invention comprises a liquid or liquid-soluble purified product mainly giving physical effects to humans, water, at least one monohydric alcohol selected from the group consisting of ethanol and isopropyl alcohol, and glycerin , At least one polyhydric alcohol selected from the group consisting of ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol and polyethylene glycol, a polyoxyethylene alkyl ether surfactant, a polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid ester surfactant and a sucrose fatty acid ester Inkjet spraying apparatus comprising at least one nonionic surfactant selected from the group containing a surfactant, an aqueous solution having a surface tension of 30 to 50 dyne / cm and a viscosity of 5 centipoise or less If you can spray well using Without causing nozzle clogging due to fungus and the like, can be performed stably for a long period of time spray.

  Hereinafter, the spray inhalation solution of the present invention will be described in detail. In the present invention, a liquid or liquid-soluble purified product mainly giving physical effects to humans, water, monohydric alcohol, polyhydric alcohol and nonionic surfactant are added, and the surface tension is 30 to 50 dyne / A solution for spray inhalation having a cm and viscosity of 5 centipoise or less is prepared.

  Examples of liquid or liquid-soluble purified products that mainly give physical effects to humans include perilla extract, perilla leaf extract, perilla extract (extract from whole perilla including fruits and leaves), guarana extract (guarana extract) It is a supplement containing a natural product extract (alcohol extract from a seed, water extract) or the like, and supplements (nutritional supplements) such as L-carnitine, coenzyme Q10, and DHA 46%.

  Perilla extract (Perilla extract, Perilla leaf extract, Perilla extract), which is an extract of a natural product, has, for example, a histamine release-inhibiting action and an effect of alleviating the symptoms of hay fever. Guarana extract acts on neurons in the hippocampal region related to brain memory, and has the effect of enhancing memory and preventing memory decline.

  In the present invention, natural products for which the extract can be used as a liquid or liquid-soluble purified product include ginkgo biloba leaves, bamboo shoots, dokudami, propolis, royal jelly, and the like that have been conventionally known for their medicinal effects. Can be mentioned widely. These are extracted with an appropriate extraction medium such as alcohol or water and supplied as a liquid purified product in the form of an extract containing an extract including medicinal components. As a purified product using a natural product as a raw material, a plum extract (liquid component exuded from plum dried) can also be used, and this can be supplied as it is.

  Purified products made from natural products are refined when supplied, and impurities such as proteins that cause clogging of the nozzle of the spraying device are removed. For the purification, it is preferable to use a general method such as a distillation method or a recrystallization method so as not to remove, for example, polyphenol having medicinal properties. For natural product extracts, physical extraction is performed instead of chemical precipitation in consideration of the possibility of having trace amounts or unknown active ingredients as well as the main components such as polyphenols in perilla extract. For the same reason, extract the water, oil, etc. contained in the extract. In the examples of the present invention, the simplest concentration / filtration method was used. In this method, impurities such as proteins are precipitated by concentration of natural products, and the impurities are removed by filtration, and the filtrate is collected. According to this purification method, for example, the amount of polyphenol in perilla fruit extract can be stored almost completely from 20.000 mg / g before purification to 19.522 mg / g after purification.

  Regarding dietary supplements, for example, L-carnitine plays a role in transporting intracellular fat to mitochondria, a fat burning factory, but the self-generating function of L-carnitine is halved at the age of 50 and over. When L-carnitine is deficient in muscle, it tends to get tired, and deficiency in the brain leads to dementia. Therefore, if L-carnitine is taken, there exists an effect which avoids them. Coenzyme Q10 is made from the liver and kidneys of humans, and its typical functions are a diet effect and increased endurance by burning fat. Many of these supplements are available as supplements in the form of liquid soluble solid supplements or concentrates with high supplement concentrations.

  By increasing the content of the purified product in the spray inhalation solution, the upper limit of the amount of the active ingredient can be set to 50 wt% so that the medicinal components can be efficiently consumed or nutrients can be replenished. . When the content of the purified product exceeds 50 wt%, the purified product is not completely dissolved when it is solid, and even if it is liquid, the viscosity of the solution becomes high and it cannot be sprayed well. The lower limit of the purified product is not particularly limited, but is preferably 0.1 wt%. If it is less than 0.1 wt%, it is not possible to efficiently take in medicinal ingredients and supplement nutrients. Preferably, the content of the purified product is 0.1 to 50 wt% in terms of the active ingredient amount.

  Here, the amount of active ingredients in a liquid or liquid-soluble purified product of natural products is explained by taking an example of perilla extract, for example, 30 grams of perilla extract is extracted with 90 grams of alcohol and purified by filtration or the like. Thus, when 100 grams of the extract and 20 grams of squeezed residue are obtained, the amount of the extract in the extract, that is, the amount of the active ingredient in the perilla extract is 10 wt%. If it is contained in the extract, even the moisture and oil content of perilla from the original extraction source are treated as active ingredients.

  Ethyl alcohol and isopropyl alcohol are used as solvents for dissolving and mixing liquid or liquid-soluble purified products. These monohydric alcohols such as ethyl alcohol and isopropyl alcohol are highly soluble in purified products, highly compatible with water, and low in viscosity. In addition, since it is an alcohol, it has a strong action of sterilizing microorganisms such as mold and bacteria. These alcohols exhibit a certain hydrophobicity with a decrease in viscosity, and also have a property of exerting a surface-active action while being a solvent, so that the wettability of the solution can be improved, and from the viewpoint of spraying with an ink jet method It is advantageous.

  In order to prevent the generation of microorganisms such as bacteria, mold, and algae in the spray inhalation solution by sufficiently dissolving and mixing liquid or liquid-soluble purified products, the content of these alcohols is at least 5.0 wt. % Or more is necessary. If the alcohol content is less than 5 wt%, the components of the solution are separated, aggregated, and settled due to the growth of microorganisms, leading to nozzle clogging. Although the alcohol content may be large, the flash point is high and dangerous, so the upper limit is limited to 8.0 wt% from the safety aspect by the Fire Service Act.

  The polyhydric alcohols glycerin, ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol and polyethylene glycol have low vapor pressure and are easy to absorb moisture, but are difficult to release, and act as a moisturizer to prevent drying of spray inhalation solutions. is there. When moisture evaporates from the tip of the nozzle and the spray inhalation solution dries, solids precipitate due to concentration of the solution and clogging of the nozzle occurs. Drying can be prevented and nozzle clogging can be prevented.

  The content of these polyhydric alcohols is 5.0 to 10.0 wt%. If the polyhydric alcohol content is less than 5.0 wt%, the effect of preventing drying of the spray inhalation solution is small, and if it exceeds 10.0 wt%, the viscosity of the solution increases, making it difficult to spray from the nozzle. . Preferably, the polyhydric alcohol content is 5.0 to 7.0 wt%.

  Nonionic surfactants are added to improve the wettability of the spray inhalation solution. In general, an ink jet type spraying device is a cartridge in which a discharge part including a piezo element or a heater and a nozzle or the like and a storage part that stores a solution to be sprayed are integrated into a cartridge. It is led to the cavity of the discharge part through the liquid passage. The cartridge liquid passage and the solution storage section are formed in a cotton-like or sponge-like shape. However, if the wettability of the solution is low, the permeability of the solution into the cotton or the like is poor, and the flow of the solution flowing through the liquid passage Decreases and stable spraying cannot be performed. Further, a liquid pool of the solution can be formed in the peripheral portion of the nozzle discharge port of the adjacent discharge section, and the nozzle is blocked due to communication between the liquid pools.

  In order to prevent such harmful effects due to low wettability of the solution to be sprayed, a nonionic surfactant may be added to moderately improve the wettability of the solution. When the degree of wettability of the solution is represented by physical property values, the surface tension is about 25 to 50 dyne / cm and the viscosity is about 5 centipoise or less. For this purpose, the content of the nonionic surfactant is preferably about 0.1 to 5.0 wt%. When the content of the nonionic surfactant is less than 0.1 wt%, the surface tension and viscosity of the spray inhalation solution are high, the wettability is low, and good spraying cannot be performed. On the other hand, in order to improve wettability, it may exceed 5.0 wt%, but since the human ingests it, the upper limit is set to 5.0 wt% from the viewpoint of not increasing as much as possible. Preferably it is 0.1-1.0 wt%.

  Examples of the nonionic surfactant include polyoxyethylene alkyl ether (C-1), polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid ester (C-2), and sucrose fatty acid ester.

C-1: Polyoxyethylene alkyl ether surfactant This surfactant is an ethylene oxide adduct of acetylene glycol, and is a compound in which ethylene oxide is added and bonded in an average of 3.5 to 20 mol. As a commercially available compound, for example, acetinol E100 (10 mol addition) of Kawaken Chemical Co., Ltd. can be mentioned. The general formula of compound C-1 is shown below.

          However, m + n = 10.

C-2: Polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid ester surfactant This substance is known as a typical nonionic (nonionic) surfactant. It is a highly hydrophilic surfactant and is a compound in which 20 mol of ethylene oxide is added and bonded. Therefore, it is suitable for dissolving essential oils such as herbs and can be suitably used in the present invention. The general formula of compound C-2 is shown below.

          However, m + n = 20.

C-3: Sucrose fatty acid ester surfactant This substance is known as a nonionic surfactant for foods, and has a wider range of balance between hydrophilicity and lipophilicity than other surfactants. is there. The general formula of compound C-3 is shown below.

  The spray inhalation solution is sprayed into an inhalation mask (inhalation device) applied to the mouth and nose by an ink jet type spray device, and by inhaling this, a human has a medicinal component possessed by natural products such as perilla seeds. Ingested or supplemented with nutrients such as L-carnitine supplements.

  As an ink jet type spraying device, a device using a piezo type or thermal type spray head similar to an ink jet printer can be used.

  Examples will be described. As a spray inhalation solution of the present invention and comparative examples, a perilla fruit solution using perilla fruit extract and a supplement solution using L-carnitine were prepared, and this was used for an ink jet type spray device and a continuous spray test and A long-term leaving test was conducted to examine the state of the nozzle outlet. As the spraying apparatus, an apparatus equipped with an inkjet head having 256 nozzles and a discharge amount of 5.0 pL (picoliter) was used. The contents of the continuous spray test and the long-term storage test are as follows.

  Continuous spray test: A continuous spray of 8 hours per day was performed for 6 days, and the amount of each spray and the state of the nozzle outlet before and after spraying were examined.

  Long-term standing test: Spraying was performed twice for 20 seconds on the first day, followed by spraying after standing for 1 week, 2 weeks, and 4 weeks, and the amount of spraying after each standing and the state of the nozzle outlet before and after spraying were examined. . In addition, the presence or absence of corrosion and mold generation in the spray inhalation solution was investigated.

Example 1
・ Perilla extract (refined): 1.0wt% (active ingredient equivalent)
・ Ethanol: 8.0 wt%
・ Glycerin: 5.0wt%
・ Polyoxyethylene alkyl ether surfactant: 1.0 wt%
The above formulation was added to water and sufficiently stirred for 5 minutes with ultrasonic dispersion to obtain a perilla solution as a spray inhalation solution of Example 1. When the real solution of perilla in Example 1 was measured, the surface tension was 29.6 dyne / cm and the viscosity was 1.23 cP.

  In this perilla real solution, solid substance precipitation and liquid accumulation that caused nozzle clogging were not confirmed in a continuous spray test for 6 days. The spray amount on the 6th day showed a stable value equivalent to the initial value.

  In addition, in the long-term standing test for 1 week, 2 weeks, and 4 weeks of the perilla solution, no precipitation of solid substances and accumulation of liquid that could cause clogging of the nozzle were confirmed. It showed a stable value equivalent to. Neither corrosion of the solution nor generation of mold was confirmed.

Comparative Example 1
・ Perilla extract (unrefined): 1.0 wt% (active ingredient conversion)
・ Ethanol: 8.0 wt%
・ Glycerin: 5.0wt%
・ Polyoxyethylene alkyl ether surfactant: 1.0 wt%
The above formulation was added to water and sufficiently stirred for 5 minutes while ultrasonically dispersing to obtain a perilla solution of Comparative Example 1. The surface tension and viscosity of the solution were the same as the solution of this example, 29.6 dyne / cm, and the viscosity was 1.23 cP.

  In the perilla solution of Comparative Example 1, a solid substance was confirmed around the nozzle outlet in a continuous spray test. In addition, the spray amount began to gradually decrease on the first day, and soon no longer sprayed.

  Further, in the long-term standing test of the perilla solution of Comparative Example 1, what was estimated to be a solid substance was confirmed around the nozzle outlet, and after one week, the nozzle was clogged and became unsprayable. Neither corrosion of the solution nor generation of mold was confirmed.

Example 2
・ L-carnitine: 10.0 wt% (in terms of active ingredient)
・ Ethanol: 8.0 wt%
・ Glycerin: 5.0wt%
・ Polyoxyethylene alkyl ether surfactant: 1.0 wt%
The above formulation was added to water and sufficiently stirred for 5 minutes while ultrasonically dispersing to obtain a supplement solution of 10% L-carnitine solution as a spray inhalation solution of Example 2. When the L-carnitine solution of Example 2 was measured, the surface tension was 28.5 dyne / cm and the viscosity was 1.70 cP.

  In this L-carnitine solution, solid substance precipitation and liquid accumulation that caused nozzle clogging were not confirmed in a continuous spray test for 6 days. The spray amount on the 6th day showed a stable value equivalent to the initial value.

  In addition, in the long-term standing test of the L-carnitine solution for 1 week, 2 weeks, and 4 weeks, no precipitation of solid substances and generation of liquid pools that could cause clogging of the nozzle were confirmed, and the spray amount after standing for 4 weeks was initial. It showed a stable value equivalent to. Neither corrosion of the solution nor generation of mold was confirmed.

Comparative Example 2
・ L-carnitine: 50.0 wt% (in terms of active ingredient)
・ Ethanol: 0.05wt%
・ Glycerin: 0 (not added)
・ Sucrose fatty acid ester: 0.5 wt%
The above formulation was added to water and sufficiently stirred for 5 minutes while ultrasonically dispersing to obtain an L-carnitine solution of Comparative Example 2. The surface tension of the solution was 29.3 dyne / cm, and the viscosity was 9.53 cP.

  In the L-carnitine solution of Comparative Example 2, solid matter deposition was not confirmed around the nozzle outlet in the continuous spray test, but the solution spread around the nozzle outlet and the amount of spray was observed on the third day. Began to decrease gradually and soon stopped spraying.

Further, in the long-term standing test of the L-carnitine solution of Comparative Example 2, what was estimated as a solid substance was confirmed around the nozzle outlet, and after one week, the nozzle was clogged and became unsprayable. Neither corrosion of the solution nor generation of mold was confirmed.

Claims (7)

A spray solution for inhalation that is sprayed by an inkjet method and inhaled by a person by being sprayed,
Liquid or liquid-soluble purified product that mainly gives physical effects to humans,
water and,
At least one monohydric alcohol selected from the group consisting of ethanol and isopropyl alcohol;
At least one polyhydric alcohol selected from the group consisting of glycerin, ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol and polyethylene glycol;
Containing at least one nonionic surfactant selected from the group comprising a polyoxyethylene alkyl ether surfactant, a polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid ester surfactant and a sucrose fatty acid ester surfactant ,
An inkjet spray inhalation solution characterized by having a surface tension of 30 to 50 dyne / cm and a viscosity of 5 centipoise or less.   The solution for spray inhalation according to claim 1, wherein the purified product is at least one natural product extract selected from the group comprising perilla extract, perilla leaf extract, perilla extract and guarana extract.   The solution for spray inhalation according to claim 1, wherein the purified product is at least one supplement selected from the group comprising L-carnitine, coenzyme Q10, and DHA 46%.   The spray inhalation solution according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a content of the purified product in the spray inhalation solution is 0.1 to 50.0 wt% in terms of an active ingredient amount. .   The spray inhalation solution according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the content of the monohydric alcohol in the spray inhalation solution is 5.0 to 8.0 wt%.   The spray inhalation solution according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a content of the polyhydric alcohol in the spray inhalation solution is 5.0 to 10.0 wt%. The spray inhalation solution according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein a content of the nonionic surfactant in the spray inhalation solution is 0.05 to 5.0 wt%. .