MXPA00009633A - Nasal spray device with improved spray geometry - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a packaged spray device (4), suitable for spraying into a bodily cavity, the device comprising a spray generator, a fluid reservoir and a nosepiece (5) having an exit surface, particularly to a device adapted to produce a spray comprising a fluid ligament with a spray cone diverging from one end of the ligament. Preferably the device is an electrostatic spray device wherein the spray cone comprises charged droplets. The invention further relates to a method of administering a fluid into the nasal cavity from a spray device without substantial penetration of the device into the nostrils. The device and method of the invention provide for gentle yet reliable delivery of a nasal treatment agent into the nasal cavity, especially into the nasal cavity of a human in need of nasal treatment such as decongestion. The particular characteristics of the spray enable it to be delivered without substantial penetration of the nostrils and yet for it effectively to reach the target area.

Description

NASAL SPRAY DEVICE WITH ENHANCED SPRAY GEOMETRY FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a spray device, particularly to a device adapted to produce a spray comprising a fluid sheaf with a spray cone that diverges from one end of the sheath. Particularly, the invention relates to an electrostatic spraying device capable of supplying a gentle spray to the nasal cavity without the need to insert into the nasal cavities. The invention also relates to a method for delivering a fluid to the nasal cavity from a spray device without substantial penetration of the device into the nostrils. In particular, the invention relates to a method of electrostatic spraying of a liquid in such a way that the liquid is initially projected from a spray head in the form of a ligament that enters the nostrils and then breaks into small droplets under the Coulomb force influence to produce an atomized spray.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The treatment of diseases affecting the nasal region, such as hay fever or congestion due to colds, has been effected by means of a nasal spray device. It has recently been recognized that the mucous membranes of the nasal cavity can be used as a site. of convenient supply for drugs directed to other areas of the body See, for example WO 92/11049 which describes a pen-shaped device for nasal administration of, particularly, insulin However, invariably, devices for fluid administration in the nose have have been designed so that the device is partially inserted into the nostrils to be effective. The manner in which said device is used is not only potentially unhygienic and / or uncomfortable for the user, but the user is required to tilt the head backwards. to prevent fluid from leaking out of the nose once supplied The nasal cavity is a difficult area of the c body to deliver drugs To reach the internal nasal cavity, the drug should be introduced into the vestibule of the nose through the nostrils, travel to the back of the cavity and then pass through the narrow slot-shaped opening the nasal valve Once in the nasal valve, the drug needs to be distributed in the vascular tissues of the lower and middle turbinates The turbinates are finger-shaped projections of erectile tissue covered with ciliated epithelial cells and goblet cells. congested, the turbinates expand and close the air passages. To be effective, topical drugs such as decongestants, anti-inflammatories or antihistamines must coat the epithelium of the turbinates where they exert their pharmacological action. The turbinates are the most vascularized area of the nose and therefore are the preferred point for absorption of systemic drugs. It has been found that, by designing a spray with a particular length of ligament and a spray cone with adequate dimension diverging from one end of the ligament, a spray can be directed to an appropriate part of the nose, especially the turbinates, for absorption of an active , no need for the device to be inserted into the nostrils. A preferred means for generating the spray is the use of an electrostatic device. An electrostatic device for nasal or oral delivery of a fluid is described in WO 96/40441. Ligament mode electrostatic spraying devices are also described in EP-A-501, 725. Co-pending application PCT / GB97 / 02746 describes a device suitable for electrostatic spraying of low resistive capacity fluids such as aqueous fluids. The above WO 96/40441 describes on pages 9, 19-21 that its device will be used by inserting the tip into the nostril and spraying while the user inhales. It also suffers from the same limitation as most devices of the prior art, which to be effective, are it requires its insertion in the nasal passages. This can cause discomfort and for many it is perceived as unhygienic, leading to the inhibition of using the device. Spraying out of the nostrils, however, often leads to ineffective delivery of the spray to the target, especially the nose turbinates, because much of the fluid falls out of the target and generates uncomfortable "runoff". It has now been found that a spray device can be designed to counteract these problems. Also, it is an object of the present invention to provide a spray device that has improved effectiveness and / or comfort in delivering fluids to the nasal cavity. Another object of the invention is to provide a spray device for nasal administration of a fluid without substantial penetration of the device into the nostrils. A further object of the invention is to provide a spray device that provides a gentle spray for the user's convenience. Another object of the invention is to provide a spray device that efficiently supplies a low unit volume. A further object of the invention is to provide a nasal spray device that delivers a fluid without causing a wet sensation in the nasal vestibule or nasal passages.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention there is provided a packaged spray device, suitable for sprinkling in a body cavity, the device comprising a spray generator, a fluid reservoir and a tip where i) the fluid reservoir contains a pharmaceutically acceptable fluid , the fluid comprises a pharmaceutically acceptable treatment agent selected from medicaments, flavors, salts, surfactants and mixtures thereof, and n) the device is adapted to produce a spray having a fluid weave extending from the tip, the ligament having a tip end and a supply tip the spray comprising a divergent spray cone from the supply end of the ligament, wherein ni) the ligament has a length of about 1 to about 20 mm from the end of the tip to the supply end Preferably the spray device is an asp device ersion is an electrostatic spray device that charges the spray before entering the nasal cavities. In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, a method is provided for delivering a fluid to the nasal cavity from a nasal cavity. spray device, the method comprises sprinkling the fluid in the nasal cavity without substantial penetration of the device into the nostrils DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Fluids The spray device of the invention comprises a fluid reservoir containing a pharmaceutically acceptable fluid, the fluid comprises a pharmaceutically acceptable treatment agent selected from medicaments, flavors, salts, surfactants and mixtures thereof. The fluid optionally comprises other auxiliaries. dissolved or dispersed therein. The fluid may be aqueous or non-aqueous. Suitable aqueous fluids include water and mixtures of water with water-miscible solvents such as glycerol, propylene, or alcohols such as ethanol or isopropyl alcohol. Aqueous emulsions may also It can be used in water-in-oil or oil-in-water emulsions. The fluid is preferably an aqueous solution, dispersion or emulsion of oil in water. Suitable non-aqueous fluids include polyethylene glycols, glycerol, propylene glycol, dimethyl isosorbide, oil. silicon, ketones, ethers and mixtures thereof Although not s and it limits to any particular scale of resistive capacity, the invention has particular application to fluids of low resistive capacity, especially those that have a resistive capacity to the agglutination of less than 1 x 10 ohm cm, preferably those having a resistive capacity of less than 1 x 104 ohm cm, most preferably less than 1 x 103 ohm cm If necessary, the fluid may comprise a resistivity modifier, such as a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, in order to bring the resistive capacity to agglutination within the required scale. The fluid is preferably a pharmaceutically acceptable intranasal carrier. Preferably, the isotonic nasal composition, i.e., has the same osmotic pressure as blood and fluid. lacrimal The desired isotonicity of the compositions of the invention can be achieved using, for example, the sodium chloride already present, or other pharmaceutically acceptable agents such as dextrose, boric acid, citric acid, sodium tartrate, sodium citrate, sodium phosphate , potassium phosphate, propileng col or other inorganic or organic solutes Sodium chloride is preferred Particularly for regulators containing sodium ions Additional examples of sodium chloride equivalents are described in Reminqton's Pharmaceutical Sciences pp 1491-1497 (Alfonso Gennaro 18th ed 1990), which is incorporated herein by reference Medications The fluid may comprise a wide variety of medications "Drug" means a drug or other substance that has a therapeutic effect on the body. Adequate levels of the drug are from 001 to 20% preferably from 0.01 to 5%, most preferably from 0.1 to 5% It will be appreciated that the levels of specific drugs will depend on many factors including their potency, safety profile, solubility / ease of dispersion and desired effect The medicament, when used, may be one designed to have an effect at the site of application, such as a decongestant, antihistamine or antiinflammatory drug, or may be designed for systemic absorption such as an antiviral, antidepressant, antiemetic, antipyretic or a hormone or the like The medicament may be soluble in the fluid or it may be a finely divided, soluble or solid particulate material dispersed within the fluid. Suitable decongestants include oxymetazoline, tramazohna, xylometazo na, nafazo na, tetrahydrazoline, pseudoephedrine, ephedrine, phenylephrine, their pharmaceutically acceptable salts, such as hydrochlorides and mixtures thereof Decongestion previously preferred are selected from oxymetazole, xylometazoline, their pharmaceutically acceptable salts and mixtures thereof. Especially preferred for use herein is oxymetazoline hydrochloride which is soluble in water. When used in the compositions of the present invention, decongestant is presented preferably at a concentration of from about 0.01% to about 3.0%, most preferably from about 0.01% to about 1% Antihistamines useful for the present invention include, but are not limited to, fast-acting histamine H-1 receptor antagonists. Such antihistamines of the H-1 receptor can be selected from the following groups of antihistamines alkylamms, ethanolamms, ethylenediammas, piperazines, phenothiazines, pipepdines Examples of fast acting antihistamines include acpvastine, carbinoxamine, diphenhydramma, chlorpheniramine, brompheniramine, dexchlorpheniramine, doxilamma, clemastine, promethazine, tpmeprazine, metdilazine, hydroxyzine, piplamma, tnpelenamine, meclizine, tpprolidine, azatadma, cyproheptadine, rocastin, fenindamine or pharmaceutically acceptable salts and mixtures thereof Other useful antihistamines include terfenadine, azelastine, cetipzin, astemizole, ebastine, cetotifen, lodoxamide, loratadine, levocabastine, mequitazine, oxatomide, setastine, tazifilm, temelastin or pharmaceutically acceptable salts and mixtures thereof. use e In the compositions of the present invention, the antihistamine component is preferably present at a concentration of from about 0.01% to about 30%., most preferably from about 0.01% to about 1%. The medicament can also be an anti-inflammatory agent such as a corticosteroid. Particularly preferred agents within this class are glucocorticoids selected from the group consisting of beclomethasone, flunisolide, fluticasone, memetasone, budesonide , pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof and mixtures thereof When used in the compositions of the present invention, the anti-inflammatory agent is preferably present in a concentration of from about 0.001% to about 0.1%, most preferably from about 0.01% to about 0.1%. Also useful herein are xanthine derivatives such as caffeine and methylxanthine and the like, antiallergics, mucolytics, anticholinergics, non-opiate analgesics such as acetaminophen, acetylsalicylic acid, ibuprofen, etodolac, fenbuprofen, fenoprofen, ketorolac, flurbiprofen, indomethacin, ketoprofen, naproxen, pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof and mixtures thereof, opioid analgesics such as butorphanol, leukotpene receptor antagonists, breast cell stabilizers such as cromolyn sodium, nedocromil and lodoxamide, and poxygenase inhibitor compounds. Further examples of suitable medicaments can be found in W097 / 46243 , EP-A-780127, US-A-5,124,315, US-A-5,622 , 724, US-A-5,656,255 and US-A-5,705,490 Flavors Various sabotating and / or aromatic components (for example aldehydes and esters) can be used in the fluids of the invention These include, for example, menthol, camphor, eucalyptus, benzaldehyde (cherry, almond), citrus (lemon, lime), neral , decanal (orange, lemon), aldehyde C-8, aldehyde C-9 and aldehyde C-12 (citrus fruits), tolyl aldehyde (cherry, almond), 2,6-d? Met? L-octanal (green fruit), 2-dodecenal (citrus, tangerine), and herbal components such as thyme, rosemary and sage oils Additional aromatic components suitable for use in the present invention include those which are described in US Patent 4,136,163 to Watson et al, US Patent 4,459,425 to Amano et al, and US Patent 4,230,688 to Rowsell et al, all incorporated herein by reference. Mixtures of these aromatics can also be used.

Surfactants The fluid may also comprise one or more pharmaceutically acceptable surfactants. Such surfactants may be useful for dispersing or emulsifying drugs or flavors, for improving absorption through the nasal membrane or as agents for treatment in their own right, such as surfactants may be ammonium, nonionic, cationic or amphoteric, preferably nonionic. Typical nonionic surfactants useful herein include polyoxyethylene derivatives of partial fatty acid esters of sorbitol anhydrides such as polysorbate 80, oxyethylene derivatives of fatty acids such as polyoxyethylene stearate 50, as well as a tertiary, oxyethylated octylphenol formaldehyde polymer (available from Sterling Organics as Tyloxapol) or mixtures thereof The normal concentration is from about 0.1% to 3% in weigh Salts The fluid may comprise one or more pharmaceutically acceptable salts. The salt may be mineral salts such as, for example, sodium chloride, or salts of organic acids such as sodium citrate.

Other adjuvants The fluid may comprise other ingredients such as thickeners, humectants, suspending agents, encapsulating aids, chelating agents and preservatives. The viscosity of the compositions may be maintained at a selected level using a pharmaceutically acceptable thickening agent. Suitable thickening agents include, Examples are xanthan gum, methyl cellulose, microcrystalline cellulose, carboxymethylcellulose, chitosan, hydroxypropylcellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, hydroxymethylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, carboxyvinyl polymer, carbomer and the like or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof. Mixtures of such thickening agents can also be used. Thickener will depend on the selected agent The important point is to use an amount that will reach the selected viscosity Viscous compositions are usually prepared from solutions by the addition of said agent is thickeners Useful fluids of the present invention may also comprise from about 0.01% to about 5% of a humectant to inhibit dryness of the mucous membrane and prevent irritation Any of the variety of pharmaceutically acceptable humectants can be employed including, for example, sorbitol, propylene glycol, poethylene glycol, glycerol or mixtures thereof. As with thickeners, the concentration will vary from according to the selected agent, although the presence or absence of these agents, or their concentration is not an essential feature of the invention A pharmaceutically acceptable preservative is generally employed to increase the life of the compositions of the present invention A variety of preservatives can be employed including, for example, benzyl alcohol, parabens, phenylethyl alcohol, thimerosal, chlorobutanol, chlorhexidine gluconate, or benzalkonium chloride. The most preferred preservative system for use herein comprises a combination of benzalkonium chloride, chlorhexidine gluconate and disodium EDTA as a chelating agent A suitable concentration of the preservative will be from 0 001% to 2% based on the total weight, although there will be variation depending on the agent selected.

Spray devices and spray characteristics The spray device will generally comprise a means to control the dose of the supplied fluid. This can be as simple as an on-off switch that allows the user to control the dose according to their needs. Preferably, the device sprinkler it is adapted to provide a unit dose of fluid, particularly a unit dose with a volume on the scale of about 1 to about 100μl, preferably about 1 to about 20, most preferably about 5 to about 15μl In especially preferred embodiments the device is adapted to provide multiple unit doses of the volumes mentioned. The dose volume is preferably preset but can be adjusted by the user to a desired volume. The device conveniently comprises a reservoir for holding the fluid and a dosing medium for supplying selectively a unit dose from the reservoir to the sprinkler The metering means may, for example, be a metered valve or a syringe pump. The device is adapted to produce a sprinkling having a fluid weave, the weave extending from the tip and has a tip end and a Supply end, the spray also includes a divergent spray cone from the supply end of the ligament. By "tip end" is intended to say the point where a plane (hereinafter flat tip) drawn perpendicular to the axis of the ligament and that touches the outside of the tip will intersect with the center of the ligament The ligament preferably has a length of about 1 to about 20 mm, preferably about 1 to about 10 mm, most preferably about 2 to about 8 mm, and especially around 3 to about 6 mm from the tip end to the supply end In preferred embodiments the spray cone has a cone angle of from about 10 to about 90 °, preferably from 20 to about 50 °, most preferably from about 30 to about 40 ° In electrostatic devices, the length of the ligament and the angle of the spray cone can be adjusted by varying the viscosity or surface tension of the fluid, varying the flow velocity of the fluid or the exit velocity, or varying the resistance to the electric field to through applied voltage, potential gradient or through the use of a field enhancing electrode The total length of the ligament can be, and preferably is, longer than the length of the tip end to the supply end because the ligament is preferably originates from a point on the device side of the tip plane, such as from an elastomeric self-sealing valve as described herein, and passing through a passage in the tip. Suitably the distance from the point of origin of the ligament to the plane of the tip is in the scale of about 2 mm to about 15 mm, preferably about 3 to about 10 mm, and most preferably about 5 to about 9 mm. Thus the tip can be used as a field intensifier which helps to control the length of the ligament For this purpose, the tip is preferably a non-conductive material such as a plastic that can be, for example, polypropylene but is preferably a soft thermoplastic elastomer that provides greater comfort if held against the nose. The elastomers described herein for the self-sealing valve are also suitable for the tip. Electrostatic devices suitable for Ligament mode spray are described in WO 96/40441, in EP-A-501, 725 and in the co-pending application PCT / GB98 / 02746 Preferably the device hereof is a device according to the modalities of EP-A- 501, 725 or PCT / GB97 / 02746 where a jet is created by mechanical means and a high voltage applied to the fluid causes the jet or ligament to break into a spray cone. The jet can be generated, for example, by a pump of syringe Suitable jet velocities are from about 0 to about 8, preferably from about 1 to about 3 ms. 1 An adequate high voltage is on the scale from about 1 kV to about 10kV, preferably from about 2kV to about 7kV and most preferably from about 2kV to about 5kV. The voltage can be conveniently applied to the fluid, even within the constraints of a small handheld device, from a battery of low voltage (1 5 V is sufficient) coupled to a step-up transformer The battery is preferably of long-lasting type and can be rechargeable If a metal syringe pump is used, the voltage can be applied to the fluid through the pump that preferably it is housed in a plastic insulation housing Alternatively, the fluid can be charged by an electrode inserted into a fluid. The generator can be activated by the user through an external switch that can also be used to mechanically start the pumping. Preferably the switch includes a portion of metal through the which the user completes a return path to ground to the high-voltage circuit A suitable arrangement for the construction of the general device is described in PCT / GB97 / 02746 In this way the user does not require a net load The alternate provisions, where applicable an alternating voltage, can also be used to prevent the accumulation of charge The device is activated to supply the spray The ligament of the spray extends through the nasal opening, towards the vestibule and preferably at a short distance from the opening of the valve nasal, before breaking and forming the spray cone device can be constructed simultaneously to deliver two sprays, directed to each nostril The two sprays can be generated from two separate dosing means or can be provided from a single source such as using a "Y" shaped valve to divide a single stream into two In order to provide clean closure at low unit volumes the device preferably comprises a self-sealing, elastomeric outlet valve having a fluid side and a supply side, the valve opening allows the passage of the fluid when pressure is applied to the fluid on the side of the fluid and it is sealed when the pressure is removed "Valve of exit" means that the elastomeric valve is the final supply valve and that there are no other elements of the device that can mechanically restrict or modify the flow of the fluid on the downstream side of the valve. In highly preferred embodiments the valve is a valve of the present invention. The valve may comprise a single groove or two or more intersecting grooves, to form a cross shape for example. Preferably, however, the valve comprises a single groove. Although the valve may be flat, it preferably has a dome shape which means that a non-planar valve has a depression such as a hemispherical or frustoconical dome. In preferred embodiments the valve is essentially in the form of a hemispherical dome having a flange along its perimeter so that the collar can be adjusted to retain the valve in the device The diameter of the valve, including the flange, is typically from about 2 to about 6 mm with the dome portion having a diameter of about 1 to about 4 mm, typically about 2.5 mm and an inside out thickness of about 0 5. to about 1 5 mm, conveniently 1 mm The valve needs to be of non-uniform thickness In preferred embodiments the outer surface of the valve dome is hemispherical while the inner surface is formed with a small flat element in the upper part of the dome in where the groove is formed The appropriate widths of the groove are from about 50 to about 400 μm, preferably from about 150 to about 250 μm. It should be understood that the Slot width refers to the longest dimension of the slot when created by time The term "elastomer" herein refers to a material that is elastically compressible and elastically extensible A wide variety of elastomers can be used, including but not limited to limited to 5 urethanes, chloroprene rubbers, butyl, butadiene and styrene-butadiene rubbers, and silicone elastomers such as 2-part room temperature vulcanization silicones (RTV). Preferred for use herein are 2-part silicones. RTVs The appropriate RTVs sihcones are available under the trademark NuSil and have a hardness of about 30 to about 80 Shore A, preferably from about 40 to about 70 Shore A The elastomers may optionally be mixed with a suitable plasticizer or foam former to make them more compressible The elastomer may also have other materials dispersed therein to be able to modify its properties, such as its conductivity If elastomers with low wear resistance are used, the width of the groove will grow if the groove is kept open for an extended period of time The groove valve can be formed by drilling an injection molded elastomer seal, of the same dimensions and form the valve of interest, with a pin that has a sharp point or 0 The width of the groove is roughly proportional to the width of the pin The pin can be a flat blade or can have a polygonal or round cross section The pin preferably has a polygonal cross section, especially round It has been found that Sharp-edged pins create a cut that behaves in use like a flap rather than a hole. This can produce a jet that is not straight or even create two or more jets that can end up in unreliable or unpredictable sprays. Suitable pin diameters are from about 100 to about 350, most preferably from about 150 to about 250 μm in diameter. When using silicone elastomers it is preferred that the piercing pin be removed quickly after forming the slot to avoid unwanted groove growth It has also been found that the geometry of the elastomeric seal and the perforation method have an important effect on the effectiveness and reproducibility of the groove formation. The most reliable groove formation is obtained if the seal is perforated from the groove. Internal part of the dome instead of the external part The valve opens when pressure is applied n the fluid on the fluid side and seals when the pressure is removed. As mentioned above, the pressure can be applied to the fluid by a dosing means such as a syringe pump. The applied pressure is adequate on the scale around 200 to about 5000 mbar (20 to 500 kPa), preferably from about 500 to about 3000 mbar (50 to 300 kPa) The flow velocity through the valve is generally proportional to the applied pressure and is adequate in scale from about 5 to about 50, most preferably from about 5 to about 30 μls 1 At said pressures and with the type of valve and the dimensions of the groove described a straight fluid weave with an exit velocity of about 0 5 to about 8, preferably from about 1 to about 3 ms "1 The ligament diameter in question is partially determined by the velocity of flow and is generally smaller than the width of the groove valve Depending on the flow velocity, the weave diameters of less than 50 μm can be achieved, even when a valve groove width of 200 μm is used. strongly the particle size of the spray after breaking in the dispersion cone, the particle size being similar to the diameter of the ligament It is a characteristic of the electrostatic spraying of the ligament mode of the present that an almost monodisperse, narrowly distributed spray is obtained. Therefore, it is possible to achieve a dispersion with an average droplet size. from about 20 to about 80, preferably from about 30 to about 70 μm, most preferably from about 40 to about 60 μm, the particle size distribution generally having a standard deviation of less than 5, typically less than 2 μm , and preferably less than 1 μm It is commonly understood that, for nasal spray, a particle size of 10 μm or less is desirable so that the particles do not reach the lungs. It is believed, however, that if there is an electrostatic charge on the the spray particles makes them less likely to travel beyond the nose because the charged particles tend to find surface to ground quickly. The cleaning stop performance of the tip valve can be improved by introducing a pressure relief feature behind the valve. This will take the form from a passage tube to the fluid reservoir so that the residual fluid estimated by relaxation of the elastomer returns to the reservoir instead of draining from the outlet valve. If necessary, self-sealing valves can be used repetitively to reach high volumes at the same time time to retain the convenient small spray particle sizes The seals from which the valves are made are conveniently manufactured by a conventional injection molding process Methods The spray device of the present is suitable for sprinkling in a body cavity, particularly in the nose, mouth or ears of a human. Soft and low volume spraying also makes it suitable for, for example, ophthalmic spray. Preferably the device is a nasal spray device A preferred method for delivering a fluid to the nasal cavity from the spray device comprises spraying the fluid into the nasal cavity without substantial penetration of the device into the nostrils "Without substantial penetration into the nasal passages" means in the present that there is no insertion of a mouthpiece or similar in the nasal vestibule In use, the tip of the device is preferably placed in contact with the opening of the nostril to obtain the full benefit of the field enhancing effect described herein with respect to the tip If the user applies pressure, for certainty of contact or to help the orientation there will be some widening with the nasal cavity or overlap with the cartilage of the septum but the tip will not be completely surrounded by the nasal cavity. Now the invention will be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings where Figure 1 is a sectional view through a human nose Figure 2 is a perspective view of a spray device according to the invention Figure 3 is a simplified sectional view of the spray device of Figure 2 showing the relationship of the elastomeric tip to the tip and dosing means Figure 4 is a partial sectional view showing an asp ersion coming out of a device according to the invention Figure 5 is an elongated sectional view of an elastomep outlet valve according to the invention With reference to figure 1, the nose comprises a nasal cavity 1 where the turbinates are located 2, finger-shaped structures covered with epithelium and that are susceptible to inflammation The opening outside the nasal cavity is through the nostrils 3 Because the turbinates are located in the back of the nasal cavity it has generally been difficult to effectively spray them without inserting a spray device into the nostrils With reference to Figures 2 and 3, a spray device 4 is shown placed with a soft elastomeric tip 5 which is designed to fit against the opening of a user's nostril without being inserted into the nostril. The tip is provided with a passage 6 which is connected to a syringe pump 7, the detail of the interior that is not shown, is used to generate the spray ligament through the elastomeric outlet valve 8 The insulator cover 9 of the device also comprises (not shown) a replaceable fluid reservoir, battery, transformer and electronic circuits for supplying high voltage from the transformer to fluid The device is supplied with a mechanism of action 10 that mechanically drives the pumping and causes its release to provide a preset unit dose of fluid The mechanism of action includes a portion of metal to provide a return to ground of the user to the high-voltage circuits With reference to Figure 4, a spray comprises a ligament 11 and a spray cone 12 having a cone angle? In practice, the cone angle can be measured by sprinkling from a fixed distance to developer paper and then measuring the diameter of the spray pattern or by direct observation of the spray using high-speed video photography with backup light. The ligament has one end of supply 13 wherein the ligament is broken in the spray cone and a tip end 14 defined as the point where the plane AA intersects the ligament 11 The AA plane is drawn perpendicular to the axis of the ligament, lightly touching the tip end Figure 5 illustrates an elastomeric outlet valve 8 according to the invention. The nozzle, which is circularly symmetrical, comprises a flange 15 for securing the nozzle to the spray device, a dome-shaped head 16, a depression 17 and a slot 18 extending from the depression to the top of the dome The nozzle is formed by injection molding a seal having essentially the same construction and then drilling the dome with a sharp pin, of round cross section and 200 μm in diameter, from the inner part of the depression EXAMPLES The following examples further describe and show embodiments within the scope of the present invention. The examples are given for the purpose of illustrating and not as limitations of the present invention.

EXAMPLE I A fluid of the present invention is prepared by combining the following components using conventional mixing techniques similar to those described below Component% by weight Oxymetazolim oxychloride 0 31 Sodium citrate dihydrate 1 75 Citric acid 0 35 Tyloxapol 0 70 Chlorhexidine digluconate 0 054 Benzalkonium chloride 0 02 camphor 0 04 eucalyptus 0 02 Disodium EDTA dihydrate 0 01 Distilled water c b p 100m In an appropriately sized container, add the ingredients listed above one at a time to water and mix, allowing each to dissolve before adding the next After all the ingredients have been added, purified water is used to carry the batch to the appropriate weight The solution has a resistive capacity to the agglutination of 120 ohm cm The solution is loaded in a flexible sheet reservoir and fitted in an electrostatic spray device of the type indicated in figure 2 The tip of the device is held against the nostril and the device is directed in such a way that the sprinkling ligament enters the nostril. When the device is operated, 8 μl of the solution is supplied for a period of approximately 1 second.

Provided relief for nasal decongestion without causing noticeable moisture either on or in the nose. Low dose volume and gentle delivery result in the user not ascertaining any physical impact evident from spraying.

EXAMPLE II Another fluid was prepared by combining the following components using conventional mixing techniques similar to those described in Example I Component% by weight flunisohda 0 025 chlorpheniramine 0 350 levocabastine 0 0125 propileng col 2 000 poethylene glycol 1 000 Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid 0 050 Benzalkonium chloride 0 010 Distilled water c b p 100 ml Intranasal spray administration, in the manner of example I, of about 10 μl of the fluid composition was used to provide relief from allergy or allergy-like symptoms EXAMPLE III A fluid of the present invention was prepared by combining the following components using conventional mixing techniques similar to those described in Example I Component% by weight Beclomethasone dipropionate 0 042 chlorpheniramine monohydrate 0 500 Av? Cel RC - 5911 0 200 dextrose 5 100 po sorbate 80 0 050 benzalkonium chloride 0 020 phenylethyl alcohol 0 025 distilled water c b p 100 ml Cellulose microcpstalin and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, supplied by FMC Corporation. Intranasal spray administration, in the form of Example I, of about 10 μl of the fluid composition was used to provide relief from allergy or allergy-like symptoms.

Claims (10)

NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION CLAIMS

1 - . 1 - A packaged spraying device, suitable for sprinkling in a body cavity, the device comprising a spray generator, a fluid reservoir and a tip wherein i) the fluid reservoir contains a pharmaceutically acceptable fluid, the fluid comprises an agent for pharmaceutically acceptable treatment selected from medicaments, flavors, salts, surfactants and mixtures thereof, and n) the device is adapted to produce a spray having a fluid ligament extending from the tip, the ligament having a tip end and a supply end, the spray further comprising a diverging spray cone from the supply end of the sheath, wherein ???) the sheath has a length of 1 to 20 mm from the tip end to the supply end

2 - An electrostatic spraying device according to claim 1

3 - An electrostatic spraying device of with according to claim 2, further characterized in that a voltage on the scale of 1 kV to 10 kV is applied to the fluid

4 - An electrostatic spraying device according to any of claims 1 to 3, further characterized in that the cone of spray has a cone angle of 10 to 90 °, preferably 20 to 50 °, most preferably 30 to 40 °

5 - A spray device according to any of claims 1 to 4, further characterized in that the device is adapts to provide a unit dose of fluid with a volume in the scale of 1 to 20, preferably 5 to 15 μl

6 - A spray device according to claim 5, further characterized in that the device is adapted to provide fluid doses Multiple Units

7 - A method for administering a fluid to the nasal cavity from a spray device, the method comprising spraying the fluid into the nasal cavity without substantial penetration of the device into the nostrils

8 - A method according to claim 7 , further characterized in that the device sprinkles simultaneously on both nostrils

9 - A method according to claim 7 or reivi No. 8, further characterized in that the device is adapted to provide a unit fluid dose with a volume on the scale of 1 to 20, preferably 5 to 15 μl. - A method according to any of claims 7 to 9, characterized also because it uses a device according to any of claims 1 to 6