DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION According to the invention, I provide a composition for and method of use of such composition, for the topic treatment of herpes virus lesions, which comprises about 2-12% wt tannic acid, 2-12% wt boric acid and about 1-6% wt salicylic acid, with the balance being a suitable liquid carrier such as, for example, ethanol.
Within the foregoing ranges, I prefer to employ about 2-7% wt tannic acid, 2-7% wt boric acid and 1-5% wt salicylic acid.
Higher concentrations are more effective, but may cause burning or irritation of sensitive mucosa; in particular, concentrations over 8% wt salicylic acid causes burning and discomfort.
Therefore, concentrations at the lower end of the preferred range are used for infections of the tongue, buccal or genital mucosa.
The compositions of the invention are clear solutions having about 7 to 14% by volume (settled) of solid particles, which are slurried by shaking prior to application.
Treatment is effected by applying a small quantity of the suspension directly to the lesions with a cotton swab, soft brush, or sponge.
Any quantity sufficient to cover the lesions with the suspension is effective.
Treatments are preferably applied 2 times per day for about three days.
With the more concentrated solutions, erythema, pain, and itching cease within four to twelve hours of the first application, and healing occurs in 48-72 hours.
In almost all cases, pain is substantially relieved in less than one hour from the first treatment.
All lesions clear in 4-5 days with little or no scarring.
If treatment begins on the first day when the patient notices the eruption, the infection will generally not reach the vesicular stage, and secondary infection and spreading to surrounding areas will not occur.
Very highh rates of successful remission of herpes virus on the external skin, tongue, buccal mucosa, and genitalia have been obtained with treatment in accordance with the invention.
This treatment is not recommended for herpes infections of the eye, since the acidity of the suspension would cause burning of the eye tissues
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