Technical field of the invention

This invention relates to a chewing gum to help middle ear air pressure equalisation.

Background to the invention

The inventor is aware that during elevation changes or other ambient pressure changes the air pressure in the middle ear equalises with the ambient pressure via the Eustachian tube. Normally this happens intermittently by contraction of the tensor veli palatini muscles during swallowing, for example.

Often, the process of equalisation of the air pressure in the middle ear is prevented or impeded, which can lead to minor to extreme discomfort and pain. Typically children and persons suffering from upper airway congestion may have trouble with the equalisation of air in the middle ear.

Persons can experience discomfort and pain during take-off and descents of aircraft, SCUBA diving, driving over a mountain, underground mining, hyperbaric chamber work and other situations with rapid changes in ambient pressure.

It is an object of the invention to provide an edible or chewable product to assist a person to equalise the air in their middle ear with ambient pressure.

General description of the invention

According to the invention there is provided chewing gum, which includes a gum base mixed with a decongestant.

The gum may include food safe flavouring and/ or food safe colouring. The decongestant may be one or more of decongestants selected from an Alpha-adrenergic agonist and/ or a decongestant.

The Decongestant may be selected from pseudoephedrine, phenylephrine and/ or phenylpropanolamine.

The decongestants may be micro encapsulated to mask the bitter taste of pseudoephedrine, for example and to improve the organoleptic properties and compressibility.

The gum may also include naturally derived decongestants like menthol or eucalyptol.

The gum may also include a mucolytic agent such as acetylcysteine.

The gum may also include flavourings and/ or sugars or sweeteners.

The gum base may include polyols. Each dose of the gum may include between 10 and 60 mg of pseudoephedrine.

Each dose of the gum may include between 10 and 20 mg of phenylephrine.

Each dose of the gum may include between 25 and 75 mg of phenylpropanolamine.

One dose of the gum may include:

between 138 and 316 mg of 19% potency Descote® pseudoephedrine

HCI; and

between 1546 and 1388 mg of Health in Gum® (HIG) Gum base. Another dose of the gum may include:

between 13 and 17 mg of phenylephrine; and

between 1550 and 1680 mg of Health in Gum® (HIG) Gum base.

A further dose of the gum may include:

25 and 75 mg of phenylpropanolamine; and

between 1550 and 1680 mg of Health in Gum® (HIG) Gum base. In use, a person will chew gum 30 minutes up to one hour before an expected pressure change and during the pressure change and the chewing of gum causes a person to produce saliva, which needs to be frequently swallowed, often unconsciously. The applicant believes that chewing a gum, in accordance with the invention, causes firstly frequent swallowing, secondly the release of a decongestant and/ or mucolytic over time and thirdly the release of the decongestant and/ or decongestant in close proximity to the Eustachian tube, which in combination chewing movements of the jaw provides a very effective means for a person to prepare the Eustachian tube for equalisation and to equalise pressure in the middle ear.

Detailed description of the invention

The invention is now described by way of examples. A first example of a dose of the gum includes:

157.9 mg of 19% potency Descote® pseudoephedrine HCI;

1546.1 mg of Health in Gum® (HIG) Gum base;

36 mg of powder flavour;

27 mg of magnesium stearate as non-stick agent;

18 mg of silicon dioxide as glidant;

1 1 mg liquid flavour; and

4 mg Stevia as sweetener.

A second example of a dose of the gum includes: 1610 mg of Health in Gum® (HIG) Gum base;

36 mg of powder flavour;

27 mg of magnesium stearate as non-stick agent;

18 mg of silicon dioxide as glidant;

1 1 mg liquid flavour; and

4 mg Stevia as sweetener.

A third example of a dose of the gum includes:

25 mg of phenylpropanolamine;

1610 mg of Health in Gum® (HIG) Gum base;

36 mg of powder flavour;

27 mg of magnesium stearate as non-stick agent;

18 mg of silicon dioxide as glidant;

1 1 mg liquid flavour; and

4 mg Stevia as sweetener.

In a fourth example, the decongestant of the first example is replaced with oxymetazoline and menthol in 50:50 weight relationship.

In a fifth example any of the previous formulations include a pharmacologically active amount of Acrivastine or loratidine as an antihistamine.

In a sixth example, any of the previous formulations also include a pharmacologically active amount of a mucolytic agent selected from acetylcysteine.

First the sweetener, non-stick agent and glidant is mixed to homogenous mixture and the decongestant is added and again mixed to form a homogenous mixture. The gum base is then added and again mixed to homogenous mixture. Flavourants may also be mixed in with the gum base.

It shall be understood that the examples are provided for illustrating the invention further and to assist a person skilled in the art with understanding the invention and are not meant to be construed as unduly limiting the reasonable scope of the invention.