| abstract |
This invention relates to the use of zinc as an anti-viral agent in scxual lubricants. A selected zinc compound which has antiviral properties, and which does not irritate the skin or mucous membranes, is provided in a sexual lubricant such as a water-soluble gel. The lubricant is spread on the surface of the penis, or inside the vagina, before sexual intercourse. The zinc can serve as a preventive agent to inhibit the transmission of genital herpes through sexual contact, and may also help to reduce the spread of other sexually transmitted viral diseases such as AIDS. Such lubricants can be used in addition to a condom for maximal protection, or without a condom for a lesser yet still significant level of protection compared to unprotected intercourse. A preferred zinc salt which does not cause irritation during or after sexual intercourse comprises zinc gluconate, the salt of a carboxylic acid derivative of glucose. Other suitable zinc salts can be prepared from carboxylic acid derivatives or other oxidation products of other sugars. |