| abstract |
A composition is disclosed to assist in the removal of human cerumen from the external ear canal. It is described to comprise of a cerumenolytically acceptable enzyme and a bicarbonate in effective amounts, and an aqueous otologically acceptable vehicle. The enzyme can be selected from the group consisting of lipases, proteases, amylases. The possibility of replacing the cerumenolytically acceptable enzyme with a proteolytic enzyme is also disclosed, and this can be selected from the group including pancreatin, trypsin, subtilisin, collagenase, keratinase, carboxypeptidase, and papain. When sodium bicarbonate is used, the amount disclosed to be effective is about 0.5 to about 15 weight/volume percent. A two-part composition is also described involving the enzyme and aqueous otologically acceptable vehicle including a bicarbonate wherein the first and second parts are maintained separate until desired to administer to the external ear canal. |