for purposes of clarity , the following terms and phrases used throughout this specification and the appended claims are defined in the manner set forth directly below . the term “ analgesia ” as used herein means the reduction , or absence , of sensibility to pain , designating particularly the relief of pain without consciousness . the term “ composition ” is meant to embrace both a single substance and a mixture of substances . the term “ polyamine ” as used herein means one or more than one amino group . the term “ aliphatic ” means acyclic or cyclic , saturated or unsaturated carbon compounds , excluding aromatic compounds . saturated carbon compounds include hydrocarbons having from one to twenty carbon atoms , within which includes from four to eleven carbon atoms , and further which includes from four to five carbons , and which can be straight or branched chain . representatives of such groups are n - butyl , n - pentyl , n - propyl , sec - butyl , isobutyl , etc . the term “ alkyl ” as employed herein means a saturated hydrocarbon having from one to twenty carbon atoms , within which includes from four to eleven carbon atoms , and further which includes from four to five carbons , and which can be straight or branched chain . representatives of such groups are n - butyl , n - pentyl , n - propyl , sec - butyl , isobutyl , etc . the term “ pharmaceutically - acceptable ” as employed herein means those compounds , materials , compositions , and / or dosage forms which are , within the scope of sound medical judgement , suitable for use in contact with the tissues of human beings and animals without excessive toxicity , irritation , allergic response , or other problems or complication , commensurate with a reasonable benefit / risk ratio . the term “ pharmaceutically - acceptable salts ” in this respect refers to the relatively - non - toxic , inorganic and organic addition salts of compounds of the present invention . representative salts include the hydrochloride , hydrobromide , sulphate , phosphate , nitrate , acetate ( see for example , s . m . berge et al ., “ pharmaceutical salts ”, j . pharm . sci . 66 : 1 - 19 ( 1977 )). the term “ chaotropic agent ” as employed herein means an agent that breaks up dense macromolecular and lipid - rich domains . some examples of materials that can serve as chaotropic agents include urea , substitutes ureas , amides and dimethyl sulphoxide . the phrase “ pharmaceutically - acceptable carrier ” as employed herein means a pharmaceutically - acceptable material , composition or vehicle , as defined directly above , such as a liquid or solid filler , diluent , excipient , solvent , involved in carrying or transporting a chemical compound or pharmaceutical agent from one portion of the body to another portion of the body . some examples of materials that can serve as carriers include : sugars , such as lactose and glucose ; starches , such as corn starch ; cellulose , and its derivatives , such as sodium carboxymethyl cellulose and cellulose acetate ; malt ; gelatin ; talc ; oils , such as olive oil ; glycols , such as propylene glycol ; polyols , such as glycerin , polyethylene glycol ; esters , such as ethyl oleate ; agar ; buffering agents , such as magnesium hydroxide ; water ; ethyl alcohol ; and other non - toxic compatible substances employed in pharmaceutical formulations . the present invention includes a use of an aliphatic polyamine as a topical analgesic and topical analgesic compositions containing an aliphatic alkyl polyamine . a number of the aliphatic alkyl polyamine compounds useful in the composition and methods of the present invention are known in the chemical art . the amine group contained by the aliphatic polyamines may be either primary or secondary and may be located either in a terminal position , within the alkane chain , or both . in a preferred embodiment , the preferred aliphatic polyamines useful in the compositions and methods of the present invention are spermidine ( 4 , 4 ′- iminobis butylamine ), spermine ( n , n ′- bis ( 3 - aminopropyl )- 1 , 4 - butane - diamine ), cadaverine ( 1 , 5 - pentanediamine ) and putrescine ( 1 , 4 - diaminobutane ). details of the synthetic preparation of a number of the aliphatic polyamines utilizable in the compositions and methods of the present invention may be found in beilsteins handbuch der organischen chemie . the merck index , 11th edition , also references many of the preferred compounds of this invention . the free base form of the aliphatic polyamines utilized in the present invention may be conveniently converted to the corresponding acid addition salt by contacting a solution of the free base with the appropriate acid . particularly preferred salts are the acid addition salts formed with hydrochloric and sulfuric acids , e . g ., hydrochloride and sulfate . the compositions of the present invention comprise one or more of the above - mentioned aliphatic polyamines in a sufficient quantity together with a suitable pharmaceutical carrier to induce topical analgesia . the aliphatic polyamines act as analgesic agents . a sufficient quantity is defined as the amount of compound necessary to induce analgesia . in the usual course of therapy , the aliphatic polyamine is incorporated into an acceptable vehicle to form a composition for topical administration to the area sensing pain and , thus , requiring analgesia . the dosage levels of the aliphatic polyamine in the pharmaceutical compositions of this invention may be varied so as to obtain an amount of the active ingredient that is effective to achieve the desired therapeutic response for a particular use , or composition without being toxic to the subject . in a preferred embodiment , the amount is 1 . 0 weight percent . in another embodiment , the amount is 0 . 8 weight percent . in yet another preferred embodiment , the amount is 2 . 0 weight percent . in other embodiments , the percentage may be higher or lower . in a preferred embodiment , a concentration of putrescine at 0 . 8 percent weight per volume of the composition in a eutectic base is used for inducing analgesia to an area of the skin of a human . a topical composition containing 0 . 8 percent weight per volume of putrescine in a eutectic base for the treatment of scar tissue is described in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 885 , 982 . in general , such compositions are envisioned to contain the active ingredient in from about 0 . 005 % to about 5 % volume by weight of the total composition . the use of putrescine as a non - topical , systemic analgesic by intraperitoneal and intracerebroventricular injection into rats at 200 to 400 mg / kg of body weight is known . see , genedani et al ., life sciences , 34 , 2407 - 2412 ( 1984 ). while it is might be possible for an aliphatic alkyl polyamine of the present invention to be administered in pure form , it is preferable to administer the compound as a topical pharmaceutical composition to facilitate spreading over the area in need of analgesia . compositions for topical application may be exemplified by ointments , creams , lotions , solutions , suspensions , aerosols , gels , dusting powder , and impregnated bandages and dressings . such compositions would normally be based upon standard carriers such as pharmaceutically acceptable vegetable oils and gelatins , gums and petrolatum . other ingredients of the composition of the invention may be preservatives , coloring , thickening , suspending , disbursing , emulsifying , swelling , stabilizing and buffering agents , fats , oils , waxes , paraffins , starch , polyethylene glycols , silicones , bentonites , talc , zinc oxide , etc ., as required by the specific formulation . in a preferred embodiment , the pharmaceutical carrier is a eutectic base ( glaxo canada ltd ., toronto , ont .). a polyamine of the invention can also be incorporated into patches or so - called transdermal therapeutic systems ( tts ). from these the active substance components act on the skin over a defined area of the body surface in occlusive manner at a controlled release rate and are appropriately brought to transdermal absorption . it is well known that the rate of transport of some substances through the skin depends on the polar - nonpolar nature of the substance , size of the substance , hydration of the skin , blood supply , and modification of the stratum corneum by chemicals . thus , in a preferred embodiment , a chaotropic agent is present in the composition . in a preferred embodiment , the chaotropic agent is urea . in yet another preferred embodiment , urea is present at about fifteen weight percent of the composition . in yet another preferred embodiment , urea is present from between about one and twenty weight percent of the composition . such chaotropic agents can facilitate penetration of the analgesic agent into the skin as they break up dense macromolecular domains of fibrous and globular proteins . in another preferred embodiment , a beta - 1 , 3 - glucan can be added to promote healing in the area of the subject requiring analgesia should the area also require healing . in another embodiment , a beta - 1 , 3 - glucan is present at about six to eight percent by weight of the total composition . beta - 1 , 3 - glucans may be derived from , among other things , purified yeast cell walls , and are well known to stimulate the immunosystem . repeated use of the analgesic compositions of the present invention is envisaged , the length of time of use being dependent upon the length of time that is required until analgesia is effected . as well , the dosage size and frequency of administration can vary depending upon the nature and intensity of the pain . the exact dosage to be administered and length of time of use with a subject will , of course , be dependent upon , among other factors , the particular compositions employed , and the disease or injury being treated . a variety of uses have been tried for the analgesic compositions of the present invention , for example : headache , frontal headache , arthritis , anti - nociception , rheumatism , shingles , post - herpetic neuralgia , joint pain ( in the arm , leg , shoulder , toe , ankle , etc . for example ), post surgical pain , tenderness in breasts , burns , tense muscles , chest pain , injuries , sports injuries ( for example , shin splints , pulled muscles , sprain , etc . ), repetitive stress injuries including tennis elbow , fibromyalgia , rotator cuff pain , muscoskeletal pain . in a preferred embodiment , the composition of the invention is applied to an area of a shoulder requiring analgesia due to pain originating from the rotator cuff and includes putrescine at about 2 percent by weight of the composition . the following examples describe in detail compositions illustrative of the present invention and methods for their utilization . it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many modifications , both of materials and methods may be practiced without departing from the purpose and intent of the disclosure . for example , although references are made to “ lotion ”, “ cream ” and “ balm ”, it will be understood that a given form of the respective composition may converted to another by altering the non - medicinal components in methods known to persons skilled in the art . for example , a topical cream composition can also be provided in a topical lotion or balm form . all components are commercially available . a topical cream composition according to an aspect of the present invention was prepared from the following components : a topical balm composition according to an aspect of the present invention was prepared from the following components : a topical lotion composition according to an aspect of the present invention was prepared from the following components : a topical lotion composition according to an aspect of the present invention was prepared from the following components : a topical composition according to an aspect of the present invention with lidocaine and putrescine present was prepared from the following components : a topical massage cream composition according to an aspect of the present invention was prepared from the following components : a topical cream composition according to an aspect of the present invention was prepared from the following components : the putrescine is dissolved in deionized water in a one to one ratio before adding to the glaxo base . a composition for topical application , according to an aspect of the present invention , was prepared from the components listed below . the composition was prepared in the form of a lotion but can also be adapted to a cream or balm form as will be known in the art . the above individual phases were prepared individually , as would be known to persons skilled in the art , and subsequently mixed together to form the composition . in a variation of the above formulation , phase c ( i . e . menthol and camphor ) may be omitted and the water content adjusted accordingly . in another variation of the above formulation , 0 . 1 % eucalyptus oil may be used instead of 0 . 2 % zinc , with the water content adjusted accordingly . in the formulation of the present example , copper is included . preferably , copper is included in the form of copper peptide , which is known the art , particularly for skin care compositions . the inventors postulate that the presence of copper serves to keep putrescine accumulated under the skin , thereby improving the efficacy thereof . this is based on a previously published finding that copper putrescine accumulates under a copper wire in a willow tree branch . thus , although copper peptide is included in the above formulation , other suitable ( i . e . cosmetically or dermatologically suitable ) copper containing components may also be used instead of or together with copper peptide . it will be understood that the invention is not to be limited to any particular theory concerning how copper may affect the effectiveness of the formulation . the above formulation was made with concentrations of copper peptide from about 0 . 1 % to 0 . 2 % w / w . these formulations have been used in treating tertiary pain on patients , in some cases resulting in patients being able to reduce dependence on opioid drugs . in order to assess the analgesic effects of the method of use of the compounds of the invention and the compositions of the present invention , studies have been conducted . in the following study , the effect of the composition on a group of subjects in pain was evaluated . sixteen subjects experiencing pain were given a sample of the composition of example 1 ( the “ example 1 ” composition ) and a sample of the composition of example 1 that does not include the active ingredient , putrescine ( the “ placebo ” composition ). the subjects were advised to topically administer the compositions at different periods of pain and to then rate the effectiveness of the two compositions . pain was estimated by a ranking system from 0 to 5 , wherein 0 was no effect , while 5 represented maximum perceived relief of pain . the data are presented in table 1 and show that the perceived pain decreased with application of the composition containing putrescine . as well , 15 out of 16 subjects did not perceive a decrease in pain after application of the placebo composition . similarly , subjects experiencing pain were given a sample of the composition of example 1 ( the “ example 1 ” composition ) and a sample of the composition of example 1 that does not include the active ingredient , putrescine ( the “ placebo ” composition ). the subjects were advised to administer the compositions at different periods of pain and to then rate the effectiveness of the two compositions . pain was estimated by a ranking system from 0 to 5 , wherein 0 was no effect , while 5 represented maximum perceived relief of pain . the data are presented in table 2 and show that the perceived pain decreased with application of the composition containing putrescine . tests were also conducted on twelve subjects suffering from arthritis . half of the subjects were given a placebo for topical administration and the others were given the following composition : this composition contains 2 % putrescine . the results are summarized in table 3 . three people who were given the placebo dropped out prior to completion of the study . tests were also conducted on people suffering from fibromyalgia to compare relief obtained with a topical composition containing 20 percent triethanolamine salicylate ( bayer myoflex ) to the above - indicated 2 percent putrescine composition . the test was double blind . the results obtained are summarized in table 4 . while in this specification the invention has been described in detail through an example of some of the preferred embodiments thereof , it will be obvious to a person skilled in the art that many variations and modifications could be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention . therefore , the present invention should be considered as limited only by the scope of the appended claims . all patents and publications referenced to throughout the specification are hereby incorporated in their entirety as though the contents thereof had been reproduced herein , without admission that such is prior art .
a method for producing local analgesia in a subject having a site of local discomfort comprises administration of an aliphatic polyamine and , preferably , urea . a composition of the invention comprises an aliphatic polyamine and preferably urea . the polyamine can be an alkylamine , such as , preferably , putrescine . the composition can also include lidocaine and / or a copper containing component .