fig1 is a side elevational view of a medicament applicator illustrating the principles of the present invention , shown in the compact , ready - to - use position ; fig2 is an exploded view of the medicament applicator of fig1 , showing a closure portion , a cylindrical body portion , a first plunger member and second plunger member ( together forming a plunger assembly ), and a grasping member ; as illustrated in fig1 and 2 a medicament applicator 20 has a dispensing end 22 and a grasping end 24 . a cylindrical member 26 serves as the main body of the applicator , having a medicament reservoir portion , a plunger assembly housing portion , and a grasping surface portion 32 . a closure member 34 is slidingly received over a reduced outer diameter portion 36 of the cylindrical member 26 . a plunger assembly 38 , having a first plunger member 40 with a piston portion 42 and a second plunger member 44 , is slidingly received within cylindrical member 26 ; the piston portion 42 being disposed within the medicament reservoir portion 28 and the rest of the plunger assembly 38 being disposed within the plunger assembly housing portion 30 . a grasping member 46 is provided for the second plunger member 44 . the present invention provides a delivery system that provides an emulsion that exhibits a high internal to external phase ratio between 70 % to 90 %, preferably wherein the nonlipoidal phases comprise from about 70 % to 90 % by volume of the system . the formulations of the present invention reduce the amount of propylene glycol from commercially available bioadhesive systems , preferably by about 20 % to about 80 %, more preferably about 25 %, compared to the formulations in the prior art , while still maintaining the same high internal emulsion ratio of 70 % to 90 %. additionally , the present invention can sustain a temperature of 86 ° f . for at least one month , preferably greater than one month , more preferably greater than two months , more preferably greater than six months , and more preferably greater than one year , for example three to five years . the increased stability allows the present invention to be stored in environments susceptible to climate changes or temperature extremes . this improvement is generally known as “ improved shelf life .” this invention provides a delivery system for the vaginal cavity , wherein the system delivers pharmaceutically active agents to the vaginal cavity in a controlled manner over an extended period of time . in one variation of the present invention , the extended period of time is at least three hours , and in most cases , the period of time can last as long as ten days or more . the delivery system is characterized by a high internal emulsion ratio . the delivery system is preferably an emulsion comprised of at least 70 % hydrophilic constituents by volume of the system . the delivery system provides agents that restore and maintain a healthy vaginal environment , and cure ailments or afflictions affecting the vaginal cavity . the “ vaginal cavity ” also includes proximal areas , e . g ., it includes the vagina , female urinary tract , such as the ostium of the urethra , organs and tissues at the opening of the vaginal cavity , as well as reproductive organs accessible through the cavity . the delivery system is also characterized by a capability to adhere ( otherwise known as “ bioadhere ”) to the walls of the vaginal cavity and proximal areas , including epithelial cells , tissue and organs . the delivery system not only releases an active agent , but it releases the agent in a controlled manner to obtain optimal absorption . thus , the active agent is made available for absorption , pharmacological or other effect at a site of absorption or action in an amount sufficient to cause a desired response consistent with the intrinsic properties of the agent and which provides for maintenance of this response at an appropriate level for a desired period of time . the delivery system of the present invention is preferably characterized by the controlled release of the active agent to a receptor site , site of action , site of absorption , or site of use and the achievement of the desired effect at that site . the delivery system is preferably not miscible in water and is not harmful for use in the vaginal cavity . the delivery system of the present invention can comprise a combination of active and non - active pharmaceutical ingredients ( also known generally herein as “ excipients ”). non - active ingredients , for example , serve to solubilize , suspend , thicken , dilute , emulsify , stabilize , preserve , protect , color , flavor , and fashion the active ingredients into an applicable and efficacious preparation that is safe , convenient , and otherwise acceptable for use . active ingredients , which , for example , can constitute 1 . 0 % to 10 % of the total weight percent of the delivery system , preferably from about 1 . 5 % to 2 . 5 %, more preferably about 2 . 0 %, provide medicinal or chemical treatment of the vaginal cavity . these active ingredients are formulated to be released in a controlled manner . active ingredients comprising the active agent may be any of those ingredients that are approved for or are used for the treatment , prophylaxis , cure , or mitigation of any disease of the vaginal cavity . the primary active ingredients of the delivery system of the present invention are imidazole derivatives , which are antifungal and antibacterial in nature . the imidazole derivatives may be present in the form of pharmaceutically acceptable salts , such as nitrates . examples of imidazole derivatives that can be used in this invention include miconazole nitrate , butoconazole nitrate , oxiconazole nitrate , metronidazole nitrate , terconazole nitrate , and clotrimazole nitrate , among others known in the art . a preferred imidazole derivative in the delivery system of the present invention is butoconazole nitrate . the delivery system can be comprised of internal phase unit cells . these unit cells are the basic , nondivisable , repeating unit of the systems . the internal phase may be nonlipoidal , i . e ., miscible with water , and may comprise water , glycerine , or combinations thereof . the internal phase may be multiphasic and may be a solution , suspension , emulsion , or combination thereof , and may contain at least a portion of the active agent . the external phase may be a continuous phase and lipoidal , i . e ., containing organic compounds comprising the neutral fats , fatty acids , waxes , phosphatides , petrolatum , fatty acid esters of monoprotic alcohols and mineral oils that are insoluble in water but soluble in alcohol , ether , chloroform or other fat solvents . the delivery system may be classified conventionally , for example , as emulsions , emulsions / dispersions , double emulsions , suspensions within emulsions , suppositories , foams , or another classification known in the art . accordingly , in embodiments of the invention , the delivery systems can vary in form . in one embodiment of the present invention , the system is an emulsification of ingredients in a cream form . other embodiments of the present invention include lotions , gels , foams , and various emulsifications . the preferred embodiment has a viscosity range from about 5 , 000 to 2 , 000 , 000 centipoise . additionally , other embodiments of the present invention include liquids , semi - solids and solids having a viscosity range from about 5 , 000 to 750 , 000 centipoise , preferably 350 , 000 to 650 , 000 centipoise . optimizing viscosity can allow the system of delivery to achieve maximum bioadherence on the vaginal cavity . the delivery system is preferably in the form of an emulsion of medium or high internal phase ratio , which is the ratio between the external phase and the internal phase . the ratio value represents how much the internal phase comprises of the system in terms of percent by volume of the system . in embodiments of this invention , the ratio can be at least 70 % by volume , preferably at least 75 %, more preferably at least 80 % and even more preferably up to about 90 %. the controlled release feature of the present invention is a product of the high internal phase emulsion exhibited by the present invention . emulsifiers , auxiliary agents , emulsifying agents or other excipients , such as glycerol monostearate , glycerol monoisostearate , methylparaben , propylparaben , and generally oils , glycerides , sucrose esters , sorbitan esters , polysorbates , stearoyl lactylates , lecithin and other like compounds , create emulsified globules comprised of non - active ingredients . the globules contain reservoirs of the active agents . these globules slowly disperse upon application , i . e ., the globules tend to seek the containing surfaces or membranes , and the globules spread locally ( i . e ., in the vaginal cavity ), thereby forming a “ film ” containing globules that releases the active agent , in a controlled release fashion , over time . this process occurs over a period of time , such as , for example , three hours to up to ten days or more , and is therefore generally known as “ controlled release .” the bioadherence feature of the present invention is a product of the high internal phase emulsion exhibited by the present invention . the emulsified globules , which are comprised of excipients ( examples of which are listed above ), are small in volume , but have a relatively high surface area . the surface area and nature of the surfaces allows the globules to interact with human tissue through a number of physical binding molecular forces such as van der waals forces or hydrogen bonding . these binding forces are intensified due to the high internal phase ratio of the emulsion , there being such a large number of these very small globules as compared to the small volume of the continuous or external phase comprising the emulsion . the present application incorporates by reference in its entirety u . s . pat . no . 5 , 266 , 329 which issued on nov . 30 , 1999 to riley , jr . (“ riley ”). at least one change between the delivery system of the present invention and conventional delivery systems , including those disclosed in riley , is the stability of the delivery system . propylene glycol can affect the stability and diffusion rate of the delivery system . propylene glycol can be included in the formulation of the delivery system to serve as a solvent that helps to dissolve the active ingredient of the delivery system , e . g ., the imidazole , such as butoconazole nitrate . it has been known in conventional formulations to use propylene glycol at 5 . 00 weight percent . in embodiments of the present invention , the propylene glycol can be present in an amount from about 1 . 0 to about 4 . 0 weight percent , more preferably from about 3 . 5 to about 3 . 85 weight percent , and most preferably about 3 . 75 weight percent , i . e ., the amount of propylene glycol is reduced by about 25 % as compared to the 5 . 00 weight percent believed to be required in prior delivery systems . an exemplary embodiment for the delivery system of the present invention is as follows : the delivery system of at least some embodiments of the present invention improves upon the delivery systems known in the art by reducing the amount of propylene glycol in the formulation . the reduction of propylene glycol does not affect the internal phase emulsion ratio , which is greater than 70 %, nor does it preclude the formation of an emulsion . moreover , the reduction of propylene glycol used achieves unexpected results that are highly advantageous and beneficial to the pharmaceutical and medicinal arts . the delivery system of the present invention overcomes the limitations of the prior art . for example , reducing the amount of propylene glycol improves the diffusion rate of the active pharmaceutical agent in the delivery system while maintaining its beneficial pharmaceutical properties and effectiveness . additionally , the delivery system of embodiments of the present invention has demonstrated physical attributes such as bioadherence and potentially increased physical stability in relation to phase separation and the ability to remain in place resisting dispersion for extended periods of time . the overall increased physical attributes of the delivery system of the present invention provides a more effective product for the consumer and a more optimal treatment in the vaginal cavity , i . e ., the emulsion is stable and has improved control over diffusion rates of the active pharmaceutical ingredient thus is more effective . finally , the increased stability provides increased shelf life in areas where temperatures may be uncontrolled , further allowing the delivery system to be used by a greater number of people . exemplary embodiments of the present invention have now been described in accordance with the above advantages . it will be appreciated that these examples are merely illustrative of the invention . many variations and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art .
a pharmaceutical delivery system that releases an active agent in a controlled manner for an extended period in the vaginal cavity to treat or cure ailments associated with the vaginal cavity or proximal areas . the delivery system includes an applicator which is composed of a high internal phase emulsion , allowing the delivery system to adhere to the mueosal surfaces of the body , primarily the lining of vaginal cavity . the delivery system can maintain the high internal phase emulsion at a temperature of 86 ° f . for at least one month , without decomposition or instability of the emulsion .