Zanfel-Discovered from Mean Green Power Hand Scrub

[0027] The inventor discovered that a hand scrub product manufactured and sold by the Redman Scientific, (now Phoenix Industries, home of Mean Green Hand Scrub)Company of Dallas, Tex. can alleviate the signs and symptoms of urushiol induced contact dermatitis. The product has been sold for approximately twenty years, and is known to be a safe, gentle hypoallergenic product. The product has been sold as an industrial hand cleaner and has never heretofore been known to be effective against urushiol toxicity. It has only been promoted as a hand cleaner.

[0028] Chemical analysis and research has revealed that two of the component parts of the Redman product are central to its effectiveness as a solution for urushiol induced contact dermatitis: an ethoxylate and Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate. The ethoxylate is a nonylphenol ethoxylate. The present invention's ethoxylate has the large octyl groups removed. In this way, the ethoxylate can "wrap" around the non-polar molecules of the urushiol. Further, the long chain moiety of the present invention's ethoxylate is only four carbons long, as opposed to, for example, that seen in Tec-Nu.RTM.. This feature also assists the ethoxylate in bonding to the urushiol more effectively. (It is important to note that more than one surfactant can be used at a time. Accordingly, the ethoxylate may be used alone or in conjunction with other surfactants to create the appropriate environment.)

For more information regarding patent information click on link below.

I got a nasty bout of poison ivy myself, and I found that Zanfel worked well for me. I too have been researching the ingredients of Zanfel to determine if there is a cheaper alternative (possibly from a combination of other products).

I found Zanfel's patent application - it is #20020183284. You can access it from

http://appft1.uspto.gov/netahtml/PTO/srchnum.html

In the description, they mention a hand cleaner made by "Redmond Scientific", which I believe is now http://www.meangreen.com . They mention this cleaner was found to be somewhat effective with removing urushiol. MeanGreen hand cleaner has the polyethylene scrubbing beads in it, too.

The patent application talked about a combination of an ethoxylate and Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate as being the active ingredients. Does anyone know which of the Zanfel ingredients is the ethoxylate?