Drug – bio-affecting and body treating compositions – Deodorants
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-06
2003-04-15
Page, Thurman K. (Department: 1615)
Drug, bio-affecting and body treating compositions
Deodorants
C424S074000, C424S725000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06548052
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to deodorizing compositions. More particularly, the invention relates to antimicrobial deodorizing compositions for this purpose.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Body odor is formed when fresh perspiration, which is odorless per se, is decomposed by microorganisms. This process takes place principally, though not solely, in the axilla, and a number of microorganisms are involved, each having different activity and leading to body odor of different strength and unpleasantness. The most prominent odor-producing microorganisms include aerobic diphtheroids, primarily Corynebacterium species and coagulase negative cocci such as Micrococcaceae.
Various microorganisms are found in different proportions in different individuals, and this is a reason for the fact that different individuals exhibit different body odors.
The commercial cosmetic deodorants are based on different active principles. The formation of perspiration is suppressed according to the known art by astringents, predominantly aluminum salts such as aluminum hydroxychloride. Apart from the denaturation of the skin proteins, however, the substances used for this purpose clog the pores, interfere drastically with the heat regulation of the axillary region, may cause cancer and other diseases, and should at best be used in exceptional cases. According to another accepted prior art method, the bacterial flora on the skin is reduced by antimicrobial substances. Finally, body odor can also be concealed by fragrances, which, however, is the least able to meet the aesthetic needs of the consumer, as the mixture of body odor and perfume fragrance smells rather unpleasant.
According to a recent patent on this subject (U.S. Pat. No. 5,318,778), deodorants should fulfill the following conditions:
1) The biological processes of the skin must not be impaired.
2) The deodorants should have no distinct intrinsic odor.
3) They must be harmless in the case of overdosage or other unintended use.
4) They should not concentrate on the skin after repeated use.
5) It should be possible to incorporate them easily into commercial cosmetic formulations.
Those which are known and usable are both liquid deodorants, for example aerosol sprays, roll-ons and the like and solid preparations, for example deodorant sticks, powders, powder sprays, intimate cleansers etc.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,318,778 approaches the problem by employing antibiotics, which are said to be specific microbiocides which predominantly destroy odor-forming microorganisms.
All the prior art methods suffer from severe drawbacks: they require the masking of body odor which has already formed prior to the application of the deodorant, because the destruction of axillary microorganisms does not remove already formed odor. They require the use of antimicrobial agents which must have a long-lasting activity on the skin, because the skin flora is not completely exterminated by their application, and, quite importantly, they very often leave unpleasant stains or halos on the cloths, particularly at and around the axilla. Also the safety of many antiperspirants is dubious, due to the presence of potentially harmful components, and the result is often unpleasant, because of the unnatural odor obtained.
Notwithstanding the many efforts made during many years, and the magnitude of the problem involved, the art has failed to provide deodorizing compositions which are convenient and safe to use, which are effective for a long time. The inventors have now surprisingly found, and this is an object of the invention, that the aforesaid goals can be achieved by using a well known harmless and effective natural agent: Henna.
Henna (
Lawsonia inermis
) is a small shrub growing in Arabia, North Africa, Iran and the East Indies. Dried leaves are a source of green powder used in cosmetics. Although henna paste has been used as a remedy for boils, wounds and some mycotic infections, there are few data on the activity of extracts.
S. S. Bhatnagar et al. [Biological activity of indian medicinal plants. Ind. J. Med. Res. 49: 799-813, 1961] examined antibacterial, antitubercular and antifungal action of 351 Indian plants. The extraction method was first using petrol (b.p. 40-60° C.), followed by extraction of the extracted powder with either 90% or 10% methanol. They found that henna powder was active against all three categories, although they did not list the kind of extracts which were active. One of the few scientific papers discussing extraction of henna for antibacterial activity is that of F. Malekzadeh [Antimicrobial activity of
Lawsonia inermis
L., Applied Microbiology, 16:663-664, 1968]. He studied aqueous extracts and found that while both Gram + and Gram − bacteria were inhibited, inhibitory action was greatest against
Bacillus anthracis
and least against
Staphylococcus aureus.
One known component of henna is lawsone, a napthoquinone pigment which has antibacterial activity against oral species. [N. Didry, L. Dubreuil and M. Pinkas, Activity of anthraquinonic and naphthoquinonic compounds on oral bacteria, Pharmazie, 49:681-683, 1994].
While henna has been used since biblical times as a colorant, and has been mentioned anecdotally as an antiperspirant and antibacterial agent and as a source of gallic acid which inhibits “
Streptococcus aureus
” slightly [Handbook of Medicinal Herbs, p. 274], the direct use of henna extract has been always limited due to its high staining power, which is undesirable both to skin and clothing.
Z. F. Mahmoud et al. [Constituents of Henna Leaves Growing in Egypt, Fitoterapia, 51:153-155, 1980] isolated seven crystalline compounds from Egyptian henna leaves. They write that henna has been used for preserving mummies, and has been used for skin diseases and tinea of the legs. They extracted powdered leaves at room temperature with ethanol. The ethanolic extract was concentrated under vacuum and partitioned between chloroform and water. The aqueous layer was successively extracted with ethyl acetate, etc. They cite that the lawsone, the dyeing principle of henna has bacteriostatic properties, citing the work of Karawya et al. [M. S. Karawya, A. S. M. Wahha and A. Y. Zaki, A study of the lawsone content in henna, Lloydia, 32:76, 1969].
Karawya et al. did not actually check antibacterial activity, but rather established a simple method for estimating the quantity of lawsone. They also mention antifungal and antibacterial properties, citing the work of Hoffman et al. [O. Hoffmann, W. Ostenhof and O. Krapupp. Bacteriostatic quinones and other antibiotics. Montsh. Chem. 77:86-96, 1947].
Black Henna, according to the information given by Alban Muller International, is a mixture of henna powder, and black powder from the plant
Indigofera tinctoria.
According to Anand et al. [K. K. Anand, D. Chand and B. J. Rah Ghatak, Protective effect of alcoholic extract of
Indigofera tinctoria
Linn. in experimental liver injury, Indian Journal of Experimental Biology,19:685-687, 1979],
I. tinctoria
is an annual herbaceous shrub 4-6 feet high found throughout India. It was cultivated in India, China and other countries of the east as a source of Indigo (a colorant that dates back to biblical times, according to B. Chisik in his book in Hebrew, “Treasure of plants” (Otzar Ha'Tsmachim), Vol. 1, p. 333, Hertzlia, Hotzahat Hamechaber, Tsi″b). The extract of the plant is used in epilepsy, nervous disorders and bronchitis. The authors extracted the aerial part of the plant (powdered) with 50% alcohol. They then checked and found marked antihepatotoxic effect in animals.
In another paper (K. K. Anand, D. Chand, B. J. Rah Ghatak, and R. K. Arya, histological evidence of protection by
Indigofera tinctoria
Linn. against carbontetrachloride induced hepatotoxicity—an experimental study, Indian Journal of Experimental Biology, 19: 298-300, 1981), the authors presented histological evidence for protection of liver cells, against carbontetrachlorid
Fubara Blessing
Innoscent Ltd.
Merchant & Gould P,C,
Page Thurman K.
LandOfFree
Antibacterial deodorizing compositions does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Antibacterial deodorizing compositions, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Antibacterial deodorizing compositions will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3096549