Drug – bio-affecting and body treating compositions – Preparations characterized by special physical form – Cosmetic – antiperspirant – dentifrice
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-16
2001-03-06
Dodson, Shelley A. (Department: 1616)
Drug, bio-affecting and body treating compositions
Preparations characterized by special physical form
Cosmetic, antiperspirant, dentifrice
C424S059000, C424S060000, C424S195110, C424S197110, C424S400000, C514S783000, C514S773000, C514S777000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06197318
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a composition for external use, and more particularly, to a composition for external use which attains a variety of excellent characteristics through incorporation of xyloglucan, which is a polysaccharide originating from tamarind beans, as an essential ingredient.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Conventionally, a variety of ingredients have been incorporated into a composition for external use, (hereinafter called an “external-use composition”) such as a cosmetic composition, in accordance with the function to be realized in the external-use composition.
For example, an ultraviolet shielding agent is incorporated into an external-use composition in order to protect the skin from exposure to ultraviolet rays in sunlight, so as to prevent generation of age spots or freckles and skin aging, as well as to prevent generation of skin diseases such as skin cancer. When an external-use composition is processed into an emulsion such as milky lotion or cream or is stabilized, a surfactant is incorporated into the composition so as to emulsify or stabilize the composition.
Incorporation into an external-use composition of an ingredient suited for achieving an object enables provision of products matching a wide range of consumer needs; however, the incorporation may cause adverse effects.
Of the above examples, an external-use composition incorporated with an ultraviolet shielding agent tends to involve deteriorated sensation in use. Also, an external-use composition containing a surfactant in a large amount has been known to cause problems in safety and sensation in use.
A variety of measures have been investigated in attempts to solve the above-mentioned problems and to provide a higher quality, more reliable external-use composition.
Thus, a problem to be solved by the present invention is to find a key ingredient for effectively coping with the above problems, and to provide various external-use compositions in which the ingredient is used.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
The present inventors have conducted earnest studies to solve the above-described problems, and have found that xyloglucan, which is a polysaccharide originating from a plant, can serve as the above-described key ingredient.
Xyloglucan which is incorporated into the external-use composition according to the present invention (hereinafter referred to as the external-use composition of the present invention) is a polysaccharide having a molecular weight of approximately 650,000 and is a predominant ingredient of beans of
Tamarindus indica,
a legume that mainly grows in tropical regions. Xyloglucan has a structure such that xylose and galactose form side chains and are bound to a main chain formed of &bgr;-1,4-glucan, and is represented by the following formula (I):
wherein glu represents a glucose unit; xyl represents a xylol unit; gal represents a galactose unit; and n represents the number of repeating units.
Xyloglucan is a Newtonian fluid having starch-like fluidity, and is sufficiently viscous that it gels when brought into contact with a sugar. In addition, xyloglucan has excellent stability against acid, heat, and salt, and excellent water retention.
Xyloglucan is now commercially available (trade name: GLYLOID, product of Dainippon Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.), and is generally used as a thickener for food products such as Worcestershire sauce and ice cream.
When a commercial product of xyloglucan is incorporated into the external-use composition of the present invention, the product is preferably refined as finely as possible.
Xyloglucan may be produced by a method described in a catalog in which the above “GLYLOID” appears.
Specifically, the method comprises the steps of removing foreign matter from beans of tamarind; dipping the beans in water; crushing; removing impurities from the crushed product; washing and drying the crushed product; and finely crushing the dried product, to thereby obtain xyloglucan.
No particular limitation is imposed on the amount of xyloglucan incorporated into the external-use composition of the present invention; the amount varies in accordance with the specific mode of the composition and is appropriately selected in accordance with the specific product form and the form of commercial products. Amounts for specific modes of the composition will be described later.
Incorporation of xyloglucan into the external-use composition of the present invention and modifying the composition through any of a variety of methods yields an external-use composition having excellent characteristics not possessed by conventional compositions.
In the present invention, the term “external-use composition” broadly refers to a composition which may be applied to the outer skin (including the hair and the scalp), and is not limited by a legally defined concept; e.g., a cosmetic composition, drug, or quasi-drug.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
A. A first mode of the present invention is directed to an external-use composition in which both xyloglucan and ultraviolet shielding agents are incorporated (hereinafter the composition will be referred to as the “external-use composition of the first mode of the present invention”).
Recently, ultraviolet rays in sunlight has been discovered to have severe, adverse effects on the human body, and skin care products that counter ultraviolet rays have become increasingly important.
In accordance with such a trend, in order to shield human skin from ultraviolet rays in sunlight, there have been developed many external-use compositions, such as cosmetics, which incorporate a variety of ultraviolet shielding agents.
In order to obtain a sufficient effect of protecting the skin from ultraviolet rays, ultraviolet shielding agents may be incorporated into an external-use composition in a large amount. However, among ultraviolet shielding agents, most ultraviolet absorbents, which mainly absorb ultraviolet rays chemically, are sticky, and when a large amount of the absorbers is incorporated into an external use composition, the absorbers may lead to an unpleasant sensation of the composition. In a product containing an ultraviolet scattering agent, which mainly scatters ultraviolet rays physically, the agent should be dispersed in more stable condition, since the agent may coagulate with passage of time and may markedly tend to impair the intended effect of the product.
Quite unexpectedly, the present inventors discovered the following: an external-use composition containing both xyloglucan and ultraviolet shielding agents does not have a sticky sensation in use when a large amount of ultraviolet absorbents (which are included in the category of ultraviolet shielding agents) is incorporated into the composition; ultraviolet scattering agents (which are a type of ultraviolet shielding agent) do not coagulate in the composition when a large amount thereof is incorporated; the ultraviolet shielding agents retain their effectiveness even after long-term storage in the composition; and these effects may be in particular improved when sugar-derived ultraviolet absorbents are incorporated in the composition, and led to completion of the present invention. Such a composition is called the “external-use composition of the first mode of the present invention.”
Throughout the present specification, an “ultraviolet shielding agent” encompasses two concepts; an “ultraviolet absorbent,” which mainly absorbs ultraviolet rays chemically, and an “ultraviolet scattering agent,” which mainly scatters ultraviolet rays physically.
In the external-use composition of the first mode of the present invention, the amount of incorporated xyloglucan is 0.01-10.0 wt. %, preferably 0.1-4.0 wt. %, with respect to the entirety of the composition.
In the external-use composition of the first mode of the present invention, when the amount of incorporated xyloglucan is less than 0.01 wt. % with respect to the entirety of the composition, substantial difficulty is encountered in obtaining the intended effects; i.e., that the composition containing ultravio
Abe Koji
Hayashi Toshikatsu
Miyahara Reiji
Nakamura Tadashi
Nanba Tomiyuki
Dodson Shelley A.
Shiseido Company Ltd.
Townsend & Banta
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