Drug – bio-affecting and body treating compositions – Designated organic active ingredient containing – Cyclopentanohydrophenanthrene ring system doai
Reexamination Certificate
2001-04-10
2002-11-26
Badio, Barbara P. (Department: 1616)
Drug, bio-affecting and body treating compositions
Designated organic active ingredient containing
Cyclopentanohydrophenanthrene ring system doai
C424S400000, C424S401000, C514S844000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06486147
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a composition including at least one steroid chosen from DHEA and/or a biological precursor and/or a chemical or metabolic derivative of the latter and at least one 2-alkylalkanol comprising from 12 to 36 carbon atoms or an ester of such an alcohol, to uses of the composition and to a process for dissolving the abovementioned steroid by means of at least one 2-alkylalkanol comprising from 12 to 36 carbon atoms or an ester of such an alcohol.
2. Description of the Background
DHEA or dehydroepiandrosterone is a natural steroid produced essentially by the corticoadrenal glands. Exogenous DHEA, administered topically or orally, is known for its ability to promote keratinization of the epidermis (JP-07 196 467) and to treat dry skin by increasing the endogenous production and the secretion of sebum and by thus strengthening the barrier effect of the skin (U.S. Pat. No. 4,496,556). DHEA is also described for the treatment of the symptoms of the menopause (U.S. Pat. No. 5,854,671) and in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis (U.S. Pat. No. 5,776,923). The use of DHEA has also been suggested in the treatment of obesity and diabetes (WO 97/13500) or of cardiovascular diseases (U.S. Pat. No. 5,854,671) and in the treatment of some cancers, such as ovarian cancer (U.S. Pat. No. 5,798,347), uterine cancer (U.S. Pat. No. 5,872,114) or breast cancer (U.S. Pat. No. 5,824,671).
In point of fact, DHEA only dissolves with difficulty in aqueous and aqueous/alcoholic media, which limits its formulation in cosmetic or dermatological compositions applied topically or orally. It thus has a tendency to recrystallize or to decompose. The result of this is a loss in effectiveness of these compositions to a greater or lesser extent, depending upon the degree of recrystallization and/or of decomposition, which goes against the desired objective. In addition, this recrystallization or decomposition can modify the overall stability of these compositions and their appearance, which can dissuade the consumer from using them.
Accordingly, the need thus remains to dissolve DHEA, and its precursors and/or derivatives presenting the same recrystallization difficulties, in a physiologically acceptable solubilizing agent.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The Inventors has now found, surprisingly, that these compounds can be easily dissolved in Guerbet alcohols and esters thereof.
The alcohols referred to as Guerbet alcohols are 2-alkylalkanols corresponding to the following general formula (II):
in which R denotes the same saturated aliphatic group.
These alcohols are generally obtained by condensation, at high temperature and in the presence of alkaline catalysts, of two aldehyde molecules to form an aldol, followed by elimination of water. Because of their branched structure, these compounds are liquid at extremely low temperatures. In addition, because of their high molecular weight, they are not very irritating and not very volatile and have good lubricating properties. Finally, their saturated aliphatic chain confers on them very good stability with respect to high temperature oxidation.
These advantageous properties explain why these compounds are currently used in a great many applications and in particular as emollients and conditioning agents in highly varied cosmetic compositions. Some of them have also been disclosed as solubilizing agents for active agents, such as 5-(n-octanoyl)salicylic acid, caffeic acid, kojic acid (EP 0 679 388) and retinol (EP 0 646 371 and EP 0 666 076). However, to the knowledge of the Inventors, the use of Guerbet alcohols for dissolving DHEA, a biological precursor thereof, or a chemical or metabolic derivative thereof has never been described.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a composition including at least one steroid chosen from DHEA and/or a biological precursor and/or a chemical or metabolic derivative of the latter, characterized in that it additionally comprises at least one 2-alkylalkanol comprising from 12 to 36 carbon atoms or an ester of such an alcohol.
Thus, one embodiment of the present invention is a composition, comprising:
(A) at least one steroid selected from the group consisting of DHEA, a biological precursor of DHEA, a chemical derivitive of DHEA, and a metabolic derivative of DHEA, and
(B) at least one 2-alkylalkanol comprising from 12 to 36 carbon atoms or an ester thereof.
The present invention also provides a method of preventing or treating chronological or actinic ageing comprising applying the composition of the invention to skin.
The present invention also provides a method of preventing or reducing the papery appearance of the skin, and/or for improving the homogeneity of the color of the skin and/or for lightening the skin and/or reviving the radiance of the complexion, and/or for treating wrinkles and fine lines, and/or for combating cutaneous slackening, and/or for combating or preventing atrophy of the skin, and/or for combating dryness of the skin, comprising applying the composition of the invention to skin.
The present invention also provides a method of cosmetic treating the scalp comprising applying the composition of the invention to the scalp.
The present invention also provides a method of preventing or treating canities comprising applying the composition of the invention to the scalp.
The present invention also provides a method of preparing the composition of the invention by combining (A) and (B).
The present invention also provides a method of preparing the composition the invention by comprising mixing (A) with (B).
The present invention also provides a method of solubilizing a steroid selected from the group consisting of DHEA, a biological precursor of DHEA, a chemical derivitive of DHEA, and a metabolic derivative of DHEA in a composition containing the steroid, comprising incorporating into the composition an amount of at least one 2-alkylalkanol comprising from 12 to 36 carbon atoms or an ester thereof effective to solubilize the steroid in the composition.
The present invention also provides a process for dissolving at least one steroid chosen from DHEA and/or a biological precursor and/or a chemical or metabolic derivative of the latter comprising the stage which consists in mixing the steroid with at least one 2-alkylalkanol comprising from 12 to 36 carbon atoms or with an ester of such an alcohol. The mixing can be carried out under cold conditions, at ambient temperature or under hot conditions, for example at 75° C., generally with stirring.
A more complete appreciation of the invention and many of the attendant advantages thereof will be readily obtained as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
According to a preferred embodiment, the process for preparing the composition of the invention additionally comprises the successive stages consisting in: (a) adding, to the mixture obtained above, a composition comprising compounds capable of forming lamellar phases, so as to obtain an oily phase; (b) optionally, mixing this oily phase with an aqueous phase, to prepare an emulsion; (c) subjecting the oily phase obtained according to stage (a) or the emulsion obtained according to stage (b) to a high pressure homogenization, so as to obtain a composition comprising oily globules coated with lamellar phases; and (d) optionally, adding at least one gelling agent to the composition obtained according to stage (c).
This is because the Inventors have discovered that the formation of oily globules coated with lamellar phases, also referred to as “oleosomes”, such as disclosed in applications EP-0 641 557 and EP-0 705 593, both incorporated herein by reference, makes it possible to slow down the crystallization of the compositions according to the invention. The compounds capable of forming lamellar phases which can be used for implementing the above process are thus disclosed in particular in the two abovementioned patent applications. They genera
Baldo France
Dreher Susanne
Badio Barbara P.
L'Oreal
Oblon & Spivak, McClelland, Maier & Neustadt P.C.
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