ITMI20091320A1 - EMULSIFIER INCLUDING SUBSTANCES IN A FLOWER AND COSMETIC COMPOSITIONS THAT CONTAIN IT. - Google Patents

Description

DESCRIPTION

of the industrial invention entitled:

"Emulsifier comprising substances present in a flower and cosmetic compositions containing it"

The present invention relates to an emulsifier comprising substances present in a flower and cosmetic compositions containing it.

More particularly, the present invention relates to an emulsifier comprising substances extracted from a flower linked to a lipoamino acid and cosmetic compositions containing it.

It is known that an emulsion is a more or less stable dispersion of a fluid in the form of very minute droplets (dispersed phase) in another non-miscible fluid (dispersing phase or vehicle). Its stability depends on various factors, such as, for example, the density of the two phases, the temperature and the presence of stabilizing substances, called emulsifiers, which according to the chemical-physical principles that regulate the behavior of the surfactants, are oriented towards the interface phase, thus reducing its free energy and thus allowing a more or less high degree of dispersion. Typical emulsions are water-in-oil systems (A / O, in which water is dispersed in oil), or oil-in-water (O / A, in which oil is dispersed in water).

However, it is known that emulsifiers for cosmetic use must have at least the following characteristics:

- be skin compatible and therefore not irritate the skin;

- be able to reduce the water / oil interfaces in order to emulsify and stabilize hydrophilic and lipophilic phases which are mutually immiscible; and

- have a low environmental impact, i.e. be biodegradable.

The use of emulsifiers derived from the chemistry of petroleum and the world of minerals such as, for example, ethoxylates, sulphates and phosphates, has been widespread for a long time.

However, the aforementioned synthetic substances were found to be very aggressive towards the skin due to their high intrinsic chemical energy and toxic for their release metabolites. Furthermore, they have been banned from ecological cosmetics not only for the aforementioned drawbacks but also because they are poorly biodegradable and polluting.

Therefore, research in the cosmetic field was then directed to safe emulsifying substances both from an environmental point of view and from the point of view of skin irritability. Examples of such substances useful for this purpose are lipoproteins (WO 2004/096170) and lipommino acids (WO 2006/087156).

However, the use of lipoproteins as emulsifiers in the cosmetic field, even if effective and safe in use, have the drawback of having an unpleasant color and odor.

On the other hand, lipoamino acids which, in addition to being safe in use, also have a neutral odor and color have proved to be particularly suitable.

It is also known, in the cosmetic field, the need to have cosmetic compositions in the form of emulsions that present, in addition to the aforementioned characteristics, also functional skin properties such as, for example, anti-inflammatory, soothing, anti-redness, moisturizing, antioxidant and emollient properties.

These characteristics are generally possessed by some substances extracted from the plant world, in particular from flowers.

For example, the plant extracts from chamomile flowers consist of substances such as bisabolol, azulene, famesene as well as the typical essence of chamomile. They have an anti-reddening and soothing action for the skin.

Rose flowers, in particular those of centifolia / damask rose contain substances such as, for example, phenylethyl alcohol and beta damascone which are responsible for the characteristic smell of rose.

The extraction of substances from flowers can be accomplished with the aid of polar solvents such as, for example, propylene glycol, butylene glycol or glycerols.

Through the aforementioned systems, however, mainly water-soluble substances are extracted, while it is known that lipophilic substances are also contained in the flowers.

To overcome the aforementioned drawback, fat-soluble systems have been created in which the extraction is performed with mostly vegetable oils such as, for example, sunflower oil, safflower oil and corn oil.

However, one or the other extraction method has the drawback of extracting mainly the water-soluble or fat-soluble part from the flower.

Now surprisingly, an emulsifier has been found capable of binding both fat-soluble and water-soluble substances present in flowers through lipophilic and hydrophilic interactions, thus giving the product particular characteristics such as odor, color and effects such as, for example, hydration.

A first object of the present invention therefore constitutes an emulsifier comprising substances present in a flower, said emulsifier being obtainable by means of the process comprising the steps of:

(a) preparing a lipoamino acid by reaction of a fatty acid and an amino acid, wherein 1) said fatty acid is a saturated or unsaturated fatty acid having C8a C24 carbon atoms selected from the group consisting of caprific, capric, lauric, myristic acid, paimitic, stearic, arachidonic, behenic, lignoceric, oleic, linolenic, erucic, a fatty acid coming from vegetable oils selected from a group consisting of coconut, palm, olive, rapeseed, sunflower and soybean oil and their mixtures and 2) said amino acid is selected from the group consisting of hydroxyproline, profine glycine, arginine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, valine, alanine, sarcosine, histidine, leucine, phenylalanine, serine, asparagine and glutamine;

(b) isolating the product obtained in step a) in the form of salt;

(c) preparing a solution consisting of water and flowers;

(d) adding the product of step b) to the solution of step c);

(e) heating the mixture of step d) to a temperature and for a time suitable for extracting substances contained in the flowers;

(f) removing the solid bodies from the solution of step e);

(g) acidifying the solution of step f); And

(h) remove the water from the solution of step g).

Advantageously, the choice of the saturated or unsaturated fatty acid having C8a C24 carbon atoms to prepare the lipoamino acid of step a) of the present invention is the result of a long experimentation by the Applicant. In fact, the Applicant has proved that fatty acids with carbon atoms lower than 8 have an unpleasant odor and are scarcely lipophilic and those with carbon atoms higher than 24 are difficult to find on the market and are also not pleasant for cosmetic use.

Even more preferably, said lipoamino acid of step a) is prepared by reaction of behenic acid and hydroxyproline.

Advantageously, the choice of behenic acid and hydroxyproline to prepare the preferred lipoamino acid of the present invention is the result of a long experimentation by the Applicant. In fact, the latter has found that behenic acid having 22 carbon atoms has a molecular weight and a lipophilicity particularly suitable for giving the final product a high cosmetic pleasantness during application. Furthermore, behenic acid is a saturated fatty acid and therefore stable to oxidation.

As regards the choice of hydroxyproline, however, it is due to the fact that this is the main amino acid constituting collagen and in turn has an optimal hydrophilicity to obtain a lipoamino acid with high emulsifying and skin-affine power.

Advantageously, the product of step b) is in the form of a salt selected from the group consisting of sodium, potassium, magnesium, triethanolamine and methylpropanolamine salt. Even more advantageously, it is in the form of the potassium salt.

Preferred examples of stage c) flowers are rose or chamomile.

Advantageously, step e) takes place at a temperature between 40 and 60 ° C for a period of time between 20 and 30 hours.

Said removal step f) is preferably carried out by filtration by means of a metal mesh filter.

Preferably, the acidification step g) is carried out up to about pH 2. Even more preferably, it is accomplished with 30% phosphoric acid up to pH 2.

Preferred examples of emulsifier according to the present invention are potassium beenoyl hydroxyproline rose extract or potassium beenoyl hydroxyproline chamomile extract.

Preferably, in the emulsifier of the present invention, the amount of the substances present in a flower is up to 0.5% by weight.

Advantageously, the emulsifier of the present invention has a lipoamino acid portion composed of both a lipophilic part, that deriving from the fatty acid, and a hydrophilic part, that deriving from the amino acid. These parts are thus able to bind, through interactions of the Van der Waals type, the water-soluble and fat-soluble substances present in the flower extracts.

The emulsions obtained using the emulsifier of the present invention have the further advantage of being endowed with excellent dermal affinity and of being easily applicable on the skin surface making the latter smooth, soft, elastic and hydrated.

A second object of the present invention also constitutes an emulsifying base comprising the emulsifier of the present invention described above together with consistency factors.

Preferred examples of said consistency factors are glyceryl stearate and cetylstearic alcohol.

A further object of the present invention is a cosmetic composition comprising an emulsifier of the present invention as described above together with excipients acceptable from the cosmetic point of view.

Advantageously, said emulsifier of the present invention is present in the cosmetic composition in quantities ranging from 0.50 to 5.00% by weight.

Preferred examples of cosmetic compositions according to the present invention are those selected from the group consisting of a moisturizing cream, an anti-wrinkle cream, an eye contour cream and a body lotion.

In the course of the description and claims of the present invention, the term "substances present in a flower" is intended to include the set of fat-soluble and water-soluble plant extracts from flowers including the active ingredients contained therein.

The following examples serve to illustrate the present invention without however limiting it in any way.

Example 1

Preparation of the emulsifier: potassium beenoyl hydroxyproline / rose extract Hydroxyproline (100 g) was dissolved in water (450 g) and ethyl alcohol (100 g), heated to 65 ° C and the pH was brought to 9.5- 10 by potassium hydroxide in a 46% solution. Beenoyl chloride (200g) was added to the above mixture in small doses and in about 30 minutes and the pH was maintained at a value between 8.5-10 by adding 46% potassium hydroxide. The temperature was maintained at 65-70 ° C for 2 hours and the pH value between 8.5-10. The product potassium beenoyl hydroxyproline (1000 g) in aqueous solution containing about 30% of active was thus obtained.

Everything was heated to 80 ° C by distilling the ethyl alcohol and then water (2000 g) was added in order to have a 10% active ingredient.

Separately, some Centifolia / damascena rosebuds (300 g) were placed in distilled water (2700 g). The 10% potassium beenoyl hydroxyproline (3000 g) prepared above was added to this solution. The following aqueous product was thus obtained consisting of rose buds (300 g), potassium beenoyl hydroxyproline (300 g) and water (5400 g). The whole was heated to 50 ° C ± 10 ° C under slow stirring for 24 hours. The solid bodies were removed by large metal mesh filtration. A pink and perfumed solution based on potassium beenoyl hydroxy proline was thus obtained. This solution was acidified with 30% phosphoric acid at around pH 2, the stirring was turned off and everything was left to separate. After 2 hours a lumpy white-pink milky separation was observed which was filtered with a special filter to remove the water from the beenoyl hydroxyproline / rose extract which showed the following chemical-physical characteristics: pH value: 3 ,2

Color: pale pink

Odor: pleasant

Appearance: semi-thick paste

Dry residue: about 58%.

Example 2

Preparation of the emulsifier: potassium beenoyl hydroxyproline / chamomile extract The beenoyl hydroxyproline (1000 g) obtained as described in Example 1 above after distillation was brought to 10% active with water (2000 g).

Separately, chamomile flowers (300 g) were placed in distilled water (2700 g). 10% potassium beenoyl hydroxyproline (3000 g) was added to this solution. The following aqueous product was thus obtained consisting of chamomile flowers (300 g), potassium beenoyl hydroxyproline (300 g) and water (5400 g). The whole was heated to 50 ° C ± 10 ° C under slow stirring for 24 hours. The solid bodies were removed by large metal mesh filtration. A brownish and perfumed solution based on potassium beenoyl hydroxy proline was thus obtained. This solution was acidified with 30% phosphoric acid at around pH 2, the stirring was turned off and everything was left to separate. After 2 hours, a lumpy green-brownish milky separation was observed which was filtered with a special filter to remove the water from the beenoyl hydroxyproline / chamomile extract which showed the following chemical-physical characteristics:

PH value: 3.2

Color: brownish green

Odor: pleasant

Appearance: semi-thick paste

Dry residue: about 58%.

Example 3

Preparation of an emulsifying base

The aforementioned emulsifying base was prepared by adding the conventional consistency factors to the emulsifier of Example 1.

Example 4

Preparation of an emulsifying base

The aforementioned emulsifying base was prepared by adding the conventional consistency factors to the emulsifier of Example 2.

Example 5

Moisturizing cream

The aforementioned moisturizer was prepared by loading the emulsifying base of Example 3, olive wax, shea butter, cetylstearic alcohol, cosmetic lipids of the fat phase and vitamin E acetate. The whole was heated to 70 ° C in order to obtain the fusion of the components of the fat phase.

Separately, water, panthenol, glycerol and butylene glycol were loaded. The whole was heated to 70 ° C in order to obtain a homogeneous mixture. Subsequently, the xanthan gum and the acrylic polymer were added to this mixture, and the traditional turboemulsifier was operated for 5 'until the dispersion of the polymers was obtained.

At this point the two phases were mixed by activating the turboemulsifier until a homogeneous emulsion was obtained. Following a cooling down to 40 ° C, sodium hydroxide was added in order to have a pH of around 6.20. Finally, the remaining components were added, namely aloe vera gel, rice and pomegranate extract, prickly pear extract and preservatives. The mixer was then operated until a homogeneous product having the following chemical-physical characteristics was obtained.

Appearance: white O / A emulsion

pH: 6.20

Viscosity: 13700 mPa.s

Example 6

Wrinkle cream

The above wrinkle cream was prepared by loading the emulsifying base of Example 3, stearic acid, shea butter, cetylstearyl alcohol, cosmetic lipids of the fat phase, vegetable oils (macadamia, almonds, shea, Limnanthes), dimethicone, Vitamin E acetate, Vitamin A palmitate and antioxidant. The whole was heated to 70 ° C in order to obtain the fusion of the components of the fat phase.

Apart from the water, disodium EDTA, anhydrous caffeine, glycerol and butylene glycol were loaded. The whole was heated to 70 ° C in order to obtain a homogeneous and limpid system. Subsequently, xanthan gum and sodium carbomer were added to this mixture, and the traditional turboemulsifier was operated for 5 'until the dispersion of the polymers was obtained.

At this point the two phases were mixed by activating the turboemulsifier until a homogeneous emulsion was obtained. After cooling down to 40 ° C, sodium hyaluronate and polysaccharide were added working with turbo for 3 '. Finally, the remaining components were added, namely calcium α-hydroxymethionine, homotaurine, perfume and preservatives. The mixer was then operated until a homogeneous product having the following chemical-physical characteristics was obtained.

Appearance: white O / A emulsion

pH: 6.29

Viscosity: 16200 mPa.s

Example 7

Eye contour cream

The aforementioned eye contour cream was prepared by loading the emulsifying base of Example 4, shea butter, cetylstearyl alcohol, cosmetic lipids of the fat phase, vegetable oils (shea and Limnanthes), dimethicone and the antioxidant. The whole was heated to 70 ° C in order to obtain the fusion of the components of the fat phase.

Apart from the water, disodium EDTA, anhydrous caffeine, glycerol and butylene glycol were loaded. The whole was heated to 70 ° C in order to obtain a homogeneous and limpid system. Subsequently, xanthan gum and carbomer were added to this mixture, and the traditional turboemulsifier was operated for 5 'until the dispersion of the polymers was obtained.

At this point the two phases were mixed by activating the turboemulsifier until a homogeneous emulsion was obtained. Following a cooling down to 40 ° C, sodium hydroxide was added in order to have a pH of around 6.70 working with turbo for 3 '. Finally, the remaining components were added, namely rice starch, flavonoid from citrus-hesperetin and preservatives. The mixer was then operated until a homogeneous product having the following chemical-physical characteristics was obtained.

Appearance: ivory white O / A emulsion

pH: 6.70

Viscosity: 13400 mPa.s

Example 8

Body lotion

The aforementioned body lotion was prepared by loading squalane, sunflower oil and dimethicone with the emulsifying base of Example 3. The whole was heated to 70 ° C in order to obtain the fusion of the components of the fat phase.

The water, panthenol and glycerol were added separately. The whole was heated to 70 ° C in order to obtain a homogeneous mixture. Subsequently, sodium polyacrylate was added to this mixture, and the traditional turboemulsifier was operated for 5 'until the polymer dispersion was obtained.

At this point the two phases were mixed by activating the turboemulsifier until a homogeneous emulsion was obtained. After cooling down to 40 ° C, the remaining components were added, namely aloe vera gel, perfume and preservatives. The mixer was then operated until a homogeneous product with the following chemical and physical characteristics was obtained.

Appearance: ivory white O / A emulsion

pH: 6.77

Viscosity: 1620 mPa.s

Essay 1

Evaluation of primary skin irritation on humans of the moisturizing cream of Example 5

The moisturizing cream of Example 5 of the present invention was applied as it is under occlusive conditions for 48 hours on the back of 20 healthy volunteers.

The reading of the skin reactions was performed after 15 minutes and after 24 hours from the removal of the product (48 and 72 hours from the application of the same, respectively).

Signs of an allergic reaction were noted in 0 (zero) volunteers.

Under the experimental conditions adopted, the cream in question gave an irritation index at 15 minutes equal to 0 (zero) and at 24 hours equal to 0.15. It can therefore be considered non-irritating.

The results are shown in the following Table 1.

Table 1

Essay 2

Evaluation of the moisturizing activity on humans of the moisturizing cream of Example 5

The evaluation of the moisturizing activity was performed following the Ager MA07 assay procedure. This assay protocol includes a short-term assay (instrumental measurements after 2 and 4 hours from the single application) and a long-term assay period of 7 days of use (two applications per day). The same group of volunteers was employed in both assays.

In order to evaluate the moisturizing activity in the outer layers of the skin, 5 healthy volunteers without dermatitis were subjected to measurement of the water content of the stratum corneum after a single application and after 7 consecutive days of application (twice / day) of the moisturizer of Example 5.

The moisturizing cream of Example 5 was applied in standard quantities (0.015 g / cm <2>) on the skin of a forearm of 5 volunteers. Measurements of the water content of the stratum corneum were performed at the following times:

Short-term test: before application (T0) and after 2 (T2h) and 4 (T4h) hours from a single application under standard conditions, the tested area had a surface of 4 x 4 cm;

Long-term test: after 7 days (T 7 days) of daily applications (two applications / day).

In both of the aforementioned assays, to make the conditions of a random type, 3 volunteers used the right arm and 2 the left one for the application of the cream.

Given the influence of temperature and relative humidity on the hydration level of the skin, the volunteers were left for at least 20 minutes in an air-conditioned room with a controlled temperature and relative humidity (range 20 ± 2 ° C and 50 ± 5%, respectively). To allow the acclimatization of the skin areas designated as test areas, the volunteers left their arms uncovered during this period. Under these conditions, the level of hydration of the tested areas of both the right and left arms was measured before the test. If the difference between the two zones was greater than 5 asometric units, the volunteer was refused.

Hydration measurements were also taken on an untreated area (chosen control area on the upper arm) at the same time as the assay.

The results showed that the cream of Example 5 induces a consistent improvement in skin hydration in the outer layers of the skin and that hydration remains higher during a test period of 4 hours compared to the base value.

On the same 5 volunteers, the cream of Example 5 was applied for 7 days. The upper arm was untreated and served as an untreated control (control area).

The following mean changes, compared to baseline values, were observed at each time of the assay as shown in Tables 2 and 3 below.

The results were expressed as average values of Comeometric units (each result is the average of three successive Comeometric readings) taken in the indicated times and measured with the CM 825 Courage + Khazaka Comeometer equipment.

As appears from the aforementioned Table 2, the level of hydration (asometric units) in the area of skin treated with the cream of Example 5 is improved, compared to the baseline after 4 hours from the single application (+ 22.05%) and after 7 consecutive days of application (+ 25.02%).

In the untreated control zone, changes in average skin hydration levels appear to be negligible compared to baseline.

Table 3

Hydration levels before application (TP) and at each time of the assay and in the untreated area (control)

Claims (10)

CLAIMS 1. Emulsifier comprising substances present in a flower, said emulsifier being obtainable by the process comprising the steps of: a) prepare a lipoamino acid by reaction of a fatty acid and an amino acid, in which 1) said fatty acid is a saturated or unsaturated fatty acid having C8a C24 carbon atoms selected from the group consisting of caprific, capric, lauric, myristic, paimitic acid , stearic, arachidonic, behenic, lignoceric, oleic, linolenic, erucic, a fatty acid from vegetable oils selected from a group consisting of coconut, palm, olive, rapeseed, sunflower and soybean oil and their mixtures and 2) said amino acid is selected from the group consisting of hydroxyproline, profine, glycine, arginine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, valine, alanine, sarcosine, histidine, leucine, phenylalanine, serine, asparagine and glutamine; b) isolate the product obtained in step a) in the form of salt; c) prepare a solution consisting of water and flowers; d) adding the product of step b) to the solution of step c); e) heating the mixture of step d) to a temperature and for a time suitable for extracting the substances contained in the flowers; f) removing the solid bodies from the solution of step e); g) acidifying the solution of step f); And h) remove the water from the solution of step g). 2. Emulsifier according to claim 1, wherein said lipoamino acid of step a) is prepared by reaction of behenic acid and hydroxyproline. 3. Emulsifier according to claim 1, wherein said product of step b) is in the form of a salt selected from the group consisting of sodium, potassium, magnesium, triethanolamine and methylpropanolamine salt. 4. Emulsifier according to claim 1, wherein said flowers of step c) are rose or chamomile. 5. Emulsifier according to claim 1, wherein step e) occurs at a temperature between 40 and 60 ° C for a period of time between 20 and 30 hours. 6. Emulsifier according to claim 1, wherein step g) takes place up to pH 2. 7. Emulsifier obtained according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein said emulsifier is potassium beenoyl hydroxyproline rose extract or potassium beenoyl hydroxyproline extract of chamomile. 8. Emulsifying base comprising an emulsifier as described in claims 1 to 7 together with consistency factors. A cosmetic composition comprising an emulsifier as described in claims 1 to 7 together with cosmetically acceptable excipients. 10. Cosmetic composition according to claim 9 selected from the group consisting of moisturizer, anti-wrinkle cream, eye contour cream and body lotion.