Patent Picks—Ceramide, Magnolia, Coumarin, Banyan Tree/Lotus/Clover Alternatives to Hydroquinone and More

By: Rachel L. Grabenhofer

Posted: September 18, 2012

page 2 of 3

A 2-methylsuccinic acid diester derivative solvent for cosmetic compositions
WIPO Patent Application WO/2012/119861
Publication date: Sept. 13, 2012
Assignee: L'Oréal, H. Richard and B. Muller

This invention relates to the use of at least one 2-methylsuccinic acid diester derivative as a solvent in a composition comprising at least one liquid fatty phase and at least one lipophilic active agent for the purpose of dissolving the active agent in the liquid fatty phase and/or improving the solubility of the active in the solid fatty phase. The compositions comprising such an aminophenol derivative may be used as depigmenting or bleaching agents in a cosmetic and/or dermatological composition.

Method for the cosmetic treatment of skin redness
WIPO Patent Application WO/2012/117340
Publication date: Sept. 7, 2012
Assignee: L'Oréal, O. De Lacharrière and C. Tran

It has been found that specific ceramides make it possible to combat skin redness, in particular redness induced by UV irradiation, and that these ceramides, by favoring re-epithelialization, stimulate the healing and the recovery of a normal barrier function. Accordingly, disclosed in this patent is a cosmetic treatment method for reducing or preventing skin redness, characterized in that an effective amount of at least one compound of formula I is applied to the skin. Formula (I) is described as: R1-CHOH-CH(NH-COR2)(CH2OH), in which R1 denotes a C13 to C17 alkoyl or alkenyl radical, and R2 denotes a linear C13-C19 hydrocarbon-based radical, which may comprise one or more ethylenically unsaturated groups, especially one or two ethylenically unsaturated groups. Compositions containing the compound of formula (I) also are disclosed, which may be paired for calming, wound-healing or depigmenting benefits, among others.

Coumarin compounds as melanogenesis modifiers and uses thereof
US Patent Application 20120220545
Publication date: Aug. 30, 2012
Inventors: S.J. Orlow and L.N. Komatsu

The present invention is directed to compounds that may be identified by cell-based assays to control melanogenesis. In brief, compounds were screened and a plurality were found to modify, i.e. inhibit, melanogenesis, some of which were not previously known to exhibit such activity. As such, disclosed herein are embodiments directed to the identification of previously unidentified coumarin melanogenesis inhibitors and their use in controlling pigmentation in in vitro and in vivo applications. This disclosure further provides methods of administering the coumarin melanogenesis inhibitors as an extract or as a purified compound.