From Caper to Prickly Pear for Dermatitis to Dual Phase Mouthwash: Literature Review

By: Charles Fox (See In Memory Sidebar)

Posted: June 29, 2010, from the July 2010 issue of Cosmetics & Toiletries.

This month’s survey of recent patent and research literature describes money-making ideas for personal care product development, including indirect antioxidants for skin protection, caper and prickly pear extracts to address skin conditions, granulated shampoo and a dual phase mouthwash, among others.

Skin and Skin Care
Polysiloxane emulsifiers: Clariant International Ltd. discloses cosmetic or pharmaceutical compositions, preferably emulsions, utilizing one or more modified polysiloxanes with at least one carbamate group as the emulsifiers.¹ An example of an extra moisture night cream is shown in Formula 1.

Vernonia to improve skin: Bayer Consumer Care describes the use of Vernonia extract to improve skin.² The described invention incorporates a Vernonia plant extract from Madagascar into cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and food supplements to improve the skin by strengthening the dermal-epidermal junction and/or activating fibroblast synthesis and extracellular matrix compounds.

Thus, dried leaves of Vernonia appendiculata were extracted using heptane and percolated with ethanol. The fats were then removed by liquid-liquid extraction, also using heptane. After concentration into the aqueous phase, glycerin was added to adjust the solution to 10% extract in a water-glycerin blend. The final product resulted in a liquid containing > 5% of chlorogenic and isochlorogenic acids. The end Vernonia extract obtained was formulated at 1% into an antiaging cream.

Topical, injectable hyaluronan and heparin: Innoderm has patented topical and injectable cosmetic or pharmaceutical compositions containing a combination of cross-linked or non-cross-linked hyaluronan and heparin and/or one or more heparinoid derivatives.³ These compositions were employed to prolong the lifespan of the hyaluronan present in the skin, which is either endogenous or exogenous, cross-linked or non-cross-linked, in order to improve its antiaging and moisturizing actions and to fill in wrinkles.