Patent Picks—Skin Imaging, Carnitine Creatine for Skin, Sclareol for Antiaging and More

By: Rachel Grabenhofer

Posted: July 28, 2010

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This patent includes methods and compositions for reducing and preventing the excess accumulation of extracellular matrix in a tissue and/or organ or at a wound site using a combination of agents that inhibit TGFβ or using agents that inhibit TGFβ in combination with an agent or agents that degrade excess accumulated extracellular matrix. The compositions and methods of the invention are used to treat conditions such as fibrotic diseases and scarring that result from excess accumulation of extracellular matrix, impairing tissue or organ function, or skin appearance in a subject.

Essential Oil-based Cleaning and Disinfecting Compositions
US Patent 7763575
Publication Date: July 27, 2010
Assignee: Ohsoclean, Inc. (San Francisco, CA, USA)

The disclosed patent entails cleaning and disinfecting compositions for cleaning, disinfecting and sanitizing inanimate and animate surfaces. Such compositions contain thyme oil or thyme oil and origanum oil, a salt of a transition metal, sodium dioctyl sulfosuccinate and water. According to the patent, the compositions are surprisingly stable and as such, may be provided to consumers in the undiluted state. The cleaning and disinfecting compositions are botanical, environmentally sustainable, non-toxic and mildly scented.

Method for Detecting Candida on Skin
US Patent 7763442
Publication Date: July 27, 2010
Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Inc. (Neenah, WI, USA)

This patent describes a method and system for rapidly detecting Candida on the skin of a host, such as an infant with diaper rash. The method includes contacting a dermal sample with a colorant that exhibits a certain spectral response (e.g., color change) in the presence of Candida. For example, the colorant may change from a first color to a second color, from colorless to a color or from a color to colorless. The colorant is typically capable of differentiating between Candida (e.g., Candida albicans) and other microorganisms commonly associated with diaper rash, such as S. aureus and E. coli.