Patent Picks—Hair Relaxer; Acmella Oleracea, Ficus Benghalensis; Non-allergic Propolis, Paper Mulberry and More Natural Actives

Use of herbs in hair relaxation
US Patent 8025909
Assignee: Roux Laboratories Inc.
Publication Date: Sept. 27, 2011

Disclosed are compositions and methods for relaxing human hair with minimal damage to the hair. The composition is an aqueous mixture with a pH of at least 11 comprising at least one base and a pre-selected blend of dehydrated herbs. The composition is applied to human hair for a period of time sufficient to effect a desired amount of relaxation and the composition is removed from the hair with a rinsing liquid.

Cosmetic composition to accelerate repair of functional wrinkles
US Patent 8025907
Inventor: WA Belfer
Publication Date: Sept. 27, 2011

This composition consists of a combination of peptides that regenerate the dermal matrix and a rapid acting muscle relaxant derived from the extract of the plant Acmella oleracea. By limiting cutaneous deformation caused by the contraction of facial muscles, the extract increases the efficiency of the peptides in reducing expression lines.

Extracts and compounds from Ficus benghalensis for increasing hair growth and decreasing hair loss
WIPO Patent Application WO/2011/113151
Assignee: A Armani, S Armani and C Seneviratne
Publication Date: Sept. 22, 2011

This application discloses natural product extracts and compounds from an aerial root of a Ficus plant, such as Ficus benghalensis. The application also discloses the use of natural product extracts and compounds from Ficus plants for increasing hair growth and decreasing hair loss. Methods of producing the extracts and isolating the compounds are further disclosed.

Oral supplement
WIPO Patent Application WO/2011/116220
Assignee: Arbonne International LLC, P Matravers, D Hicks, S Wiener and M Arth
Publication Date: Sept. 22, 2011

This patent discusses an oral supplement containing bilberry extract, quercetin, beta-carotene, coenzyme Q10, lipoic acid, vitamins, and minerals, which supports skin health, as well as a method of administering the same, alone and in conjunction with a topical skin care composition.

Topical skin care composition
WIPO Patent Application WO/2011/116216
Assignee: Arbonne International LLC, P Matravers, D Hicks, S Wiener and M Arth
Publication Date: Sept. 22, 2011

Disclosed are topical skin care compositions containing a combination of ascorbic acid or a derivative thereof; brown algae extract; a blend of botanical extracts comprising cucumber extract, watercress extract, birch leaf extract, red clover extract and St. John's wort extract; and optional ginseng extract. Also disclosed is method of using the same.

Methods of obtaining natural products from comestible fluids and methods of use
WIPO Patent Application WO/2011/115910
Assignee: Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, I Raskin, D Roopchand and S Komarnytsky
Publication Date: Sept. 22, 2011

Described herein is an enriched substance containing a ground edible material comprising one or more concentrated bioactive natural products from plant juice, as well as methods of producing such enriched substances and methods of using such solids to provide beneficial effects to humans or other animals.

Enriched foods comprising the enriched substance(s) are also provided. Also provided are non-sorbed natural products such as sugars, fats oils and carotenoids found in the non-sorbed plant liquor fraction of plant juice.

In another aspect, described herein is a method of concentrating a sorbable natural product from plant juice in edible form comprising: combining the plant juice with a ground edible material to form an admixture containing an enriched substance comprising a sorbed natural product from the plant juice; and a plant liquor comprising a non-sorbed natural product from the plant juice; and separating the enriched substance from the plant juice, thereby concentrating the sorbable, e.g., sorbed, natural product from the plant juice in edible form. In some embodiments, the sorbable natural products are sorbed (i.e., absorbed and/or adsorbed), to the ground edible material. In one embodiment, the sorbable natural products are adsorbed to the ground edible material. In some embodiments, the enriched substance is subsequently incorporated into a consumer product. For example, in one embodiment, the enriched substance is incorporated into a food product. In other embodiments, the enriched substance is incorporated into a cosmetic product or a pharmaceutical product.

Also provided, in another aspect, is a method of producing a plant liquor from plant juice comprising combining plant juice with a ground edible material to form an admixture containing an enriched substance comprising a sorbable natural product from the plant juice; and a plant liquor comprising a non-sorbed natural product from the plant juice; thereby producing a plant liquor from the plant juice. In some embodiments, the plant liquor is subsequently used as a food additive (e.g., natural sweetener, flavoring or coloring). In some embodiments, the soluble carbohydrates in the plant liquor are subsequently used as a natural sweetener. In other embodiments, the plant liquor is subsequently incorporated into a cosmetic product or a pharmaceutical product. This patent was recently covered by Cosmetics & Toiletries magazine in the August 2011 article, a Protein Approach to Solvent Extraction.

Process for obtaining non-allergic propolis
WIPO Patent Application WO/2011/114291
Assignee: GM Ricchiuto, CS Gardana, SD Guglielmetti
Publication Date: Sept. 22, 2011

The present invention relates to a process for obtaining a derivative of propolis having a reduced content in allergenic substances. Also disclosed is a method of treating raw propolis or a derivative thereof and a hydroalcoholic derivative of propolis for use in the nutraceutic and cosmetic field.

Propolis produced by bees (Apis mellifera) is obtained from resinous exudates of the plants bark and leaf buds, e. g. poplar, beech, birch, chestnut, pine, etc., which are collected and processed by bees through their salivary secretions and wax addition. At RT, propolis appears as a sticky and malleable substance, having an aromatic smell and a different color depending on the source plant. Its chemical composition depends on the original plant of the resinous exudate, as well as the provenance area and the collection season. Propolis coming from plants of the Populus genus consists of resin (20-55%), wax (30-40%), volatile oils (5-10%) and various phenol compounds (10-30%), including, in particular, flavonoids. Phenolic portion also comprises phenylalkyl acids, such as cinnamic acid, caffeic acid, ferulic acid and p-coumaric acid and some esters thereof. Owing to some components thereof, propolis has numerous biological and pharmacological properties, including antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, immunostimulating, cariostatic, anti-tumour and anti-Helicobacter pylori activity.

For these properties, the use of propolis-based preparations has been known for a long time in popular medicine and the main applications relate to treatment of respiratory tract infections, flu, acne, wounds, burns, herpes, gingivitis and stomatitis, as well as prevention of caries. Propolis is also used in the cosmetics field for the formulation of creams, ointments, shampoos, lotions, gels and the like.

A cosmetic composition for rejuvenating skin appearance
WIPO Patent Application WO/2011/113785
Assignee: Labo Cosprophar AG, D Montanari, M Guglielmo
Publication Date: Sept. 22, 2011

The present invention relates to a topical anti-aging biologically active treatment comprising a combination of at least one biologically active component at the level of mitochondrial DNA and at least one biologically active component at the level of the nuclear DNA..

The first element of the complex is at least one biologically active ingredient at the level of mitochondrial DNA selected from: a pentapeptide including serine, cysteine, isoleucine, asparagine and threonine amino acids; a hydrolyzed soy protein; or a mixture thereof.

The second component is at least one biologically active ingredient at the level of nuclear DNA selected from: teprenone, an extract from Myrtus communis or a mixture thereof.

According to the patent, when the complex is applied topically, it regenerates, revitalizes and increases longevity, repairs or protects the skin cell layers. The use is to prevent or delay aging and photoaging of the skin.

 

Recombinant spider silk proteins
United States Patent Application 20110230911
Assignee: Amsilk GmbH
Publication Date: Sept. 22, 2011

The present invention is directed to recombinant spider silk proteins, nucleic acids, coding for these recombinant spider silk proteins, as well as hosts suitable for expressing those nucleic acids. Furthermore, the present invention is directed to a method of aggregation of spider silk proteins and the use of the proteins in the field of biotechnology and/or medicine and other industrial fields, in particular in the manufacture of automotive parts, in the aircraft construction, in the processing of textiles and leather, as well as in the manufacture and processing of paper and the like.

Mask pack comprising cosmetic cotton-like material prepared from paper mulberry
US Patent Application 20110230570
Assignee: Amorepacific Corp.
Publication Date: Sept. 22, 2011

The present invention relates to a cosmetic cotton-like material having excellent air permeability that is prepared from the paper mulberry by removing fiber-binding substances such as pectin and lignin from the paper mulberry fiber, a preparation method thereof and a mask pack comprising the cotton-like material.

Methods useful in studying or modulating skin or hair pigmentation, plant extracts for use in compositions and cosmetic care method
US Patent Application 20110229431
Assignee: LVMH Recherche
Publication Date: Sept. 22, 2011

The invention relates to methods useful in studying or modulating skin or hair pigmentation and to the use of plant extracts in compositions. The patent also disclosed methods comprising the topical use of such compositions to reduce or to enhance skin or hair pigmentation.

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