Compositions for reducing skin aging resulting from oxidative stress and/or photodamage are disclosed herein. The compositions can be topically applied to a skin region to reduce or prevent skin wrinkles, fine lines, thinning skin, sagging skin, skin dryness, and skin itchiness.

The present invention discloses a Paenibacillus strain capable of producing polysaccharides with an after-sun repair effect and use thereof. This strain is classified and named as Paenibacillus polymyxa PYQ1, preserved in China General Microbiological Culture Collection Center with a preservation number of CGMCC No. 16444. The present invention includes isolation and cultivation of strains and 16S rDNA identification; obtaining extracellular polysaccharides from fermentation product of the strain and use of the extracellular polysaccharides produced by the strains in repairing after-sun damages. The polysaccharides produced by Paenibacillus PYQ1 disclosed by the present invention can significantly improve proliferation activity of damaged cells after sun exposure, and has remarkable after-sun damage repairing effect; and as a natural product of microbial fermentation, the polysaccharides have characteristics of a low cost, simple and easy acquisition and the like, can be applied to the preparation of related after-sun repairing agents, and have a good market application prospect.

A subject matter of the present invention is the cosmetic use of at least one compound of formula (I): in which: (II) denotes a divalent radical chosen from a carbon-carbon single bond *—CH.sub.2—CH.sub.2—* or double bond *—CH═CH—*, of Z or E configuration or their mixtures, b=0 or 1, c=0 or 1, d=0, 1 or 2, and R and R′ independently denote a hydrogen atom, a linear C.sub.1-C.sub.6 alkyl radical or a branched C.sub.3-C.sub.6 alkyl radical, to treat and/or prevent signs of aging and/or of photoaging of keratinous substances, preferably of the skin, and/or to depigment, lighten and/or whiten keratinous substances, preferably the skin. The present invention also relates to novel compounds and to a corresponding cosmetic method. ##STR00001##

Oral and topical pharmaceutical compositions, kits and methods of treatment thereof for treating various skin disorder including acne, psoriasis, ichthyosis, photoaging, photodamaged skin, and, skin cancer. Exemplary vitamin D analogs as active pharmaceutical ingredients include 2-methylene-19-nor-20(S)-1α-hydroxy-bishomopregnacalciferol, 19-nor-26,27-dimethylene-20(S)-2-methylene-1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D.sub.3, 2-methylene-1α,25-dihydroxy-(17E)-17(20)-dehydro-19-nor-vitamin D.sub.3, 2-methylene-19-nor-(24R)-1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D.sub.2, 2-methylene-(20R,25S)-19,26-dinor-1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D.sub.3, 2-methylene-19-nor-1α-hydroxy-pregnacalciferol, 1α-hydroxy-2-methylene-19-nor-homopregnacalciferol, (20R)-1α-hydroxy-2-methylene-19-nor-bishomopregnacalciferol, 2-methylene-19-nor-(20S)-1α-hydroxy-trishomopregnacalciferol, 2-methylene-23,23-difluoro-1α-hydroxy-19-nor-bishomopregnacalciferol, 2-methylene-(20S)-23,23-difluoro-1α-hydroxy-19-nor-bishomopregnancalciferol, (2-(3′hydroxypropyl-1′,2′-idene)-19,23,24-trinor-(20S)-1α-hydroxyvitamin D.sub.3, 2-methylene-18,19-dinor-(20S)-1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D.sub.3, a stereoisomer thereof, a prodrug thereof in oral compositions, a salt thereof, and/or a solute thereof. Compounds that activate retinoic acid receptors, such as retinoyls and retinoyl esters, include 13-cis-retinoic acid, all-trans-retinoic acid, (2E,4E,6Z,8E)-3,7-dimethyl-9-(2,6,6-trimethyl-1-cyclohexeneyl)nona-2,4,6,8-tetraenoic acid, 9-(4-methoxy-2,3,6-trimethyl-phenyl)-3,7-dimethyl-nona-2,4,6,8-tetraenoic acid, 6-[3-(1-adamantyl)-4-methoxyphenyl]-2-napthoic acid, 4-[1-(3,5,5,8,8-pentamethyl-tetralin-2-yl)ethenyl]benzoic acid, retinobenzoic acid, ethyl 6-[2-(4,4-dimethylthiochroman-6-yl)ethynyl]pyridine-3-carboxylate, retinoyl t-butyrate, retinoyl pinacol, retinoyl cholesterol, an isomer thereof, a prodrug thereof for oral compositions, an ester thereof, a salt thereof, and/or, a solute thereof. Combinations of such active ingredients demonstrate synergistic efficacy.

The present invention provides a composition containing component (A): a compound represented by the formula (1)

##STR00001##

wherein each symbol is as described in the DESCRIPTION or a salt thereof, component (B): a water-soluble moisturizing component and component (C): water, as a stable composition which is superior in affinity and adhesion to the skin and hair, easily provides effects as a cosmetic, and is also superior in the sustainability of the effect.

The identification and the use of compounds which activate the expression of at least one gene selected from LARGE, HS6ST2 and ST8SIA1 is provided. An in vitro method for screening for candidate compounds includes: (a) bringing at least one test compound in contact with a sample of keratinocytes in vitro; (b) measuring the expression of at least one gene selected from LARGE, HS6ST2 and ST8SIA1, in the keratinocytes; and (c) selecting the compounds for which an activation of at least 1.4 fold of the expression of at least one of the LARGE, HS6ST2 and ST8SIA1 genes is measured in the keratinocytes treated in (a) compared with the untreated keratinocytes. The candidate compounds may be useful for preventing and/or attenuating ageing, and/or for hydrating skin.

Compositions containing a combination of nicotinamide riboside and pterostilbene for treating skin disorders, and methods of treating skin disorders using these compositions and their equivalents are described. The skin disorders that are treated using these compositions or methods include sun exposure-related skin disorders, inflammatory skin disorders, autoimmune disease-related skin disorders and cancer-related skin disorders. In one embodiment, the compositions containing a combination of nicotinamide riboside and pterostilbene are prepared as oral formulations.

The present invention is directed to the treatment of skin erythema as exhibited in rosacea and other conditions characterized by increased erythema (redness) of the skin. These conditions exhibit dilation of blood vessels due to a cutaneous vascular hyper-reactivity. In particular, the present invention is directed to a novel composition and method for the treatment of skin erythema using α.sub.1-adrenergic receptor (α.sub.1-adrenoceptor) agonists incorporated into cosmetic, pharmacological or dermatological compositions for topical application to the skin.

The disclosed subject matter relates to the delivery of hydroxyl-containing compounds as microparticles for a variety of pharmaceutical, biomedical, cosmetics and personal care applications. This entails the manufacture and use of polymerized hydro-X compounds. Note is made of hydro-X compounds selected from the group consisting of curcuminoids, stilbenoids, resolvins, phenylethanoids, tocopherols, tocotrienols, flavanones, flavones, prenylflavonoids, isoflavones, isoflavanes, dihydrochalcones, isoflavenes, coumestans, lignans, flavonoligans, flavonols, mycoestrogens, xenoestrogens, phytoestrogens, sterols, corticosteroids, androgens, estrogens, stanols, steroids, secosteroids, tannins, statins, catechols, catechins, opioids, cannabinoids, pleuromutilins, luteolinidin, anthocyanidins, apigeninidin, glycosylated compounds, and macrolides.

The present disclosure relates to methods for extraction of biomass. Biomass of most interest is that which contains biologically active, extracts suitable for the skin care market. The biomass of interest includes botanicals (plant extracts and bioferments thereof), algae (red, brown, green and red, including bioferments thereof), fungi and even animal extracts (insect, crustacean) origin. Further the use of said extracts in cosmetic preparations prepared by the disclosed method is envisioned.