Cosmetic composition comprising a Chaga extract and use thereof

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cosmetic composition comprising an extract from Inonotus obliquus (Chaga) and in particular to a cosmetic composition comprising: (i) a chaga extract at a concentration of at least about 2.5 mg/ml; and (ii) one or more physiologically or pharmaceutically acceptable excipients and/or diluents, wherein the chaga extract comprises at least about 1% (w/w) of β-glucans and/or at least about 0.10% (w/w) of polyphenolics.

Claims

1. A cosmetic composition comprising: (i) a chaga extract at a concentration of at least about 2.5 mg/ml; (ii) vitamin C or a derivative thereof; (iii) vitamin E or a derivative thereof; (iv) vitamin B5 or a derivative thereof; (v) coenzyme Q10; and (vi) one or more physiologically or pharmaceutically acceptable excipients and/or diluents, wherein the chaga extract comprises at least about 1% (w/w) of β-glucans and at least about 0.10% (w/w) of polyphenolics and wherein the composition does not contain extracts of plants.

2. The cosmetic composition of claim 1, wherein the composition does not contain extracts of other fungi.

3. The cosmetic composition of claim 1, wherein the chaga extract is not a fermented chaga extract or extract thereof.

4. The cosmetic composition of claim 1, wherein the chaga extract has oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) of at least about 45000 μmol Trolox equivalents (TE) per 100 g.

5. The cosmetic composition of claim 1, wherein the chaga extract is obtained or obtainable by a method comprising the steps of: 1) providing chaga mushroom dry matter; 2) contacting water with the chaga mushroom dry matter of step 1) and incubating the resultant suspension for at least about 1 hour; 3) removing solids from the suspension obtained from step 2) to obtain a chaga extract solution; 4) optionally sterilizing the chaga extract solution from step 3); and 5) producing a solid from the chaga extract solution of step 3) or 4).

6. The cosmetic composition of claim 5, wherein the water in step 2) is added to an approximate dry matter content of 1-20%.

7. The cosmetic composition of claim 5, wherein the step of incubating the suspension is performed at a temperature in excess of about 60° C.

8. The cosmetic composition of claim 5, wherein the extraction process in step 2) is performed under high pressure.

9. The cosmetic composition of claim 5, wherein the step of producing a solid from the chaga extract solution comprises spray-drying the solution.

10. The cosmetic composition of claim 1, wherein the vitamin C or a derivative thereof is sodium ascorbyl phosphate.

11. The cosmetic composition of claim 1, wherein the vitamin E or a derivative thereof is tocopherol acetate.

12. The cosmetic composition of claim 1, wherein the vitamin B5 or a derivative thereof is panthenol.

13. The cosmetic composition of claim 1, wherein said cosmetic composition is coated, impregnated or chemically bonded onto a product, material or device.

14. The cosmetic composition of claim 1, wherein said composition contains an effective amount of one or more agents to stabilize the chaga extract against degradation.

15. The cosmetic composition of claim 1, wherein said composition contains an effective amount of one or more preservatives or anti-microbials to prevent the spoilage of the composition.

16. The cosmetic composition of claim 14, wherein said one or more agents to stabilize the chaga extract against degradation is selected from EDTA, citrate, polysorbate, benzyl alcohol, urea or a combination thereof.

17. The cosmetic composition of claim 15, wherein said one or more preservatives or anti-microbials to prevent the spoilage of the composition is selected from EDTA, citrate, polysorbate, benzyl alcohol, urea or a combination thereof.

18. The cosmetic composition of claim 1, wherein said cosmetic composition comprises a skin-conditioning agent.

19. The cosmetic composition of claim 18, wherein the skin-conditioning agent is selected from humectants, exfoliants, emollients or mixtures thereof.

20. The cosmetic composition of claim 19, wherein the humectant is propylene glycol.

21. A method for improving the cosmetic appearance of skin of a mammalian animal comprising topically administering a cosmetic composition as defined in claim 1 to said animal.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said skin is chronologically-aged skin.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein said skin is photo-aged skin.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein improving the cosmetic appearance of skin comprises reducing or preventing the appearance or prevalence of wrinkles, fine lines, hyperpigmentation, laxity, skin roughness, dry skin, and/or transepidermal water loss.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein improving the cosmetic appearance of skin comprises increasing skin hydration, firmness, smoothness and/or radiance.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the skin of said animal is moisturized.

Description

(1) The following Examples are given by way of illustration only in which the Figures referred to are as follows:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a bar chart showing the antioxidative activity of chaga extract solutions relative to well-known antioxidants, luteolin and quercetin. L=luteolin; Q=quercetin; numbers=μg of chaga extract per ml in test solution; −=no dichlorofluorescin probe; and +=no test agent, i.e. full oxidation of dichlorofluorescin to Dichlorofluorescein.

(3) FIG. 2 shows a bar chart showing skin thickness (mm) over a number of days following treatment with test compounds and repeated exposure to UV radiation. The four columns, left to right, for each time point are: negative control (i.e. no exposure to UV or test compound); positive control (exposure to UV but no test compound); retinol (exposure to UV and treatment with high concentration retinol composition); and chaga extract (exposure to UV and treatment with composition comprising 5 mg/ml chaga extract).

(4) FIG. 3 shows (A) a bar chart showing the change in epidermal volume following treatment with a composition of the invention (IVA) relative to a control; and (B) photomicrographs of skin sections prior to treatment (Day 0—Base) and following treatment with a composition of the invention (IVA) and a control.

(5) FIG. 4 shows a bar chart showing the results of a self-assessment survey of 30 subjects following a 10-day treatment protocol using a composition of the invention.

EXAMPLES

Example 1—Antioxidative Effect of Chaga Extracts

(6) A cellular antioxidant activity (CAA) assay for quantifying the antioxidant activity of the chaga extract was performed according to Wolfe and Liu (J. Agric. Food Chem., 2007, 55 (22), pp 8896-8907). Dichlorofluorescin is a probe that may be trapped within cells and is easily oxidized to fluorescent dichlorofluorescein (DCF). The method measures the ability of compounds to prevent the formation of DCF by 2,2′-azobis(2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (ABAP)-generated peroxyl radicals in human hepatocarcinoma HepG2 cells. The decrease in cellular fluorescence when compared to the control cells indicates the antioxidant capacity of the test compounds. The antioxidant activities of various concentrations of chaga extract were evaluated using the CAA assay, and the results were expressed relative to the antioxidative capacity of quercetin and luteolin.

(7) A chaga extract powder was prepared using a hot-water extraction method, as described herein. The chaga extract powder contained 25±5% (w/w) β-glucans and 5±1% (w/w) polyphenols. The chaga extract powder was dissolved in water to provide solutions with concentrations of 1 μg/ml, 0.5 μg/ml and 0.25 μg/ml, which were assessed using the assay described above.

(8) FIG. 1 shows that all of the chaga extract solutions show antioxidative activity, wherein solutions containing a concentration of at least 0.5 μg/ml are particularly effective. Notably, the bar chart demonstrates that a chaga extract solution containing 1 μg/ml is able to reduce oxidative damage by 80% within 60 minutes.

Example 2—Effect of a Cosmetic Composition Comprising Chaga Extract on Skin Thickness and Wrinkle Formation after Exposure to UV-Radiation

(9) A 3-D in vitro skin model (Epistem Ltd) was used to assess the effect of a cosmetic composition containing chaga extract relative to retinol. In essence, the skin model is produced using freshly isolated human keratinocyte and fibroblast cells, which are subsequently cultured within a collagen gel at the air-liquid interface for up to 10 days. Test agents can be delivered topically and systemically via the culture media.

(10) A cosmetic composition containing 5 mg/ml of the chaga extract powder described in Example 1 was prepared in a water base at a pH of 6.0-7.0. Various test agents, i.e. the chaga extract containing cosmetic composition or a composition comprising a high concentration of retinol, were applied topically to the in vitro skin model, which was exposed repeatedly to UV radiation. The skin thickening and formation of wrinkles was measured relative to in vitro skin samples that were not contacted with any compositions and had no exposure to UV radiation (negative) or full exposure to UV radiation (positive).

(11) FIG. 2 demonstrates that the cosmetic composition comprising 5 mg/ml of chaga extract was effective at reducing skin thickening and wrinkle formation caused by exposure to UV radiation. In fact, the composition comprising chaga extract was capable of almost completely suppressing UV-induced skin thickening and wrinkle formation. Notably, the composition comprising chaga extract was more effective than the composition containing a high concentration of retinol.

Example 3—Effect of a Cosmetic Composition Comprising Chaga Extract on Epidermal Volume and Smoothness

(12) The in vitro skin model described in Example 2 was used to assess the effect of the cosmetic composition of the invention on epidermal volume and smoothness.

(13) A cosmetic composition containing 5 mg/ml of the chaga extract powder described in Example 1 was prepared in a water base at a pH of 6.0-7.0 and applied topically to the skin model.

(14) FIG. 3A demonstrates that the cosmetic composition of the invention resulted in a significant increase in epidermal volume (more than 50%) after one week relative to a control treatment. FIG. 3B shows that the skin surface also showed a significantly smoother appearance with even distribution of skin cells as a result from an improved epidermal performance.

Example 4—Self-Assessment Survey of Cosmetic Effects of a Composition Containing Chaga Extract

(15) A cosmetic composition containing 5 mg/ml of the chaga extract powder described in Example 1 was prepared in a water base at a pH of 6.0-7.0 and provided to 30 individuals with an age between 31-62 for testing. Subjects were asked not to use any skin care products 12 hours before initiating the test and were required to avoid extraordinary activities during the test period (e.g. extraordinary stress, extraordinary UV-exposure, invasive skin treatments). The treatment protocol is set out below:

(16) 1. Cleanse the skin;

(17) 2. Apply the composition to the face and let it be absorbed for two minutes;

(18) 3. Apply normal skin care products in addition to the composition;

(19) 4. Repeat steps 1-3 twice daily (morning and evening).

(20) Subjects were requested to complete a questionnaire 10 days after initiating the protocol. The results of the self-assessment after only 10 days of use are shown in FIG. 4 and summarised below: 97% had improved skin texture 100% had improved radiance/glow 97% had reduced their fine lines and wrinkles 97% had improved skin hydration 87% had an improvement in hyperpigmentation/dark spots 93% had an improvement on skin roughness 97% had improved skin firmness

(21) All subjects completed the treatment protocol and self-assessment and no subjects showed any adverse effects.