Thanks for the patant link. The reference to Lys'lastin is interesting, but there does not appear to be any place to purchase it. I am skeptical that the claim of synergism is one of convience. It would seem to me that the synergism claim would be the only way the party applying for the patent would be granted a patent for merely combining two similar existing skin care procedures.
Quote from patent: "...One particularly suitable dill extract is a “dill fruit,” 5%-10% in water, commercially available from BASF of Parsippany, N.J., as “Lys'lastin.”..."
I cannot comment on synergism claim, but blackberry leaves (known as Mulberry here) are abundant; so why not?
The extraction process:
"...In a preferred embodiment, the blackberry extract is a blackberry leaf extract..."
"...A particularly preferred tropoelastin promoter is a blackberry extract. By “blackberry extract,” it is meant an extract of a plant of the genus
Rubus, and preferably
Rubus fruticosus. In one embodiment, the extract is isolated from the flowers of the plant. In a further embodiment, the extract is isolated from dried flowers of the plant. Such extracts may be isolated from one or more parts of the plant (e.g., the whole plant, flower, seed, root, rhizome, stem, fruit and/or leaf of the plant). In a preferred embodiment, the blackberry extract is a blackberry leaf extract.
The extraction process may include physically removing a piece of such plant, and, for example, grinding it. Suitable compounds may also be isolated from the plant by using extraction procedures well known in the art, e.g., the use of organic solvents such as lower C
1-C
8 alcohols, C
1-C
8 alkyl polyols, C
1-C
8 alkyl ketones, C
1-C
8 alkyl ethers, acetic acid C
1-C
8 alkyl esters, and chloroform, and/or inorganic solvents such as water, inorganic acids such as hydrochloric acid, and inorganic bases such as sodium hydroxide.
For example, a blackberry extract may be prepared by an extraction with water, alcohols such as ethanol, or combination thereof. It is preferred to use an extractant including both ethanol and water.
The blackberry plant parts are preferably dried prior to extraction. It is preferable to use only the leaves of the blackberry plant and not other plant parts such as the fruit (berries) of the blackberry, its branches, or roots.
In one embodiment, blackberry leaf extract is prepared as follows: a) an extractant containing an alcohol selected from the group consisting of methanol, ethanol, n-propanol, and isopropanol is added to blackberry leaves, and b) the blackberry leaves are contacted with the extractant for up to 72 hours.
The ratio of the mass of extractant to leaf solids is preferably established such that at least a 10-fold mass of extractant relative to the leaf solids but preferably no more than a 50-fold mass of extractant relative to the leaf solids is obtained, preferably a 10- to 20-fold mass. A 14- to 18-fold mass of extractant relative to the leaf solids is particularly preferable. Good results were achieved with a 16-fold mass of an ethanol-containing solvent (relative to the leaf solids).
The time for performing extraction step b) is at most 72 hours but can also be shorter. With particularly short extraction times only a very dilute extract is obtained in step b). It is therefore preferable to extract the blackberry leaves in step b) for at least 1 hour, in particular for at least 2 hours. The necessary extraction time is chosen on the basis of the quality of the blackberry leaves to be extracted, particularly their age, and of the other extraction conditions, particularly the extraction temperature. At elevated extraction temperatures, in particular at an extraction temperature in the range from 60 to 100° C., preferably in the range from 80 to 100° C., the extraction time is preferably 1 hour to 6 hours, particularly 2 hours to 4 hours.
In addition, it is particularly preferable to perform the extraction in step b) by refluxing the extractant, particularly at temperatures up to about 100° C., preferably in the range from 80 to 100° C. In this case the extraction time is preferably no more than 24 hours.
The extraction temperature is established on the basis of the extractant that is used. If an ethanol-containing solvent is used, a temperature in the range of 60° C. to 100° C., in particular in the range of 80° C. to 100° C., is preferred, particularly if a mixture of ethanol and water is used as the extractant as described below.
It is preferable if the extractant contains an alcohol, particularly ethanol, in an amount of at least 20 wt. % relative to the total weight of extractant. It is likewise preferable if the extractant contains water in an amount of at least 15 wt. % relative to the total weight of extractant. It is particularly preferable if the extractant simultaneously contains at least 20 wt. % of an alcohol (preferably ethanol) and at least 15 wt. % of water relative to the total weight of extractant.
Particularly preferred blackberry leaf extracts are obtained with an extractant consisting of ethanol and water in a weight ratio of 2:8 (2 parts by weight of ethanol mixed with 8 parts by weight of water) to 8:2, preferably in a weight ratio of 3:7 to 7:3, particularly preferably in a weight ratio of 3:7 to 1:1.
Detailed procedures for preparing a suitable blackberry leaf extract are disclosed in published US Patent Application No. 2008/0095719, which is herein incorporated in its entirety.
Accordingly, in one preferred embodiment, the blackberry extract is a blackberry leaf extract, i.e., the extract is produced from the leaves of the blackberry plant. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the blackberry extract is produced from the leaves of
Rubus fruticosus. In a further particularly preferred embodiment, the blackberry extract is produced by extracting the leaves of
Rubus fruticosus with a mixture of water and a lower alcohol such as ethanol.
One particularly suitable blackberry extract produced by extracting the leaves of
Rubus fruticosus with a mixture of water and ethanol is the commercially available material “SymMatrix” from Symrise, Inc. of Teterboro, N.J., which is compounded to about 5 to 10% by weight in a maltodextrin matrix..."
I applaud your pro active approach JohnD60.
Good luck with your experiments and keep us posted!
