Depilatory compositions comprising sulfhydryl compounds

• US 5,897,857 A
• Filed: 04/09/1997
• Issued: 04/27/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Textile Research Institute, Inc.
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Hillebrand, Greg George, Gartstein, Vladimir
• Primary Examiner(s): Nutter, Nathan M.
• Application Number:
  US08/831,554
• Time in Patent Office: 748 Days
• Field of Search: 8/128.3, 8/94.16, 8/161, 474/703, 474/708, 514/706
• US Class Current: 424/703
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/095 Sulfur, selenium, or tellurium compounds, e.g. thiols
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/19 Carboxylic acids, e.g. valproic acid salicylic acid A61K31/60
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/192 having aromatic groups, e.g. sulindac, 2-aryl-propionic acids, ethacrynic acid cannabinoids A61K31/658
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/194 having two or more carboxyl groups, e.g. succinic, maleic or phthalic acid
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/198 Alpha-amino acids, e.g. alanine or edetic acid [EDTA] betaine A61K31/205; proline A61K31/401; tryptophan A61K31/405; histidine A61K31/4172; peptides not degraded to individual amino acids A61K38/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/447 containing sulfur
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/46 containing sulfur A61K8/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61Q 9/04 Depilatories

Abstract

The subject invention involves topical depilatory composition at a pH 7 or below, comprising sulfhydryl compounds. The subject invention further relates methods for removing vellus hair from mammalian comprising topical application of a composition, at a pH of 7 or below, comprising a sulfhydryl compound or a cosmetically- and/or pharmaceutically-acceptable salt thereof.

Claims

1. A topical composition suitable for facial depilation comprising:

a) a safe and effective amount of a sulfhydryl compound selected from the group consisting of cysteine, homocysteine, glutathione, thioglycerol, thiomalic acid, 2-mercaptopropionic acid, 3-mercaptopropionic acid, 2-mercaptoethanol, dithiothreitol, thiosalicylic acid, N-acetyl-L-cysteine, and cosmetically- and/or pharmaceutically-acceptable salts thereof; and

b) a safe and effective amount of a topical carrier, the composition having a pH ranging from about 3 to about 7.

2. The composition of claim 1 wherein the composition has a pH ranging from about 3 to about 6.

3. The composition of claim 1 wherein the composition comprises from about 0.1% to about 15% of said sulfhydryl compound.

4. The composition of claim 3 wherein the composition comprises from about 0.5% to about 10% of said sulfhydryl compound.

5. The composition of claim 4 wherein the composition comprises from about 1% to about 7% of said sulfhydryl compound.

6. The composition of claim 5 wherein the composition comprises from about 2% to about 5% of said sulfhydryl compound.

7. The composition of claim 1 wherein said sulfhydryl compound is selected from the group consisting of cysteine, glutathione, N-acetyl-L-cysteine, thiosalicylic acid, 2-mercaptoprop-ionic acid, and cosmetically- and/or pharmaceutically-acceptable salts thereof.

8. The composition of claim 7 wherein said sulfhydryl compound is selected from the group consisting of cysteine, glutathione, N-acetyl-L-cysteine, and cosmetically- and/or pharmaceutically-acceptable salts thereof.

9. The composition of claim 8 wherein said sulfhydryl compound is selected from N-acetyl-L-cysteine and cosmetically- and/or pharmaceutically-acceptable salts thereof.

10. The composition of claim 1 wherein said topical carrier comprises an emollient.

11. The composition of claim 1 wherein said composition further comprises a compound selected from the group consisting of anti-androgens, anti-inflammatories, hair growth suppressants, sunscreens, sunblocks, and moisturizers.

12. A topical composition suitable for facial depilation comprising:

a) a safe and effective amount, in the range of from about 0.1% to about 15%, of a sulfhydryl compound selected from the group consisting of cysteine, glutathione, N-acetyl-L-cysteine, thiosalicylic acid, 2-mercaptopropionic acid, and cosmetically- and/or pharmaceutically-acceptable salts thereof; and

b) a safe and effective amount of a topical carrier, wherein the composition has a pH ranging from about 3 to about 6.

13. The composition of claim 12 wherein the composition comprises from about 0.5% to about 10% of said sulfhydryl compound.

14. The composition of claim 13 wherein the composition comprises from about 1% to about 7% of said sulfhydryl compound.

15. The composition of claim 14 wherein the composition comprises from about 2% to about 5% of said sulfhydryl compound.

18. The composition of claim 13 wherein said sulfhydryl compound is selected from the group consisting of N-acetyl-L-cysteine and/or cosmetically- and/or pharmaceutically-acceptable salts thereof.

19. The composition of claim 14 wherein said sulfhydryl compound is selected from the group consisting of N-acetyl-L-cysteine and/or cosmetically- and/or pharmaceutically-acceptable salts thereof.

20. The composition of claim 15 wherein said sulfhydryl compound is selected from the group consisting of N-acetyl-L-cysteine and/or cosmetically- and/or pharmaceutically-acceptable salts thereof.

16. A topical composition suitable for facial depilation, which composition comprises:

a) a safe and effective amount, in the range of from about 0.1% to about 15%, of a sulfhydryl compound selected from the group consisting of cysteine, glutathione, N-acetyl-L-cysteine, and cosmetically- and/or pharmaceutically-acceptable salts thereof; and

b) a safe and effective amount of a topical carrier, wherein the composition has a pH ranging from about 3 to about 6.

17. The composition of claim 16 wherein said sulfhydryl compound is selected from the group consisting of N-acetyl-L-cysteine and/or cosmetically- and/or pharmaceutically-acceptable salts thereof.