Skin whitening compositions containing black cohosh extract

• US 7,060,304 B2
• Filed: 04/16/2003
• Issued: 06/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Access Business Group International LLC (Alticor Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Access Business Group International LLC (Alticor Incorporated)
• Inventors: Missler, Stephen R., Chandra, Amitabh, Roh-Schmidt, Haeri, Leverett, Jesse C.
• Primary Examiner(s): FLOOD, MICHELE C
• Application Number:
  US10/417,914
• Publication Number:
  US 20040208839A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,154 Days
• Field of Search: 424/725, 424/62, 424/78.03, 424/773, 424/401, 514/783
• US Class Current: 424/725
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 36/29 Berberidaceae (Barberry family), e.g. barberry, cohosh or mayapple
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/9789 Magnoliopsida [dicotyledons]
• CPC Class Codes: A61Q 19/02 for chemically bleaching or whitening the skin

Abstract

A skin whitening composition includes an extract of black cohosh obtained by sequentially exposing the black cohosh to two or more solvents of varying solvent strengths. The root of the black cohosh can be separately used to obtain the extract. The composition can be topically applied to the human skin and can further include one or more cosmetically acceptable ingredients. A method of suppressing melanogenesis includes topically applying to the skin a composition comprising an extract of black cohosh obtained by sequentially exposing the black cohosh to two or more solvents of varying solvent strengths.

Claims

1. A skin whitening composition comprising a supercritical carbon dioxide (CO₂) extract of a portion of black cohosh.

2. The composition of claim 1, wherein the portion comprises a root of a black cohosh plant.

3. The composition of claim 1 wherein the black cohosh comprises Cimicifuga racemosa L.

4. The composition of claim 1 wherein the composition is a preparation selected from the group consisting of cream, ointment, foam, lotion, plaster, gel, and emulsion.

5. The composition of claim 1 wherein the extract comprises between about 0.1% and about 20% by weight of the total composition.

6. The composition of claim 1, wherein the portion comprises a shoot of a black cohosh plant.

7. The composition of claim 4, wherein the preparation consists essentially of ingredients suitable for topical application.