Anti-aging treatment using copper and zinc compositions

Abstract

Composition and methods for alleviating or eliminating age related skin conditions by providing an effective amount of one or more copper, zinc and copper-zinc compositions are disclosed. Treatment is accomplished through the use of topical compositions containing one or more copper or zinc salts and/or copper-zinc compounds or complexes, particularly copper-zinc malonate active ingredient.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a histogram comparing tropoelastin levels in skin after application of a 0.1% copper-zinc malonate formulation to skin at baseline (B) and at four weeks (C).

FIGS. 2A and 2B are photographs comparing elastic fibers in skin after application of a 0.1% copper-zinc malonate formulation to skin at baseline (FIG. 2A) and at four weeks (FIG. 2B).

FIGS. 3A, 3B and 3C are photographs that illustrate a comparison of wrinkles over treatment course which topically applied a composition in accordance with the present disclosure (0.1% copper-zinc malonate) to skin.

FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C are photographs that illustrate a comparison of wrinkles over treatment course which topically applied a composition in accordance with the present disclosure (0.1% copper-zinc malonate) to skin.

FIGS. 5A, 5B and 5C are photographs that illustrate a comparison of wrinkles over treatment course which topically applied a composition in accordance with the present disclosure (0.1% copper-zinc malonate) to skin.

Claims

1. A method comprising topically applying to a user's skin a composition comprising a copper-zinc active ingredient.

2. A method as in claim 1 wherein the copper-zinc active ingredient is a water soluble copper-zinc compound.

3. A method as in claim 1 wherein the copper-zinc active ingredient comprises copper-zinc salts of organic multifunctional carboxylic acids.

4. A method as in claim 1 wherein the copper-zinc active ingredient comprises copper-zinc citrate, copper-zinc oxalate, copper-zinc tartarate, copper-zinc malate, copper-zinc succinate, copper-zinc malonate, copper-zinc maleate, copper-zinc aspartate, copper-zinc glutamate, copper-zinc glutarate, copper-zinc fumarate, copper-zinc glucarate, copper-zinc polyacrylic acid, copper-zinc adipate, copper-zinc pimelate, copper-zinc suberate, copper-zinc azealate, copper-zinc sebacate, copper-zinc dodecanoate, or combinations thereof.

5. A method as in claim 1 wherein the copper-zinc active ingredient is a copper-zinc malonate.

6. A method as in claim 5 wherein the copper-zinc malonate comprises about 16.5% copper and about 12.4% zinc.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the molar ratio of copper to zinc in the copper-zinc active ingredient is from about 1:1 to about 3:1.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the molar ratio of copper to zinc in the copper-zinc active ingredient is from about 1:1 to about 2:1.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the copper-zinc active ingredient is present in an amount from about 0.001 to about 5% by weight of the composition.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the copper-zinc active ingredient is present in an amount from about 0.05 to about 1% by weight of the composition.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the copper-zinc active ingredient is present in an amount from about 0.1 to about 0.5% by weight of the composition.

12. The method according to claim 1 wherein an effective amount of copper-zinc malonate composition is applied to the skin of a user to treat skin afflicted with one or more age related conditions.

13. A method as in claim 12 wherein the age related condition comprises wrinkling, fine line formation, or combinations thereof.

14. A method as in claim 1 wherein the composition is a solution, emulsion, microemulsion, suspension, cream, lotion, gel, powder, solid composition, or combinations thereof.

15. A method as in claim 14 wherein the composition further comprises one or more secondary ingredients including active cosmetic substances, active drug substances, anesthetics, anti-itch actives, antioxidants, antimicrobials, botanical extracts, conditioning agents, coloring agents, darkening or lightening agents, detergents, dyestuffs, emulsifiers, emollients, fillers, fragrances, gelling agents, glitter, hydration agents, humectant, mica, minerals, moisturizers, odor absorbers, natural or synthetic oils, penetration agents, polyphenols, phytomedicinals, powders, preservatives, silicones or derivatives thereof, solvents, skin protectants, surfactants, sunblocks, thickeners, viscosity-controlling agents, vitamins, water, distilled water, waxes, or combinations thereof.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein the composition comprises a dermatologically acceptable carrier or diluent.

17. A method for forming collagen, elastic fibers, elastin, or tropoelastin in the skin of a patient comprising contacting an area of the skin in need thereof with an effective amount of a composition wherein the composition comprises one or more copper-zinc active ingredients.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the composition comprises a dermatologically acceptable carrier or diluent.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein the copper-zinc active ingredient is a water soluble copper-zinc compound.

20. The method according to claim 17, wherein the copper-zinc active ingredient is selected from the group consisting of copper-zinc organic acid salts, copper-zinc inorganic acid salts, and combinations thereof.

21. The method according to claim 17, wherein the copper-zinc active ingredient is selected from the group consisting of copper-zinc citrate, copper-zinc oxalate, copper-zinc tartarate, copper-zinc malate, copper-zinc succinate, copper-zinc malonate, copper-zinc maleate, copper-zinc aspartate, copper-zinc glutamate, copper-zinc glutarate, copper-zinc fumarate, copper-zinc glucarate, copper-zinc polyacrylic acid, copper-zinc adipate, copper-zinc pimelate, copper-zinc suberate, copper-zinc azealate, copper-zinc sebacate, copper-zinc dodecanoate, and combinations thereof.

22. The method according to claim 17, wherein the copper-zinc active ingredient is a copper-zinc malonate.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein the copper-zinc malonate comprises about 16.5% copper and about 12.4% zinc.

24. The method according to claim 17, comprising from about 0.001 to about 5 percent by weight of the copper-zinc active ingredient.

25. The method according to claim 17, comprising from about 0.05 to about 1 percent by weight of the copper-zinc active ingredient.

26. The method according to claim 17, comprising from about 0.1 to about 0.5% percent by weight of the copper-zinc active ingredient.

27. The method according to claim 17, further comprising one or more secondary ingredients selected from the group consisting of active cosmetic substances, active drug substances, anesthetics, anti-itch actives, antioxidants, antimicrobials, botanical extracts, conditioning agents, coloring agents, darkening or lightening agents, detergents, dyestuffs, emulsifiers, emollients, fillers, fragrances, gelling agents, glitter, hydration agents, humectant, mica, minerals, moisturizers, odor absorbers, natural or synthetic oils, penetration agents, polyphenols, phytomedicinals, powders, preservatives, silicones or derivatives thereof, solvents, skin protectants, surfactants, sunblocks, thickeners, viscosity-controlling agents, vitamins, water, distilled water, waxes, and combinations thereof.

28. The method of claim 17 wherein the composition further comprises an active drug substance.

29. The method of claim 17 wherein the composition further comprises an active cosmetic substance.

30. The method of claim 17 wherein the composition further comprises a skin lightening agent, a sunscreen agent, a skin conditioning agent, a skin protectant, an emollient, a humectant, or a mixture thereof.

31. The method of claim 17 wherein the composition further comprises a fatty alcohol, a fatty acid, an organic base, an inorganic base, a preserving agent, a wax ester, a steroid alcohol, a triglyceride ester, a phospholipid, a polyhydric alcohol ester, a fatty alcohol ether, a hydrophilic lanolin derivative, a hydrophilic beeswax derivative, a cocoa butter wax, a silicon oil, a pH balancer, a cellulose derivative, a hydrocarbon oil, or a mixture thereof.

32. The method of claim 17 wherein the composition further comprises humectant, solvent, water, or combinations thereof.

33. The method of claim 17 wherein the composition is in the form of a liquid, cream, oil, gel, fluid cream, lotion, emulsion or microemulsion.

34. A method of treating an age related skin condition comprising topically applying to a user's skin an effective amount of copper-zinc malonate, wherein the molar ratio of copper to zinc in the copper-zinc malonate is from about 1:1 to about 2:1.

35. The method according to claim 34 wherein the copper-zinc malonate was formed in a reaction media including about 1 mole copper from cupric carbonate, about 1 mole of zinc from zinc carbonate and about 3 moles of malonic acid.

36. Use of a copper-zinc compound in the manufacture of a medicament for treatment of an age related skin condition.

37. The use in accordance with claim 36 wherein the copper-zinc compound is characterized as a copper-zinc malonate.