Patent Application
20080312147
The present disclosure relates to the mitigation or prevention of hair loss and restoration of hair growth.
A novel hair loss prevention and hair restoration composition is applied topically to the scalp. The composition and methods of application stimulate the hair follicle, encourage angiogenesis, and improve blood circulation throughout the area where the composition is applied. Moreover, formation of di-hydroxytestosterone is inhibited using copper peptides that interfere with 5-α-reductase activity that would otherwise convert testosterone to di-hydroxytestosterone.
According to a feature of the present disclosure, a method is disclosed comprising, in combination: (1) providing a composition having an agent that interferes with 5-α-reductase to prevent hair loss; and (2) providing at least one of a hair follicle stimulator, a scalp blood supply circulation stimulator, and an agent promoting angiogenesis near hair follicles, to stimulate hair growth.
According to a feature of the present disclosure, a composition is disclosed comprising an agent that interferes with 5-α-reductase, and at least one of a hair follicle stimulator, a scalp blood supply circulation stimulator, and an agent promoting angiogenesis near hair follicles.
According to a feature of the present disclosure, a composition is disclosed comprising a 5-α-reductase interfering agent, the agent having at least a peptide sequence comprising copper.
The above-mentioned features and objects of the present disclosure will become more apparent with reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals denote like elements and in which:
In the following detailed description of embodiments of the invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate similar elements, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that logical, mechanical, biological, electrical, functional, and other changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims. As used in the present disclosure, the term “or” shall be understood to be defined as a logical disjunction and shall not indicate an exclusive disjunction unless expressly indicated as such or notated as “xor.”
The inventor of the present disclosure has invented a baldness treatment and a hair loss prevention method. The methods and compositions address prevention of hair loss as well as stimulation of new hair growth. Thus, the methods and compositions of the present disclosure are appropriate for patients who have already experienced hair loss, and for patients who are predisposed to hair loss or in the early stages of hair loss.
According to an embodiment shown in
Inhibition of 5-α-reductase prevents DHT formation. Thus, without the presence of DHT, the growth cycles of the hair follicles will not be interrupted and hair loss will not occur. Therefore, by inhibiting 5-α-reductase, hair loss is prevented.
According to embodiments, short, copper containing peptides have been shown to interrupt the activity of 5-α-reductase. According to embodiments, copper, for example Cu(II), is coupled to a peptide. The copper containing peptide interrupts the activity of 5-α-reductase by preventing binding of testosterone to the active site of the 5-α-reductase. For example, a peptide having the amino acid sequence Gly-His-Lys-Cu(II) has been shown to interrupt the activity of 5-α-reductase. Other peptide sequences that have been shown to interrupt 5-α-reductase include Cu(II)-His-Val-His and His-Ala-His-Cu(II).
According to embodiments illustrated in
As illustrated in
As the hair follicle growth cycle ceases due to the activity of DHT, the blood supply to the hair follicle is decreased. Consequently, as new hair growth is induced, the blood supply must be increased to carry to the burgeoning hair follicle oxygen and nutrients. Additionally, the extracellular matrix must be strengthened, which promotes normal hair growth cycle. Increasing fibroblast density in the matrix causes hair thickness therefore to be increased.
According to embodiments, hair follicle stimulation is accomplished by adding the growth factors to stimulate the hair follicle, increase angiogenesis and near the follicle, and strengthen the extracellular matrix to the location where hair growth is desired. For example and according to embodiments, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) is known to stimulate hair follicles and generally strengthen the extracellular matrix.
According to embodiments, blood circulation is increased by adding a fibroblast growth factor (FGF), such as basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), Fibroblast growth factors have been shown to induce angiogenesis in endothelial cells. Furthermore, FGFs tend to cause the proliferation of and encourage health of endothelial cells. In addition, fibroblast growth factors stimulate growth of fibroblasts. Fibroblasts form a core cell type in the papilla of the hair follicle. In balding areas, the papilla tends to decrease in size. Thus, by encouraging fibroblast growth, the papilla of the follicle grows rather than shrinks, inducing renewed hair growth and thickness.
Likewise, for the hair follicle to correctly function, blood vessel formation and increased blood circulation is required to provide nutrients to the hair follicle, as well as increased oxygen. Artisans will note that FGFs stimulate angiogenesis. When coupled with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), blood vessel formation and interconnectedness is enhanced. Indeed, research has shown that the combination of VEGF and FGFs synergistically induces blood vessel formation and increased circulation. Naturally, as blood vessels form and circulatory networks are created in an area of balding, increased oxygen and nutrients become available to encourage and aid hair function resulting in new or increased hair growth.
Therefore, a cocktail of growth factors are simultaneously applied to the areas where hair growth is desired to simultaneously restore hair growth cycle, induce the follicle's hair growth functions, and provide additional nutrient and oxygen supply. Together, these growth factors have the cumulative effect to effect hair growth.
According to embodiments, other growth factors are added to further enhance the growth of hair. Examples of other growth factors that may be used by themselves or in combination with one or more of the others include: keratinocyte growth factor (KGF), a growth factor inducing growth and health of keratinocytes, which comprise around 90% of epidermal cells; transforming growth factor β-3 (TGF-β3), which promotes the growth and development of the extracellular matrix around epidermal and dermal cells; and thioredoxin (TRX), an antioxidant.
To effectively deliver growth factors according to the methods for treating hair loss, they must be effectively absorbed through into the skin without degradation. According to embodiments, nanosomes may be used to deliver the growth factors to their target locations.
According to embodiments shown in
Nanosomes may be desirable, according to embodiments, because they improve bioavailability of the agents encapsulated within them. Bioavailability is increased because more agent is actually delivered to its target. Moreover, nanosomes readily cross through the gastrointestinal membrane, thereby effectively transporting the agents into the blood stream. Additionally, because the bioavailability is increased, less agent must be used, which reduces the costs associated with producing and delivering agents to effect a result. Because the agents encapsulated in the nanosome are protected from the environment, the agents have a longer shelf life and are more stable on average than those not encapsulated. Importantly, agents encapsulated within a nanosome can undergo pasteurization without destroying the agent in the process.
Most importantly, however, the nanosome protects the agents from oxidation, hydrolysis, reduction, and enzymatic reaction, thereby allowing the agent to arrive at its target in an active state. Finally, nanosome encapsulation masks odor and taste of the agents, making them more pleasing to those who use the agents.
The growth factors and hair prevention agents of the present disclosure may be encapsulated in nanosomes, and the nanosomes put into a delivery vehicle. Thus, they will be effectively delivered through the skin or into the blood stream. Thereafter, the nanosomes may be absorbed into cells by fusing with cellular membranes or via endocytosis, for example.
Naturally, because the external surface of the nanosome is hydrophobic, nanosomes are fat soluble and excellent tool for delivering pharmacological agents through the skin or the digestive tract directly to the cell without exposing the active agents to degradation events prior to delivery. Additionally, nanosomes allow agents that would otherwise only inefficiently arrive at the target cells, for example, water soluble agent applied topically. Thus, in combination, with the novel agents disclosed herein, nanosomes provide a delivery device to efficiently cause the agents to be delivered intracellulary.
According to embodiments and as illustrated in
According to embodiments, a hair loss prevention composition contains an agent that interferes with 5-α-reductase. For example, as disclosed herein, the agent may be a peptide having copper. Such a peptide may be disposed with in a nanosome in a concentration of 1-10000 μg/ml. According to embodiments, concentrations as low as 1-5 μg/ml are effective for preventing hair loss.
According to embodiments, the peptide having the copper may comprise at least Gly-His-Lys-Cu(II) (GHK-Cu(II)). According to other embodiments, other three amino acid coupled to copper peptides may be used instead of or in addition to GHK-Cu(II). Moreover, longer peptide sequences having at least one copper molecule are also effective and may be used instead of or in addition to the three amino acid coupled to copper peptides.
According to embodiments, a hair loss prevention and hair growth composition contains both an agent that interferes with 5-α-reductase and growth factors to stimulate hair regrowth. The 5-α-reductase interfering agent may be as disclosed in EXAMPLE 1, according to embodiments. Artisans will readily recognize that the hair growth factors may be used or packaged separately from the hair loss prevention agents. However, artisans will also recognize the desirability of both inhibit further hair loss from DHT actirity where hair growth is being induced.
According to embodiments, at least one growth factor for regrowing hair may be included in the composition as well. Such growth factors may be one or more of a hair follicle stimulator, a scalp blood supply circulation stimulator, and an agent promoting angiogenesis near hair follicles. According to embodiments, IGF-1 is the hair follicle stimulator. According to embodiments, a fibroblast growth factor, such as bFGF, is the scalp blood supply circulation stimulator. According to embodiments, VEGF is the blood supply circulation stimulator. Each of these growth factors may be added in a concentration of 1-10000 μg/ml, according to embodiments. According to embodiments, concentrations as low as 1-5 μg/ml for each growth factor are effective for effecting hair regrowth.
According to embodiments, at least one of KGF, TGF-β3, or TRX is also included in the composition.
While the apparatus and method have been described in terms of what are presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the disclosure need not be limited to the disclosed embodiments. It is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the claims, the scope of which should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar structures. The present disclosure includes any and all embodiments of the following claims.
