Claims
- 1. A method of causing lightening of the epidermis, comprising:
- providing a composition comprising:
- an active agent comprising an amount of at least one of yohimbine, rauwolscine, corynanthine or allo-yohimbine or a stereoisomer, or salt thereof which is effective in inhibiting melanogenesis in skin melanocytes, and
- a cosmetically or pharmaceutically acceptable topical vehicle or carrier comprising a skin exfoliant; and
- topically applying the composition to the epidermis in an amount sufficient to at least partially inhibit melanogenesis in the epidermis.
- 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the yohimbine of the composition is provided as an extract of Johimbe bark.
- 3. The method of claim 1 wherein the carrier or vehicle comprises an alcohol.
- 4. The method of claim 1 wherein the carrier or vehicle comprises a penetration enhancer.
- 5. The method of claim 2 wherein said extract comprises from 0.01% to 80% of the composition.
- 6. The method of claim 1 wherein the active agent comprises from 0.0001% to 5% of the composition.
- 7. The method of claim 1 wherein the skin exfoliant is further defined as an .alpha.-hydroxy acid or .beta.-hydroxy acid, or a combination thereof.
- 8. The method of claim 1 wherein the skin exfoliant is salicylic acid.
- 9. The method of claim 1 wherein the exfoliant is lactic acid.
- 10. The method of claim 1 wherein the exfoliant is glycolic acid.
- 11. The method of claim 1 wherein the exfoliant is a fruit acid.
- 12. A method of causing lightening of the epidermis, comprising:
- providing a composition comprising an extract of Johimbe bark which comprises an active agent comprising at least one of yohimbine, rauwolscine, corynanthine, allo-yohimbine or a stereoisomer or salt thereof and a cosmetically or pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or vehicle comprising a skin exfoliant; and
- topically applying the composition to the epidermis in an amount sufficient to at least partially inhibit melanogenesis in the epidermis.
- 13. The method of claim 12 wherein the carrier or vehicle comprises an alcohol.
- 14. The method of claim 12 wherein the carrier or vehicle comprises a penetration enhancer.
- 15. The method of claim 12 wherein said Johimbe bark extract comprises from 0.01% to 80% of the composition.
- 16. The method of claim 12 wherein the active agent comprises from 0.01% to 5% of the composition.
- 17. The method of claim 12 wherein the skin exfoliant is further defined as an .alpha.-hydroxy acid or .beta.-hydroxy acid, or a combination thereof.
- 18. The method of claim 12 wherein the exfoliant is salicylic acid.
- 19. The method of claim 12 wherein the exfoliant is lactic acid.
- 20. The method of claim 12 wherein the exfoliant is glycolic acid.
- 21. The method of claim 12 wherein the exfoliant is a fruit acid.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
The present invention is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 08/937,551, filed Sep. 25, 1997, entitled "METHOD OF LIGHTENING SKIN", now U.S. Pat. No. 5,919,436.
Not Applicable
US Referenced Citations (13)
Foreign Referenced Citations (3)
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Date |
Country |
0120165 |
Oct 1984 |
EPX |
0402858 |
Dec 1990 |
EPX |
7215888 |
Sep 1994 |
JPX |
Non-Patent Literature Citations (2)
Entry |
Morishita, F.; "Responses of the Melanophores of the Medaka, Oryzias Latipes, To Adrenergic Drugs: Evidence for Involvement of Alpha.sub.2, Adrenergic Receptors Mediating Melanin Aggregation", Comp. Biochem. Physiol., 88C(1):69-74, 1987. |
Abstract, Database WPI, Week 9549, Derwent Publications Ltd., London, GB; AN 379974, XP002094296 & JP 07 258068 A (KA0) Oct. 9, 1995. |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
937551 |
Sep 1997 |
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