WO1997001345A1

WO1997001345A1 - Cosmetic or pharmaceutical composition containing an extract of plants of genus foetidia

Info

Publication number: WO1997001345A1
Application number: PCT/FR1996/000997
Authority: WO
Inventors: Frédéric Bonte; Marc Dumas; Catherine Lavaud; Georges Massiot
Original assignee: Lvmh Recherche
Priority date: 1995-06-27
Filing date: 1996-06-27
Publication date: 1997-01-16
Also published as: FR2735981B1; FR2735981A1

Abstract

A cosmetic or pharmaceutical and particularly dermatological composition including, as the active ingredient, an extract of plants of genus Foetidia, and particularly of species Foetidia africana, preferably in an amount of 0.0001-3 wt % based on the total weight of the final composition. Said composition has the property of stimulating the production of glycosaminoglycans in the skin, both in the dermis and in the epidermis, and may be used for skin and hair care, in particular given its moisturising activity. Said extracts may also be used for stimulating glycosaminoglycan synthesis in cell culture media, particularly keratinocyte and fibroblast culture media.

Description

COSMETIC OR PHARMACEUTICAL COMPOSITION CONTAINING AN EXTRACT OF PLANTS OF THE GENE FOETIDIA

The invention essentially relates to a cosmetic or pharmaceutical composition, in particular a dermatological composition, comprising as active ingredient an extract of plants of the genus Foetidia, in particular of the species Foetidia africana. The invention also relates to a use of such an extract for the manufacture of a cosmetic or pharmaceutical and in particular dermatological composition having various activities and a method of cosmetic treatment.

It also relates to a use of the same extract in cell culture media, in particular in the culture media of fibrobiasts and keratinocytes.

Plants of the genus Foetidia, of the family Lecythidaceae, are generally found in Madagascar and in other islands of the Indian Ocean. There are also some species on the African continent.

Among the species of the genus Foetidia described in various publications, let us quote:

-Foetidia africana, present in Tanzania (B. Verdcourt, Kew Bulletin, 20 1985, 40. (3) 635-636),

-Foetidia mauritania (J.C. Chapuis et al., Ethnopharmacol. 1988, 23 273-284),

-Foetidia rodriguesiana, present in the Mascarene Islands of the Indian Ocean (F. Friedmann, Adansonia, 1981, 20 (4) 439-50), 25 -Foetidia dracaenoides, Foetidia parviflora, Foetidia delphinensis,

Foetidia cuneata, Foetidia pterocarpa, Foetidia copuronii, Foetidia rubescens, Foetidia vohemarensis, Foetidia sambiranensis, Foetidia macrocarpa, all present in Madagascar (J. Bosser, Bull. Mus. Nat. Hist., Sect. B. Adansonia Bot. Phytoch 1988 10 (2) 105-120). In the context of the present invention, it has been unexpectedly discovered that extracts of the plant of the genus Foetidia are of valuable interest in cosmetics, in pharmacy, in particular in dermatology, by the property of stimulating the production of glycosaminoglycans by the fibrobiastes and keratinocytes, in particular the dermal fibrobiastes, in particular of the human dermis, and human keratinocytes.

However, a person skilled in the art knows that proteoglycans, partly made up of glycosaminoglycans, are complex macromolecules formed of a protein part onto which are grafted by covalent bonds polymers of disaccharides called glycosaminoglycans (GAG). This is in particular described in the work of ED HAY entitled "Cell Biology of Extracellular Matrix", published by Plénum Press, New York in 1991 and in the publication of JE SILBERT, having as title "Structure and Metabolism of Proteoglycans and Glycosaminoglycans ", published in J. Invest. Dermatol. , 1982, 79, pages 31s-37s.

It is also known that the disaccharide unit of GAGs is formed of a hexosamine (D-glucosamine or D-galactosamine) which is quite often sulfated alternating with a uronic acid (D-glucuronic or L-iduronic). The GAG chains most frequently encountered in the skin are hyaluronic acid, chondroitins-4 and -6 sulfate, dermatan sulfate and in small quantities heparin and heparan sulfate. Only hyaluronic acid is not synthesized in association with a central protein.

Proteoglycans are present in particular in all mammalian tissues, including in the skin and its appendices (JR COUCHMAN, J. Invest. Dermatol. 1993 Jul. 101 (1 Suppl) 60S-64S). It is now recognized that proteoglycans contribute, by various processes, to the growth, preservation and repair of tissues. Some proteoglycans have been shown to mediate cell adhesion and transmembrane communication, while others interact with other structural elements of the extracellular matrix. As mentioned above, proteoglycans consist of a central protein to which one or more glycosaminoglycan chains are covalently linked. Thus, glycosaminoglycans are present at the dermal level, participating in the composition of the extracellular matrix and have been found linked to certain sites of collagen fibers, as described by JE SCOTT in Int. J. Biol. Macromol., 1991, 13, pages 157-161. They have also been identified between the keratinocytes in the epidermis as described by JG HAGGERTY et al. in the journal J. Invest. Dermatol., 1992, 99, pages 374-380, 22 pages 374-380. Finally, glycosaminoglycans have been found in the extracellular matrix of the dermal papilla of the hair follicle. Their quantity varies depending on the hair cycle. It reaches a maximum during the anagen phase corresponding to the growth of the hair. With regard to proteoglycans and glycosaminoglycans of the hair follicles, reference may be made in particular to the publication by JR COUCHMAN cited above, and to that of M. TAYLOR et al., "Glycosaminoglycan synthesis by cultured human hair follicle dermal papilla cells: comparison with non-follicular dermal fibroblasts ", Brit. J. Dermatol. 1992 (May) 126 (5) 479-84. Note that minoxidil, a well-known substance with some activity on hair growth and regrowth, has been shown to stimulate the biosynthesis of glycosaminoglycans (Y. MORI et al., Ann. NY Acad. Sci., 1991 (Dec. 26) 642 473-5). The observations of the authors cited above, combined with other clinical evidence, suggest that glycosaminoglycans participate in the regulation of hair growth.

GAGs, by their primary property of associating strongly with water molecules and of forming gels, ensure the hydration of the dermis and the epidermis. Well-hydrated skin guarantees good appearance, a satisfactory physiological and functional state, with in particular good mechanical properties. The decrease in GAGs during skin aging has been shown by many authors (such as, for example: SMITH et al. In J. Invest. Dermatol., 1962, 39, pages 347-350; or FLEISCHMAJER et al. In Biochim Biophys Acta, 1972, 279, pages 265-275; or by LONGAS et al. In Carbohydr. Res., 1987, 159, pages 127-136).

It is therefore interesting to stimulate the synthesis of glycosaminoglycans in order in particular to restore to a skin having a deficiency in terms of its mechanical properties or its water barrier, such as dehydrated or aged skin, the qualities and properties of a skin. normal and young, or to prevent or treat hair growth disorders, or to restore or strengthen the shine and suppleness of a hair.

Thus, the main purpose of the present invention is to solve the new technical problem consisting in the supply of a solution making it possible to stimulate the production of glycosaminoglycans by skin cells, in particular human skin cells, such as fibrobiasts or keratinocytes, production which is particularly valuable in the context of the manufacture of cosmetic or pharmaceutical and especially dermatological treatment products.

The present invention also aims to solve the new technical problem consisting in the supply of a solution making it possible to achieve good hydration of the cutaneous tissue including the skin and the mucous membranes, an improvement in the mechanical qualities of the skin and the integuments, a beautification of the hair, as well as prevention or treatment of hair growth disorders, in a simple, reliable and inexpensive manner, usable on an industrial cosmetic and pharmaceutical scale. These new technical problems are solved for the first time simultaneously by the present invention.

Thus, according to a first aspect, the present invention provides a cosmetic composition, characterized in that it comprises, as active ingredient, an extract from plants of the genus Foetidia, in particular of the species Foetidia africana.

According to a second aspect, the invention provides a pharmaceutical composition, in particular a dermatological composition, for topical use, characterized in that it comprises, as active ingredient, an extract from plants of the genus Foetidia, in particular of the species Foetidia africana. According to an advantageous embodiment, corresponding to these two aspects, this composition comprises from 0.0001% to 3% by weight, and in particular from 0.001% to 1% by weight, of the abovementioned extract of Foetidia relative to the total weight of the final composition.

According to another advantageous embodiment of the invention, the composition is formulated for a topical application, in particular a topical cutaneous application including the skin and the mucous membranes, for producing cosmetic or dermatological care products or treating makeup products, such as mascaras or lipsticks.

According to another advantageous embodiment of the invention, this composition is characterized in that it further comprises at least one active principle, in particular chosen from the group consisting of retinoids, humectants or moisturizers, vitamins , ceramides, substances promoting collagen synthesis and amino acids. According to this particular embodiment, the composition is advantageously characterized in that the aforementioned retinoid is chosen from retinoic acid and its salts and esters, retinaldehyde, and retinol and its esters, such as propionate, palmitate, acetate; the above-mentioned humectant or moisturizing agent is chosen from glycerol, a polyethylene glycol and hyaluronic acid; the aforementioned vitamin is chosen from vitamin A, vitamin C and its derivatives, in particular its sodium or magnesium salts, vitamin E, vitamin PP, and the vitamins of group B in particular B6 and B12; the substance promoting the synthesis of collagen is chosen from an extract of centella asiatica, madecassoside, madecassic acid, asian acid and asiaticoside; and the amino acid is chosen from serine, threonine, leucine, proline and hydroxyproline.

According to another advantageous variant of the invention, more particularly situated in the context of hair care or treatments, the cosmetic or pharmaceutical composition, in particular dermatological composition according to the invention, also comprises at least one other active substance, in one effective concentration, chosen from quinine or its derivatives; a rubefiant such as methyl nicotinate; a culture supernatant of papillae fibrobiastes, as described in document EP-A-272 920; a keratin hydrolyzate; a trace element such as zinc, selenium, copper; a bisbenzylisoquinole alkaloid such as oxyacanthine or cepharanthin; a 5-α-reductase inhibitor such as progesterone; cyproterone acetate, minoxidil, azelaic acid and its derivatives; a 4-methyl-4-azasteroid, in particular 17-β-N, N-diethylcarbamoyl-4-methyl-4-aza-5-α-androstan-3-one; or an extract from Serenoa repens. According to yet another advantageous embodiment of the invention, the above-mentioned extract of Foetidia, in particular of Foetidia africana, is an extract of trunk bark.

According to yet another advantageous embodiment, the above-mentioned extract of Foetidia is an extract obtained by extraction with a polar solvent, or a mixture of polar solvents. Preferably, an alcohol such as methanol, ethanol, propanol, isopropanol, propylene glycol or butylene glycol, or a mixture of these alcohols or a hydroalcoholic mixture, will be used. In this context, conventional extraction procedures well known to those skilled in the art can be used. In particular, the extraction can be carried out on the ground material, preferably a trunk bark powder obtained by grinding, which is introduced into the extraction solvent, preferably consisting of the solvent or the mixture of solvents. aforementioned fleeces. The extraction can be repeated several times until the material is exhausted, according to methods well known to those skilled in the art. The extraction can be carried out at ambient temperature, or hot and in particular at reflux of the solvent. The proportion by weight between the solvent and the material to be extracted can vary within wide limits and for example be between 1: 1 and 10: 1.

According to yet another advantageous embodiment, the above-mentioned extract of Foetidia is an extract enriched in saponins.

The enrichment of the extract with saponins can be obtained by any process known to those skilled in the art, in particular by precipitation of the extract by means of acetone in an alcoholic medium, preferably in a methanolic medium. .

According to another aspect, the invention also relates to the use of an extract of plants of the genus Foetidia, in particular of the species Foetidia africana, said extract preferably being incorporated in a cosmetically or pharmaceutically acceptable excipient, for the preparation of 'a cosmetic or pharmaceutical and in particular dermatological composition for topical use, in particular having an activity of stimulation of the production of glycosamino¬ glycans in the skin and the mucous membranes, in particular in the dermis and in the epidermis, favoring the retention of water in the skin, having a hydrating activity, a tightening effect attenuating the cutaneous relief and superficial fine lines, helping to reinforce the barrier function of the skin, intended in particular for the prevention or treatment of dry or dehydrated skin, for the treatment of effects of skin aging, prevention and fight against the appearance of stretch marks, improving the appearance of skin and hair, prevention and treatment of hair growth disorders.

In applications in the pharmaceutical or dermatological field, for topical use, the compositions of the invention are intended for the prevention or treatment of dry or dehydrated skin and / or for the prevention and control against the appearance of stretch marks and / or the prevention and treatment of hair disorders.

Various embodiments in the context of this use result clearly from the previous description which has been made relative to the composition, as well as from the following description and in particular in relation to the examples.

According to another aspect, the present invention also covers a cosmetic treatment process for the skin, mucous membranes, such as the lips, or integuments, in particular the hair, characterized in that it comprises topical application to the areas of the skin, mucous membranes or scalp to be treated, of a composition containing an extract of plants of the genus Foetidia, in particular of the species Foetidia africana, present in said composition at a cosmetically effective concentration.

Various embodiments of this process also result clearly from the preceding description, as well as from the following description, in particular in relation to the examples. In particular, the concentration of the extract of plants of the genus Foetidia in the abovementioned composition is between 0.0001% and 3% by weight, in particular between 0.001% and 1% by weight, relative to the total weight of said composition, said extract preferably being incorporated in a cosmetically acceptable excipient.

Finally, according to another aspect, the present invention also covers a method of therapeutic treatment of the skin, mucous membranes or integuments, in particular of the hair, characterized in that it comprises topical application to the areas of the skin, mucous membranes or scalp to be treated with a therapeutically effective amount of an extract of plants of the genus Foetidia, in particular of the species Foetidia africana.

Various embodiments of this method of therapeutic treatment appear clearly to a person skilled in the art, also from the preceding description as well as from the following description and in particular with reference to the examples. In the context of therapeutic treatment, the practitioner generally knows how to adapt the dose to be applied according to the condition to be treated. However, in general, 0.0001% and 3% by weight, in particular between 0.001% and 1% by weight, will be applied to the above-mentioned extract of Foetidia included in a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient, thus forming a pharmaceutical composition, said percentage by weight of said extract being given relative to the total weight of the final composition.

As indicated above, the invention is based on the unexpected discovery that an extract of plants of the genus Foetidia stimulates the production of glycosaminoglycans by skin cells, in particular by fibrobiasts and keratinocytes, thus being particularly useful for the manufacture of cosmetic or pharmaceutical and especially dermatological treatment products.

Thus, the invention also relates to the use of an extract of plants of the genus Foetidia in particular of the species Foetidia africana as cosmetic agent. This agent makes it possible in particular to stimulate the production of glycosaminoglycans by the fibrobiastes and the keratinocytes, in particular the fibrobiastes of the dermis, in particular of the human dermis and the human keratinocytes.

It can be incorporated into a cosmetic composition which promotes water retention in the skin and / or has a hydrating activity and / or a tightening effect attenuating the skin relief and surface fine lines, helping to reinforce the barrier function of the skin. and / or treats the effects of skin aging and / or improves the appearance of the skin and / or the hair and / or promotes hair growth. This composition can also be intended for the prevention or treatment of dry or dehydrated skin and / or for the prevention and the fight against the appearance of stretch marks.

This same agent can also be used as a therapeutic agent, especially in dermatology. In these two types of applications, those skilled in the art readily understand that various forms of formulation can be produced. In addition, it is apparent that one of the most used forms is a topical form suitable for application to the skin tissue including the skin and the external or internal mucous membranes. Appropriate topical formulations include without limitation, emulsions, creams, milks, balms, gels, lotions, ova, as well as treating makeup compositions such as mascaras, lipsticks, these various types of formulation being well known to those skilled in the art.

Finally, according to a last aspect, the present invention also relates to a method for treating cells, in particular fibrobiasts or keratinocytes, in culture, by an effective concentration of a plant extract of the genus Foetidia, in particular of the species Foetidia africana to obtain stimulation of the synthesis of glycosaminoglycans.

Thus, in the context for example of the preparation of artificial skin, in particular of artificial dermis, by cell culture, according to techniques well known to those skilled in the art, a skin is obtained by the process of the invention. or a very good quality artificial dermis, particularly with regard to the biomechanical properties.

According to a preferred variant of implementation of the above method, the cell culture is treated with a plant extract of the genus Foetidia, in particular of the species Foetidia africana, at a concentration of between 0.3 μg / ml and 30 μg / ml of culture medium.

According to another advantageous variant, the culture medium also comprises one or more of the following substances: glucosamine, galactosamine, L-proline and 4-hydroxy-L-proline, said substances possibly being each present at a concentration between 2 and 10 mM, or alternatively, the culture medium can contain ascorbic acid or one of its derivatives at a non-cytotoxic concentration, in particular between 0.001 mM and 0.5 mM. Other objects, characteristics and advantages of the invention appear clearly to those skilled in the art, also from the explanatory description which follows, made with reference to several exemplary embodiments given simply by way of illustration, and which therefore cannot in any way limit the scope of the invention. In the examples, the percentages are given by weight, unless otherwise indicated.

Example 1:

Preparation of a bark extract from Foetidia africana (extract II).

From the bark of the trunk of the Foetidia africana plant from Tanzania, a powder is produced after drying by grinding. We take for example

49 g of this trunk bark powder which is macerated for 1 h 30 in

500 ml of methanol which is then brought to a boil for 3 h. After cooling, it is filtered. The filtrate (6.5 g) is dried, taken up in 50 ml of methanol to which 250 ml of acetone are then added. A precipitate is formed which is separated by filtration.

The precipitate is dried over a dehydrating solid such as potash

(2.3 g). 2 g of this dry precipitate are taken and dialysis is carried out for 4 days against 20 ml of water. Then we freeze-dried. There is thus obtained 724 mg of a lyophilized extract according to the invention called extract II, which constitutes an extract enriched in saponins which will be tested later.

EXAMPLE 2 Preparation of an Extract of Trunk Bark of Foetidia africana (Extract I2V

We start with 100 g of bark powder from Foetidia africana, harvested in Tanzania which was obtained by grinding and which is introduced into 1.5 l of methanol for the purpose of extraction. The mixture is brought to reflux for 1 h. The bark powder is exhausted 3 times in succession with the same quantities of new solvent. It is filtered each time and the 3 filtrates obtained are grouped together, then concentrated on a rotary evaporator until a dry extract, called extract 12 according to the invention, is obtained.

Example 3 Demonstration of the Activity of Stimulation of the Production of Glycosaminoglycans by Human Fibrobasts, with Extract II of Example 1

The test used to demonstrate an activity stimulating the production of GAG by fibrobiasts is described below. This in vitro test is, moreover, recognized as reliable and significant for those skilled in the art.

Principle of the test:

Human dermis fibrobiasts are used and incubated with tritiated glucosamine with or without the product to be tested. Then, on the culture supernatants, the protein part of the proteoglycans formed to isolate the GAGs (having incorporated the radiolabelled glucosamine) which is precipitated by means of cetylpyridinium chloride is separated by enzymatic hydrolysis, by means of pronase. abbreviated as CPC. The radioactivity of the precipitates of the treated cultures and of the control cultures is then counted, which is proportional to the amount of GAG synthesized. Highlighting the activity:

Fibrobiasts from a breast plasty of a 34-year-old woman are prepared from the microdissected dermis, as previously described by RI FRESHNEY in the work "Culture of Animal Cells; a manual of basic technique" edited by AR LISS, New York, 1983, pages 104-106. Inoculating culture wells of a multiwell box at a rate of 10 000 per well and fibroblasts were cultured for 24 h at 37 ^° C in a culture medium C 199 E (Gibco) containing 10% fetal calf serum .

After 24 hours, the medium is removed and replaced with 100 microliters of E 199 C medium without serum and containing the product to be tested, namely, in this case, extract II according to the invention, dissolved in water, or the same amount of water in the case of "control" cultures, and 4 μCi of tritiated glucosamine, commercially available under the reference TRK 398 from Amersham, France. Incubated 48 h at 37 ^° C. The supernatants are then grouped by two and transferred into Eppendorf tubes face. Each tube therefore contains supernatant from the culture of an initial amount of 20,000 cells. To each of the tubes is added 200 μl of a 0.2 mg / ml solution of pronase, commercially available from Sigma, France, under the reference P5147, in solution in PBS containing 0.02% of azide. sodium. Is allowed to act overnight at 37 ^° C. The pronase is then inactivated by immersing the tubes in boiling water for 5 minutes.

After cooling to room temperature, 40 μl of an aqueous solution of a 1/1/1 mixture of hyaluronic acid, dermatan sulfate, chondroitin sulfate at 8 mg / ml are added to this solution of radiolabelled GAG. co-precipitates all of these glycosaminoglycans with 40 μl of a 100 mg / ml solution of CPC commercially available from Sigma, France, under the reference C 9002. After shaking, incubation is carried out for 30 minutes at room temperature. The precipitate is centrifuged, the supernatant is aspirated and the pellet is resuspended with 400 μl of a 10 mg / ml CPC solution. The mixture is stirred for 5 minutes. The pellet is dissolved in 500 μl of methanol, which is then transferred to scintillation vials containing 10 ml of scintillating liquid. The radioactivity of each flask is counted using a scintillation counter of the "Beta 1" type from the company Kontron, France.

At the same time, the cytotoxicity of the product to be tested on the cells is evaluated by a tetrazolium salt test, abbreviated as XTT, as described. by ROEHM NW et al. in the journal Journal of Immunological Methods, 1991, 142, pages 257-265. This test measures cell viability.

As mentioned above, the amount of GAG secreted by the cells in culture is proportional to the radioactivity observed. The activity results of extract II according to the invention appear in the table below. The concentrations of the extract have been chosen so that they do not modify the cell viability.

The activity of the extract, expressed as a percentage, is calculated according to the following formula: q-qθ

A = x 100 qo in which: A: represents the activity expressed as a percentage, qg: represents the quantity of radioactive GAG secreted in the control cultures, expressed in cpm, q: represents the quantity of radioactive GAG secreted in the cultures treated with the extract according to the invention, expressed in cpm.

Finally, the radioactivity values obtained with the treated cultures are compared with those of the controls by the Student's "t" test in unpaired series, in order to conclude on the question of knowing whether the increases in radioactivity observed, therefore the increases in GAG synthesis, are significant at the threshold p = 0.05.

Results table

S: significant NS: not significant

The table above clearly demonstrates that the extract II, object of the invention, significantly stimulates the production of total GAGs by human dermal fibrobiasts.

Therefore, the extracts of the invention, obtained from the plant of the genus Foetidia, constitute valuable active ingredients for the manufacture of cosmetic or pharmaceutical, especially dermatological, treatment products.

In this context, various formulations of cosmetic, pharmaceutical, in particular dermatological products will now be given by way of illustration, without limitation.

Example 4: Hydrating gel:

- Bark extract II, example 1 0.5 g

- Ethanol 5 g

- Glycerol 4 g - Carbopol 940 ® 1.3 g

- Water + preservatives qs 100 g

Dissolve extract II in ethanol and then add glycerol and part of the water, the remaining part being used to form a gel with Carbopol 940®. Then, the solution and the gel are mixed, in accordance with gel formulation techniques well known to those skilled in the art. This gel can be used twice a day for 3 weeks on the face and on the body. After treatment, the skin regains normal hydration, its elasticity and its radiance.

Example 5:

Bust care cream:

This cream has the following composition:

- Bark extract 12 0.1 g

- Retinol palmitate 0.03 g - Centella asiatica extract 0.1 g

- Ascorbyl phosphate (magnesium salt) 0.05 g

- Glycerol 3 g

- Nylon particles 2 g

(Orgasol 2002 UD Nat cos available at Atochem, France) - Emulsified excipient + preservatives and perfumes qs 100 g

The extracts of bark 12 and of centella asiatica are dissolved in the excipient, then the other components are added until the whole is homogeneous. This cream can be used twice a day for several weeks, by topical application on the bust. After treatment, the bust regains its elasticity, firmness and radiance.

Example 6: Care cream intended to prevent and fight against the appearance of stretch marks: A composition is used having the following ingredients:

- Extract II 1 g

- Witch hazel extract 2 g

- Glycerin 4 g - Wheat glycoceramides 0.2 g

- Pea protein 2 g

- Malic acid 0.1 g

- Emulsified excipient qs 100 g The extracts II and witch hazel are dissolved in the emulsified excipient, then the other ingredients are added until the whole is homogeneous.

A cream is thus obtained which can be used locally, by topical application by massaging until complete penetration. This treatment, which can be extended for several weeks, makes it possible to effectively prevent and combat the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Example 7:

Anti-drying mascara: A composition comprising the following active ingredients is used:

- Extract II 0.15 g

- Hyaluronic acid 0.1 g

- Camauba wax 1 g

- Lanolin 4 g - Isopropyl palmitate 2 g

- Beeswax 8 g

- Ozokerite 6 g

- 4% solution of magnesium silicate 12.5 g

- Cellulose gum 0.7 g - Black iron oxide 10 g

- Morpholine 1.6 g

- Methacrylolethylbetaine / methacrylate copolymer (Amersette®, Amerchol Co., USA) 12 g

- Water + preservatives qs 100 g This mascara is prepared according to the conventional techniques of those skilled in the art, extract II is introduced into the aqueous phase until complete dissolution.

This mascara represents good adhesion to the eyelash. On the other hand, it will be observed that hyaluronic acid strengthens the hydrating activity of the extract II of the invention, which makes it possible to maintain the keratin fibers of the eyelashes well hydrated. Example 8:

Treatment lip balm:

A composition is prepared comprising the following active ingredients: - Extract II, example 1 0.1 g

- Steraramide 20 g

- Methylglucose dioleate 14 g

- Methylglucose sesquistearate 6 g

- Polyoxyethylene methylglucose (Glucam E10 ®, Amerchol Co., USA) 15 g

- Mineral oil 4 g

- Pigment 12 g

- PEG 10 methylglucose sesquistearate 2.5 g

- Water + preservatives qs 100 g This balm is prepared in a conventional manner according to the rules of the art, extract II is included in the aqueous phase.

This balm applied to the lips allows good hydration of the lips.

Example 9:

Anti-hair loss lotion

A lotion is prepared comprising the following active ingredients:

- Extract 12, example 2 0.1 g

- Ceraphyl 60® 0.08 g - Cremophor RH40® 0.4 g

- Ethyl alcohol 32 g

- Scented aqueous excipient qs 100 g

This lotion is used in massages of the scalp, preferably in the morning. By acting on the synthesis of glycosaminoglycans at the level of the papilla of the hair follicle, this lotion contributes to delay hair loss. Example 10:

Anti-hair loss lotion

A lotion is prepared having the same composition as that described in Example 9, except that it also contains 0.1 g of cepharanthin per 100 g of final composition.

EXAMPLE 11 Treating Shampoo

A composition for shampoo is prepared comprising the following ingredients:

- Extract II, example 1 0.1 g

- Coconut diethanolamine 2 g

- Sodium lauryl ether sulfate 0.5 g

- Alkylglucoside 15 g - Methyl parahydroxybenzoate 0.5 g

- Excipient qs 100 g

The invention includes all the means constituting technical equivalents of the means described as well as their various combinations. In particular, the invention covers any characteristic which appears to be new with respect to any state of the art, from the description and the claims taken as a whole.

Claims

1. Cosmetic composition, characterized in that it comprises, as active ingredient, an extract of plants of the genus Foetidia, in particular of the species Foetidia africana.

2. Pharmaceutical composition, in particular dermatological, for topical use, characterized in that it comprises, as active ingredient, an extract of plants of the genus Foetidia, in particular of the species Foetidia africana.

3. Composition according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized because it comprises from 0.0001% to 3% by weight, and in particular from 0.001% to

1% by weight of the above-mentioned extract of Foetidia relative to the total weight of the final composition.

4. Composition according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said composition is formulated for topical application, in particular topical skin application including the skin and mucous membranes.

5. Composition according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it further comprises at least one other active principle in particular chosen from the group consisting of retinoids, humectants or moisturizers, vitamins, ceramides, substances promoting the synthesis of collagen and amino acids.

6. Composition according to claim 5, characterized in that the aforementioned retinoid is chosen from retinoic acid and its salts and esters, retinaldehyde, and retinol and its esters, such as propionate, palmitate, acetate; the above-mentioned humectant or moisturizing agent is chosen from glycerol, polyethylene glycol and hyaluronic acid; the aforementioned vitamin is chosen from vitamin A, vitamin C and its derivatives, in particular its sodium or magnesium salts, vitamin E, vitamin PP and vitamins of group B in particular B6 and B12; the substance promoting the synthesis of collagen is chosen from an extract of centella asiatica, madecassoside, madecassic acid, asian acid and asiaticoside, and the amino acid is chosen from serine, threonine, leucine, proline and hydroxyproline.

7. Composition according to one of claims 1 to 6, in particular intended for the care or treatment of the hair, characterized in that it additionally contains at least one other active substance, in an effective concentration, chosen from quinine or its derivatives; a rubefiant such as methyl nicotinate; a culture supernatant of papillae fibrobiastes; a keratin hydrolyzate; a trace element such as zinc, selenium, copper; a bisbenzylisoquinoleic alkaloid such as oxyacanthiπe or cepharanthin; a 5-α-reductase inhibitor such as progesterone; cyproterone acetate, minoxidil, azelaic acid and its derivatives; a 4-methyl-4-azasteroid, in particular 17-β -N, N-diethylcarbamoyl-4-methyl-4-aza-5-α-androstan-3-one; or an extract from Serenoa repens.

8. Composition according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the aforementioned extract of Foetidia, in particular of Foetidia africana, is an extract of trunk bark.

9. Composition according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the above-mentioned extract of Foetidia is an extract obtained by extraction with a polar solvent, preferably an alcohol such as methanol, ethanol, propanol, isopropanol, propylene glycol or butylene glycol or a mixture of these alcohols or a hydro-alcoholic mixture.

10. Composition according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the above-mentioned extract of Foetidia is an extract enriched in saponins.

11. Use of an extract of plants of the genus Foetidia, in particular of the species Foetidia africana, said extract being preferably incorporated in a pharmaceutically or dermatologically acceptable excipient, for the preparation of a pharmaceutical or dermatological composition for use topical having an activity of stimulating the production of glycosaminoglycans in the skin and the mucous membranes, in particular in the dermis and in the epidermis.

12. Use according to claim 11, characterized in that said composition is intended for the prevention or treatment of dry or dehydrated skin and / or the prevention and the fight against the appearance of stretch marks and / or the prevention and to the treatment of hair growth disorders.

13. Use of an extract of plants of the genus Foetidia, in particular of the species Foetidia africana as cosmetic agent, said agent being incoφor in a cosmetic composition.

14. Use according to claim 13, characterized in that said composition promotes the retention of water in the skin and / or has a hydrating activity and / or a tightening effect attenuating the skin relief and fine lines superficial, helping to strengthen the barrier function of the skin and / or treats the effects of skin aging and / or improves the appearance of the skin and / or the hair and / or promotes hair growth.

15. Use according to claim 13, characterized in that said composition is intended for the prevention or treatment of dry or dehydrated skin and / or the prevention and the fight against the appearance of stretch marks.

16. Use according to one of claims 11 to 15, characterized in that the composition is as defined in one of claims 1 to 10.

17. Cosmetic treatment process for the skin, mucous membranes, such as the lips, or integuments, in particular the hair, characterized in that it comprises topical application to the areas of the skin, mucous membranes or scalp to be treated, a composition containing an extract of plants of the genus Foetidia, in particular of the species Foetidia africana, present in said composition at a cosmetically effective concentration.

18. The method of claim 17, characterized in that the concentration of the plant extract of the genus Foetidia in the above composition is between 0.0001% and 3% by weight relative to the total weight of said composition, preferably between 0.001% to 1%, said extract preferably being incoφorated in a cosmetically acceptable excipient.

19. Method for treating cells, in particular fibrobiasts or keratinocytes, in culture, to obtain stimulation of the synthesis of glycosaminoglycans, characterized in that it consists in introducing into the culture medium an effective concentration of an extract of plants of the genus Foetidia, in particular an extract of plants of the species of Foetidia africana, in order to obtain the stimulation of said synthesis.

20. The method of claim 19, characterized in that said cells are treated with an extract of plants of the genus Foetidia, in particular an extract of plants of the species Foetidia africana, at a concentration of between 0.3 μg / ml and 30 μg / ml of culture medium.

21. The method of claim 19 or 20, characterized in that at least one substance chosen from the group consisting of glucosamine, galactosamine, L-proline and 4-hydroxy- is added to the culture medium. L-proline at a concentration between 2 and 10 mM as well as ascorbic acid or its derivatives at a non-cytotoxic concentration, in particular at a concentration between 0.001 mM and 0.5 mM.

22. Use of the method according to one of claims 19 to 21 for the preparation of an artificial skin or dermis.