Cosmetic/pharmaceutical compositions, well suited for the treatment of unwanted skin wrinkles, e.g., for visibly reducing human skin wrinkles, comprise an effective antiwrinkle amount of at least one extract of at least one member of the Iridaceae family that relaxes and/or loosens cutaneous and/or subcutaneous tissue, formulated into a cosmetically/pharmaceutically acceptable excipient or carrier therefor.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
 1. Technical Field of the Invention
 The present invention relates to novel cosmetic/pharmaceutical compositions
 containing an effective amount of at least one extract of at least one
 Iridaceae, for loosening and/or relaxing the cutaneous and/or subcutaneous
 tissue, especially for treating (reducing or eliminating) normal and small
 (fine) skin wrinkles.
 2. Description of the Prior Art
 Women, or even men, today seek to maintain a youthful appearance for as
 long as possible and, consequently, seek to attenuate the signs of skin
 aging, which manifest themselves especially by normal and small wrinkles.
 In this regard, advertisements and fashion promote products intended to
 maintain a radiant skin for as long as possible and without wrinkles,
 which is the sign of a youthful skin, all the more so since physical
 appearance is important for peace of mind and/or for morale. Thus, it is
 important to feel physically and spiritually young.
 To date, normal and small wrinkles were treated with cosmetic products
 containing active agents acting on the skin, for example by moisturizing
 it or by enhancing its cellular renewal or by promoting the synthesis of
 collagen which constitutes the cutaneous tissue. However, also to date, it
 was not known to this art how to treat wrinkles by acting on the muscular
 elements present in the skin.
 It is known that the facial platysma muscles are under the control of the
 motor nerve afferences of the facial nerve and that, moreover, the
 interlobular septa of the hypodermis contain therein fibers which
 constitute a striated muscular tissue (panniculus carnosus). Too, it is
 also known that a subpopulation of fibroblasts of the dermis, designated
 myofibroblasts, exhibits characteristics which are common with the
 muscular tissue.
 Prologue:
 In the laboratories of the assignee hereof, in certain pathological and
 therapeutic conditions, the influence exerted on facial wrinkles by the
 nerves controlling all of this muscular tissue has been observed. Thus, in
 facial nerve conditions, in which the transmission of the nerve impulse is
 interrupted and/or reduced, there is observed in the area of innervation a
 paralysis of the facial muscles. This facial paralysis results, besides
 other clinical signs, in an attenuation, or even disappearance of the
 wrinkles.
 In contrast, in the states of facial muscular hypercontraction,
 accentuation of facial wrinkles has also been observed. Furthermore, an
 accentuation of the facial wrinkles in the muscular hypertonia states in
 Parkinson's disease and side effects induced by neuroleptics too has been
 observed.
 Moreover, it has been demonstrated that the botulinus toxin, originally
 used for treating spasms, is active on muscular spasticity states (see A.
 Blitzer et al., Arch. Otolaryngol. Head Neck Surg., 119, pages 1018 to
 1022 (1993)) and on the wrinkles on the glabella which are
 intersuperciliary wrinkles (see J. D. Carruters et al., J. Dermatol. Surg.
 Oncol., 18, pages 17 to 21 (1992)). Consequently, it is possible to
 influence, via a pharmacological action, the nervous component of the
 wrinkles.
 In the peripheral nervous system, the junction between a nerve and a muscle
 constitutes the neuromuscular plate, upstream of which there is the
 afferent nerve route denominated "motoneuron."Moreover, the cellular
 membranes of each nerve fiber comprise numerous ion channels, and
 especially chlorine channels, capable of permitting the corresponding
 element in ionic form, and in the case of the chlorine channels in
 chloride form, to pass therethrough. These channels are associated with
 neuronal receptors. The neuronal receptors associated at the periphery
 with the chlorine channels are especially receptors for glycine
 (glycine-strychnine sensitive receptors) and receptors for type A GABA
 (GABA-A receptors) (GABA=.gamma.-aminobutyric acid).
 It too is known that it is possible to reduce the excitability of the
 motoneuron by various pharmacological agents acting on the
 glycine-strychnine sensitive receptors or on the GABA-A receptors of the
 peripheral nervous system (see W. Sieghart, Trends in Pharmacological
 Science, December 1992, Vol. 131, pages 446 to 450). Thus, it is possible
 to modulate the excitability of the motoneuron, for example by glycine or
 gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA).
 The activation of these receptors opens the chlorine channels and permits
 entry of chloride ions, which results in an increase in the chloride ions
 in the cells of the nerve fiber and therefore to a hyperpolarization of
 the motoneurons which become, as a result, less excitable. This reduction
 in excitability of the motoneuron causes a lesser stimulation of the
 muscle fiber, thereby effecting its loosening.
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
 After numerous clinical trials, it has now been determined that the
 contractile muscle fibers, in particular the striated muscle fibers, which
 are under the direct control of the neuromotor impulse, play an essential
 role in the pathogenicity of wrinkles and that the modulation of the
 neuromotor impulse attenuated not only the normal wrinkles, but also the
 small (fine) wrinkles and also exerted a "smoothing" effect on the
 cutaneous microrelief.
 It has also now been determined that the cutaneous and subcutaneous tissues
 contained receptors associated with the chlorine channels, which, to date,
 had not been envisaged. It has therefore been found that it was possible
 to act on these channels in order to loosen or relax these tissues, and
 thus to reduce the normal and small wrinkles.
 Also to date, no link had been established between the chlorine channels of
 the nerve fibers and wrinkles, and it was not considered to treat wrinkles
 by acting on the chlorine channels via activation of the receptors which
 are present in or close to these channels. Substances which may activate
 the receptors of the chlorine channels and therefore initiate the entry of
 chloride into the cells, are designated agonist substances.
 Several receptors associated with the chlorine channel exist. These are
 especially the glycine-strychnine sensitive receptors and the GABA-A
 receptors, the latter themselves comprising several subunits including the
 GABA site, the benzodiazepine site, a type of steroid site and the site
 for the barbiturates. All of the substances or substrates which serve as
 agonists for these receptors or sites may be used to loosen or relax the
 cutaneous and/or subcutaneous tissues in accordance with the invention.
 For a substance or species to be recognized as an agonist for the receptors
 of the chlorine channels, it must satisfy the following two requirements:
 (a) be able to bind selectively to at least one of the different receptors
 associated with the chlorine channel;
 (b) exert a relaxation effect on a contracted muscular tissue.
 The first characteristic, which entails the possibility of binding to a
 receptor associated with a chlorine channel, does not permit
 distinguishing an agonist activity from an antagonist activity, but it
 makes it possible to define a potential affinity for the receptor.
 The second characteristic permits selecting the agonists. The agonist
 activity of the substance studied may be demonstrated by the relaxation
 effect which it elicits on a muscular tissue which has been previously
 contracted by a chlorine channel antagonist substance. As chlorine channel
 antagonist substance, these may be selected from among known agents such
 as, and especially the following: bicuculline, strychnine,
 tert-butyl-bicyclophosphoro-thionate and picrotoxin.
 Surprisingly, it has now been demonstrated that an extract of at least one
 Iridaceae satisfies the criteria for chlorine channel receptor agonist as
 defined above.
 JP-A-60-201249 describes the use of Iridaceae extract for the treatment of
 rough skin by means of the dilatory activity of the blood vessels of the
 skin.
 To the contrary, the present invention features antiwrinkle
 cosmetic/pharmaceutical compositions comprising an effective amount of an
 extract of at least one member of the Iridaceae family for relaxing and/or
 loosening the cutaneous and/or subcutaneous tissue.
 The subject compositions are particularly effective for reducing normal and
 small (fine) wrinkles.
 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF BEST MODE AND SPECIFIC/PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE
 INVENTION
 More particularly according to the present invention, the relaxation and/or
 loosening of the cutaneous and/or subcutaneous tissues is a muscular
 loosening or relaxation.
 The compositions containing the extract according to the invention may be
 administered either locally, namely, topically, or by subcutaneous and/or
 intradermal injection, or systemically or generally, i.e., orally and/or
 by intramuscular injection.
 The present invention also features a regimen for the cosmetic treatment of
 normal and/or small wrinkles, comprising applying topically, injecting or
 ingesting a composition comprising an effective amount of an extract of at
 least one Iridaceae.
 The extract of at least one Iridaceae may be any extract prepared or
 recovered from plant material derived from the Iridaceae family.
 The compositions may contain an extract of at least one Iridaceae obtained
 from plant material derived from whole plant cultured in vivo or derived
 from in vitro culture.
 The selection pressure exerted by the physicochemical conditions during the
 growth of the plant cells in vitro permits obtaining a standardized plant
 material available throughout the year, as opposed to plants cultured in
 vivo.
 By "in vitro" culture is intended all techniques known to this art which
 permit artificially producing a plant or a portion of a plant.
 There may thus be used, for example, according to the invention, an extract
 of roots of at least one Iridaceae cultured in vitro or an extract of
 undifferentiated cells of at least one Iridaceae.
 Preferably, an extract is used which is obtained from plant material
 cultured in vitro and, even more preferably, an extract obtained from
 undifferentiated cells cultured in vitro.
 By "undifferentiated plant cell" is intended any plant cell exhibiting none
 of the traits of a specific specialization and capable of living by itself
 and not in dependency on other cells. These undifferentiated plant cells
 are possibly capable, under the effect of induction, of any
 differentiation in conformity with their genome.
 According to the technique of culture selected, and in particular according
 to the culture medium selected, it is possible to obtain, from the same
 explant, undifferentiated plant cells having different traits.
 The Iridaceae (or Iris) family comprises about 750 species.
 Plants of the Iridaceae family are especially useful for their aromatic and
 ornamental properties.
 Among the Iridaceae genera which are suitable according to the invention,
 representative thereof, for example, are the genera Romulea, Crocus, Iris,
 Gladiolus, Sisyrinchium or Hermodactylus.
 Exemplary plant materials are those obtained from Iris germanica, Iris
 florentina, Iris pallida, Crocus versicolor, Romulea bulbucodium or
 Gladiolus communis.
 More particularly according to the invention, a plant material derived from
 the genus Iris and preferably plant material from Iris pallida is
 employed.
 Any extraction technique known to this art may be used to prepare the
 Iridaceae extract contained in the composition according to the invention.
 Particularly exemplary extracts are alcoholic, especially ethanolic or
 aqueous/alcoholic extracts.
 An Iridaceae extract prepared by the technique described in French patent
 application No. 95-02379, assigned to the assignee hereof, may also be
 used.
 Thus, in a first stage, the plant material is ground in an aqueous solution
 at cold temperature, in a second stage the particles in suspension are
 removed from the aqueous solution obtained from the first stage, and in a
 third stage, the aqueous solution derived from the second stage is
 sterilized. This aqueous solution corresponds to the extract.
 Moreover, the first stage may advantageously be replaced by a simple
 operation of freezing the plant tissues (for example at -20.degree. C.),
 followed by an aqueous extraction in which the second and third stages
 described above are repeated.
 One example of preparation of Iridaceae extract which may be used according
 to the invention is in fact set forth in the examples below.
 The effective amount of Iridaceae extract contained in the compositions of
 the invention is of course dependent on the desired effect and may
 therefore vary to a great extent.
 To provide an order of magnitude, if the composition is a cosmetic
 composition, it may contain an extract of at least one Iridaceae in an
 amount constituting from 0.01% to 20% of the total weight of the
 composition and, preferably, in an amount constituting from 0.1% to 5% of
 the total weight of the composition.
 Also to provide an order of magnitude, if the composition is a
 pharmaceutical composition, it may contain an extract of at least one
 Iridaceae in an amount constituting from 0.01% to 30% of the total weight
 of the composition and, preferably, in an amount constituting from 0.1% to
 10% of the total weight of the composition.
 The compositions according to the invention may be provided in all of the
 galenic or dosage forms normally used for topical, injectable or oral
 application.
 The amounts of the different constituents of the compositions according to
 the invention are those conventionally used in the fields considered and
 are appropriate for their galenic form.
 For topical application, the compositions of the invention comprise a
 medium which is compatible with water. These compositions may be provided,
 especially, in the form of aqueous, alcoholic or aqueous/alcoholic
 solutions, of gels, of lotions, of ointments, of water-in-oil or
 oil-in-water emulsions having the appearance of a cream or of a gel, of
 microemulsions, of aerosols, or in the form of vesicular dispersions
 containing ionic and/or nonionic lipids. These dosage forms are formulated
 according to the customary methods in the fields under consideration.
 The compositions for topical application may advantageously constitute a
 cosmetic or pharmaceutical composition for protection, treatment or care
 of the face, the neck, the hands or the body, (for example day creams,
 night creams, sunscreen creams or oils, lotions, body milks), a makeup
 composition (for example foundation) or a composition for artificial
 tanning.
 When the composition of the invention is an emulsion, the proportion of
 fatty phase which it contains may range from 5% to 80% by weight,
 preferably from 5% to 50% by weight relative to the total weight of the
 composition. The fats and the emulsifiers present in the composition in
 emulsion form are selected from among those conventionally used in the
 cosmetic or pharmaceutical field.
 Exemplary fats include the mineral oils (petroleum jelly), vegetable oils
 (liquid fraction of shea butter) and hydrogenated derivatives thereof,
 animal oils, synthetic oils (perhydrosqualene), silicone oils
 (dimethylpolysiloxane) and fluorinated oils. Other fats include the fatty
 alcohols (cetyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol), the fatty acids (stearic acid)
 and the waxes.
 The emulsifiers may be present in the composition in a proportion ranging
 from 0.3% to 30% by weight, preferably from 0.5% to 30% by weight relative
 to the total weight of the composition.
 In known fashion, the cosmetic or pharmaceutical compositions of the
 invention may also contain customary additives and adjuvants in the
 corresponding fields, such as hydrophilic or lipophilic gelling agents,
 preservatives, antioxidants, solvents, perfumes, fillers, UV-screening
 agents and colorants. Moreover, these compositions may contain hydrophilic
 or lipophilic active agents. The amounts of these different additives and
 adjuvants or active agents are those conventionally used in the cosmetic
 or pharmaceutical field, and range, for example, from 0.01% to 20% of the
 total weight of the composition. These adjuvants/additives or these active
 agents, depending on their particular nature, may be introduced in the
 fatty phase, in the aqueous phase and/or in the lipid vesicles.
 Exemplary active agents which may be formulated into the compositions of
 the invention include, especially, the active agents having a beneficial
 effect for the treatment of normal or small wrinkles, and in particular
 keratolytic active agents. By "keratolytic" is intended an active agent
 having desquamating, peeling or scrubbing properties, or an active agent
 capable of softening the stratum corneum.
 Exemplary active agents which are effective for reducing normal or small
 wrinkles include, in particular, the hydroxy acids and the retinoids.
 Representative hydroxy acids include, for example, .alpha.-hydroxy acids or
 .beta.-hydroxy acids, which may be linear, branched or cyclic, saturated
 or unsaturated. The hydrogen atoms of the carbon chain may, in addition,
 be substituted with halogens, halogenated, alkylated, acylated,
 acyloxylated, alkoxycarbonylated or alkoxylated radicals having from 2 to
 18 carbon atoms.
 The hydroxy acids which are especially suitable include glycolic, lactic,
 malic, tartaric, citric, 2-hydroxyalkanoic, mandelic and salicylic acids,
 as well as the alkylated derivatives thereof such as
 n-octanoyl-5-salicylic acid, n-dodecanoyl-5-salicylic acid,
 n-decanoyl-5-salicylic acid, n-octyl-5-salicylic acid, n-heptyloxy-5 or
 -4-salicylic acid, 2-hydroxy-3-methylbenzoic acid, or their alkoxylated
 derivatives such as 2-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzoic acid.
 The retinoids which are especially suitable include retinoic acid
 (all-trans or 13-cis) and derivatives thereof, retinol (vitamin A) and its
 esters such as retinol palmitate, retinol acetate and retinol propionate,
 as well as their salts.
 These active agents are advantageously present in concentrations ranging
 from 0.0001% to 5% by weight relative to the total weight of the
 composition.
 When the compositions of the invention are formulated for application via
 the oral route, they are provided in the galenic forms which are customary
 therefor, such as tablets, gelatin capsules, oral products, especially
 prepared immediately before use, granules, powders, in the customary
 excipients or carriers for such an application.
 When the compositions of the invention are formulated to be injected, they
 may be provided in the form of solutions containing the excipients
 customarily used for injections, for example in the form of an isotonic
 solution of sodium chloride.
 In order to further illustrate the present invention and the advantages
 thereof, the following specific examples are given, it being understood
 that same are intended only as illustrative and in nowise limitative.

In said examples to follow, all parts and percentages are given by weight,
 unless otherwise indicated.
 EXAMPLE 1
 Preparation of an Iris pallida Extract
 Undifferentiated Iris pallida cells cultured in vitro under axenic
 conditions were recovered after culture in an Erlenmeyer flask or in a
 fermenter by filtration on a 50 .mu.m screen. 27.5 ml of demineralized
 water were added to 55 g of fresh material thus obtained. The entire mass
 was ground in a Turax blender at 24,000 rpm for 1 minute at 4.degree. C.
 (ice bath). The ground product was centrifuged at 15 to 10,000 G at
 4.degree. C. The supernatant was filtered at 0.22 .mu.m (sterilizing
 filtration).
 The extract thus prepared was stored at 4.degree. C. It contained about 15
 g of dry matter per liter.
 If the plant material was the whole plant, the fresh material to be treated
 was provided according to the dry weight such as to be under the same
 extraction conditions as in vitro. The different parts of the plant were
 collected according to the relative weight of each part thereof. The cold
 treatment made it possible to freeze the enzymatic activities, the
 sterilizing filtration avoided the degradation of the active agents by
 environmental microorganisms. Finally, the water vehicle was compatible
 with the receptors ex vivo and facilitated the cosmetic or pharmaceutical
 formulations.
 EXAMPLE 2
 Measurement of the Affinity of the Iris pallida Extract for the Glycine and
 GABA-A Receptors (type A Receptor for .gamma.-aminobutyric Acid)
 The affinity for the glycine receptors was determined according to the
 technique described by Marvizon and colleagues in Mol. Pharmacol., 30, pp.
 590-597 (1986). The affinity for the GABA-A receptors was determined
 according to the technique described by Snodgrass, S. R., Nature, 273, 392
 (1978).
 Summary of the Experimental Conditions
 Glycine Receptor:
 The displacement of tritiated strychnine bound to the glycine receptor was
 measured by prior incubation of 2 nM of tritiated strychnine with rat
 spinal cord membranes for 10 minutes at 0.degree. C.
 The Iris pallida extract was tested at 1% and 5% of its initial
 concentration. The IC.sub.50 of the strychnine (dose necessary to displace
 50% of the tritiated strychnine bound to the receptor) was measured by
 displacement by nonlabelled strychnine.
 GABA-A Receptor:
 The displacement of tritiated muscimol bound to the GABA-A receptor was
 measured by prior incubation of 2.5 nM of tritiated muscimol with rat
 cerebral cortex for 10 minutes at 4.degree. C.
 The Iris pallida extract was tested at 1% and 5% of its initial
 concentration.
 The IC.sub.50 of the muscimol (dose necessary to displace 50% of the
 tritiated muscimol bound to the receptor) was measured by displacement by
 nonlabelled muscimol.
 The results obtained, expressed as percentage inhibition of binding of the
 radioactive ligand, are reported in the following Table I:
 TABLE 1
 Irispallida extract
 (concentration) 1% 5%
 Glycine receptor 71 92
 GABA-A receptor 100 100
 Reference: strychnine (glycine) IC.sub.50 :26.9 nM
 Reference: muscimol (GABA-A) IC.sub.50 :8.2 nM
 These results evidence that the Iris pallida extract was a good ligand for
 the glycine and GABA-A receptors.
 The relationship existing between these receptors, the chlorine channels
 and the muscle contractions makes the Iris pallida extract a good
 antiwrinkle agent.
 EXAMPLE 3
 Measurement of the Effect of Iris pallida Extract on the Delay in the
 Appearance of a Chlorine Channel Antagonist Effect (convulsions) Induced
 by Strychnine in Mice After Subcutaneous Administration
 The measurement was carried out according to the technique described by
 Krall and colleagues, Epilepsia, 19, 409-428 (1978).
 The Iris pallida extract was administered subcutaneously in a volume of 10
 ml/kg, at the desired doses. 30 minutes after treatment, a solution of
 strychnine was injected subcutaneously at the dose of 1 mg/kg. The vehicle
 was sterile water.
 The appearance of convulsions was observed for 30 minutes after the
 injection of strychnine. The delay in the appearance of the convulsions
 was also measured.
 The reference compound was Diazepam at 3 mg/kg.
 The results obtained are reported in the following Table II. The delay in
 the appearance of the convulsions is expressed in seconds. The values
 reported are the mean values of the delays measured per animal in each
 group.
 TABLE II
 Product Delay Variation (%)
 Vehicle 266
 Diazepam 3431 +1190
 Irispallida (1 ml/kg) 333 +25
 Irispallida (5 ml/kg) 321 +21
 The Iris pallida extract exerted, by retarding the time of appearance of
 the convulsions, a relaxing effect which made it an antiwrinkle active
 agent.
 EXAMPLE 4
 Specific Examples of Compositions According to the Invention
 Composition 1: Care Lotion for the Face:

Extract of Example 1 7.00%
 Antioxidant 0.05%
 Preservative 0.30%
 Ethanol (solvent) 8.00%
 Water qs 100%
 The lotion obtained was effective on wrinkles during repeated use (twice
 daily application for one month).
 Composition 2: Face Care Gel:

Extract of Example 1 7.00%
 Hydroxypropyl cellulose* 1.00%
 Preservative 0.30%
 Ethanol (solvent) 15.00%
 Antioxidant 0.05%
 Water qs 100%
 *: Klucel H marketed by Hercules (gelling agent).
 The gel obtained is effective on wrinkles. It may be applied daily, morning
 and evening, for one month.
 Composition 3: Face Care Cream (oil-in-water emulsion):

Extract of Example 1 5.00%
 Glycerol mono-, distearate 2.00%
 Cetyl alcohol 1.50%
 Cetylstearyl alcohol/oxyethylated cetylstearyl 7.00%
 alcohol mixture 33 EO
 Dimethylpolysiloxane 1.50%
 Petroleum jelly 17.50%
 Preservative 0.30%
 Perfume 0.50%
 Glycerin 12.50%
 Water qs 100%
 While the invention has been described in terms of various preferred
 embodiments, the skilled artisan will appreciate that various
 modifications, substitutions, omissions, and changes may be made without
 departing from the spirit thereof. Accordingly, it is intended that the
 scope of the present invention be limited solely by the scope of the
 following claims, including equivalents thereof.