Abstract:
Deodorant compositions containing, as an active ingredient, juice which is pressed out from fruits of Ebenaceae plants, a method of preparing such active ingredient and the use of such compositions as a deodorant in various environmental conditions.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     (a) Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to deodorant compositions containing, as a main component, persimmon juice. More particularly, this invention relates to use of pressed juice of persimmon fruits, in combination with conventional excipients, adjuvants and additives, for removing undesirable odors from various enviromental conditions. 
     (b) Description of the Prior Art 
     A persimmon tree is a plant of Ebenaceae which grows or is cultivated in the tropic and temperate zones of the world including Japan and China. It is said that Ebenaceae plants are classified into seven genuses and 20 species and fruits of some kinds of persimmon trees contain, even after their maturity, persimmon tannine. The persimmon tannine is known to be available for some medicines, mordanting and leather-tanning agents. 
     One of the present inventors and his co-workers formerly found that dry-distllates from leaves of theaceae plants had a potent and long acting effect for deodorization, and they filed for a patent on such deodorant compositions as containing the dry-distillates as an active ingredient, one of which was already published as European Patent Publication No. 0077 047 B1. 
     This invention has been identified by the present inventors to be more potent in its deodorant effect than the dry-distillates of theaceae leaves. 
     It is believed by the present inventors that no one has disclosed the deodorant effect of pressed juice obtained from persimmon fruits. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     In this invention, raw persimmon fruits, either sweet or astringent ones but preferably immature ones, are available as a starting material and they are pressed by an ordinary pressing machine to obtain juice, which is made into powders under a reduced pressure or the thus obtained pressed juice is preserved in a closed vessel for about half a year with or without enzyme, then the resultant sugars are removed by filtration or dialysis and the residue is dried under a reduced pressure to obtain powders. 
    
    
     EXAMPLES 
     The present invention will be more fully understood with reference to the following embodiments: 
     Example 1 
     Ten kilograms of immature fruits of persimmon (Diospyros Kaki) was pressed by an ordinary pressing machine to obtain 5 Kg of pressed juice, which was dried at a reduced pressure, which gave 600 g of powders. 
     Example 2 
     One kilogram of immature fruits of persimmon (Diospyros Lotus) was pressed out by an ordinary pressing machine to obtain 500 g of juice. The thus obtained juice was preserved in a closed vessel for six months to cause self-fermentation, then the resultant sugars were removed by dialysis and the residue was dried at a reduced presssure, which gave 400 g of powders. 
     Examples of a deodorant effect of the active ingredient of this invention are indicated by following experiments: 
     Experiment 1 
     Sense of Smell test 
     [Method] 
     To a solution in which 0.1 g of garlic extracts were dissolved in 100 ml of water, 1 ml and 2 ml of 10% aqueous solution of the active ingredient obtained from above Example 1 were added separately. With these test solutions, six members of a panel recorded their degree of perception to garlic ordors in the following order; 
     0--Not pereceptible 
     1--Little perceptible 
     2--Narrowly perceptible of what kind of orders 
     3--Perceptible 
     4--Perceptible of strong order 
     5--Perceptible of very strong order 
     [Result] 
     
                       TABLE 1______________________________________Panel member     Solution    Solution   SolutionNo.       (1 ml added)                 (2 ml added)                            (Not added)______________________________________I         2           0          5II        3           1          5III       2           0          4IV        1           0          4V         2           0          4VI        2           1          4______________________________________ 
    
     Experiment 2 
     [Test solution] 
     Solution A; 2 w/w % aqueous solution of the active ingredient prepared in Example 1. 
     Solution B; 5 w/w % propylene glycol solution of the dry-distillates obtained from theaceae leaves referred to previously. 
     (a) Ammonia 
     Into each closed 500 ml vessed which contained a fixed concentration of 28% ammonia, 1 ml each of Solution A and Solution B was added separately at room temperature. 10 minutes after the addition, the free ammonia gas was taken out from the vessel. A removing percentage was calculated on the basis of the determined value of each remaining concentration of the ammonia. 
     [Result] 
     
                       TABLE 2______________________________________Test   Concentr. at   Concentr. after                             RemovingSolu.  Beginning (ppm)                 10 min. (ppm)                             Rate (%)______________________________________A      11,000         3330        69.8B      11,000         5560        48.7______________________________________ 
    
     (b) Trimethylamine 
     In the same manner as with above experiment (a), but substituting ammonia for trimethylamine, the following result was observed, wherein the determination of trimethylamine was carried out by gas chromatography. 
     
                       TABLE 3______________________________________Test   Concentr. at   Concentr. after                             RemovingSolu.  Beginning (ppm)                 10 min. (ppm)                             Rate (%)______________________________________A      6800            81         98.8B      6800           970         85.8______________________________________ 
    
     (c) Acetic acid 
     The volume of each test solution, diluted ten times, required to completely react with a fixed quantity of acetic acid was determined separately by a titration method. 
     It required 4 ml with Test solution A and 17 with Test solution B. Consequently, the ability of Test solution B for complete reaction with acetic acid was equivalent to 4/17×100=23.5% of that of Test solution A. 
     (d) Hydrogen sulfide 
     In the same manner as with experiment (a) but substituting ammonia for hydrogen sulfide, the following result was observed, wherein the concentration of hydrogen sulfide was determined using an inspection tube for hydrogen sulfide. 
     [Result] 
     
                       TABLE 4______________________________________Test   Concentr. at   Concentr. after                             RemovingSolu.  Beginning (ppm)                 10 min. (ppm)                             Rate (%)______________________________________A      10             5           50B      10             5           50______________________________________ 
    
     The constituents of the active ingredient of this invention have not been definitely clarified. However, they are presumed to consist of flavanols, flavonols and other organic higher molecules. Their deodorant effectiveness may be due to a complex mechanism consisting of clathrating, addition and neutralization reactions of the active ingredient with malodorous sources in addition to biological reactions in human beings, such as inhibition of olfactory receptors. 
     The active ingredient of this invention can be formulated for deodorant uses in various forms with the aid of excipients, adjuvants and additives known in the art, depending on location and purpose of application, some of which are illustrated as follows: 
     Fumigation preparations: 
     
         ______________________________________The active ingredient                0.5    parts(w)Powdered charcoal    60     parts(w)Carboxymethylcellulose                1.0    part (w)Powdered perfume     9.0    parts(w)______________________________________ 
    
     The above components are kneaded with hot water and molded into sticks and dried. 
     Aerosol preparations: 
     
         ______________________________________The active ingredient                0.2    parts(w)Dimethylether        110    parts(w)Refined water        108    parts(w)Perfume              optional______________________________________ 
    
     The above components are filled into aerosol cans by a conventional method. 
     Granule preparations: 
     
         ______________________________________The active ingredient                1      part(w)Lactose              75     parts(w)Dextrin              24     parts(w)______________________________________ 
    
     The above ingredient are kneaded with water, then molded by a conventional method. 
     Moreover, the active ingredient of this invention can be formulated for practical uses by being absorbed into porous unglazed plates or by soaking into papers, fibres and synthetic resins. 
     The thus produced variety of preparations is useful for deodorization in various enviromental places and conditions and can be used in, for example, refrigerators, shoes, medicines and cosmetics including an underarm deodorant and an anti-halitosis agent. It is especially useful in dealing with faeces and urine in hospitals and aged people&#39;s homes. 
     An effective dose of the active ingredient of this invention depends, of course, upon the amount and kind of malodorous sources. However, it is tentatively recommended to employ 0.01 to 1% by weight of the ingredient to a given weight of malodorous substances.