Patent ID: 7384625

Claim:
A method for the ex vivo treatment of hair or nail to improve the biomechanical and functional properties comprising externally contacting to hair or nail with an effective amount of composition comprising a compound selected from the group consisting of compounds of the formula (I): wherein R 1 and R 2 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydroxy(lower alkyl), lower acyloxy(lower alkyl), lower alkyl, lower alkenyl, or R 1 and R 2 together with their ring carbons may be an aromatic fused ring, optionally substituted by one or more amino, halo or alkylenedioxy groups; Z is hydrogen or an amino group; Y is amino, or a group of the formula —CH 2 C(═O)—R wherein R is a lower alkyl, alkoxy, hydroxy, amino or aryl group; said aryl group optionally substituted by one or more lower alkyl, lower alkoxy, halo, dialkylamino, hydroxy, nitro or alkylenedioxy groups, or a group of the formula —CH 2 R′ wherein R′ is hydrogen, or a lower alkyl, lower alkynyl, or aryl group, or a group of the formula —CH 2 C(═O)—N(R″)R′″ wherein (a) R″ is hydrogen and R′″ is a lower alkyl group optionally substituted by a C 6 -C 10 aryl group, or a C 6 -C 10 aryl group, said aryl groups optionally substituted by one or more lower alkyl, halo, or (lower alkoxy)carbonyl groups; or (b) R″ and R′″ are both lower alkyl groups; and X is a halide, tosylate, methanesulfonate, mesitylenesulfonate, or other pharmacologically acceptable anion and mixtures thereof, and a carrier therefore.