Patent ID: 8486900

Claim:
A method for protecting premature aging of the skin by modulating production and release of proinflammatory epidermal cytokines, said method comprising administering to a human in need thereof a pharmaceutical or cosmetic composition comprising: a standardized extract of Centella asiatica that comprises at least 75 wt % of a mixture of madecassoside, terminoloside and asiaticoside relative to the total weight of the final extract prepared by a process comprising the steps of: a) creating a first extract by exposing the parts of Centella asiatica that are above ground to an alcoholic solvent to obtain an alcoholic solution; b) passing the alcoholic solution obtained in step a), over an anionic resin to obtain an aqueous-alcoholic eluate; c) selectively defatting the aqueous-alcoholic eluate obtained in step b) by liquid/liquid extraction to obtain a defatted aqueous-alcoholic phase; d) concentrating the defatted aqueous-alcoholic phase obtained in step c) using successive filtration to obtain an aqueous phase; e) passing the aqueous phase obtained in step d), over a cationic resin and then over an anionic resin; f) stabilizing the aqueous phase obtained in step e) by adding alcohol to obtain a mixture comprising madecassoside, terminoloside and asiaticoside; and g) standardizing the mixture obtained in step f), by adding an appropriate amount of a second extract of Centella asiatica having more than 95 wt % of a mixture comprising madecassoside and terminoloside relative to the total weight of said second extract, so that the final extract obtained has at least 75 wt % of a mixture of madecassoside, terminoloside and asiaticoside relative to the total weight of the final extract; and a pharmaceutically or cosmetically acceptable carrier.