Patent Application: US-19060605-A

Abstract:
methods for the prevention and treatment of skin aging arising from depletion of components of the mitochondrial membranes or the respiratory system using extracts rich in mitochondrial components in a dermatologically acceptable carrier that can be topically applied to the skin areas , including lips . in some embodiments , proteins such as epidermal growth factor and thioredoxin , or antioxidants such as reduced glutathione and astaxanthin , or lipids such as cardiolipin , are used .

Description:
the composition and function of plant and yeast mitochondria are not that different from those of mammals . although the role of skin is to provide a permeability barrier between the body and the outside environment , the skin is not a perfect barrier and the barrier integrity decreases with age ( fore - pfliger j ., 2004a , b ). components of the plant or yeast mitochondrial extracts applied topically to mammalian skin will be absorbed and help replenish depleted or damaged mitochondrial components of aging skin cells . several methods to isolate intact mitochondria from yeast or plants have been described in previous art . the usual methods involve the isolation of intact mitochondria from crude extracts or from isolated protoplasts . it is important to obtain intact mitochondria because the final extract will then contain both soluble and membrane - associated components , while broken mitochondria would be mostly devoid of the original soluble components . 1 ) preparation of mitochondria from crude extracts . using a suitable plant material , e . g . mung beans hypocotyls or cauliflower florets , the tissue is disrupted in a suitable isotonic media . mitochondria are separated from the other cell components by differential centrifugation ( bowman et al . 1976 ). 2 ) preparation of mitochondria from protoplasts . to preserve the integrity of the mitochondria , ( thus avoiding loss of mitochondrial contents ) cell walls are digested using cellulase , hemicellulase and / or pectinase . the purified protoplasts are then broken using minimal force , and intact mitochondria are then separated by differential centrifugation as described above ( nishimura et . al . 1982 ). once separated , intact mitochondria obtained by any method are broken before adding to the carrier that will facilitate topical application of the extract . mitochondria can be broken by repeated freezing and thawing or by exposing them to a suitable hypotonic medium . while the carrier for the mitochondria extract can be very simple ( such as saline solution ), it is generally preferred that the carrier be a composition that will facilitate topical application , and particularly one which will favor absorption of its components and form a film or layer on the skin to which it is applied so as to localize the active ingredient . many such compositions are known in the art , and can take the form of lotions , creams , gels , etc . typical compositions include lotions containing water and / or alcohols and emollients such as natural oils and waxes , silicone oils , hyaluronic acid , glyceride derivatives , fatty acids or fatty acid esters or alcohols or alcohol ethers , lanolin and derivatives , polyhydric alcohols or esters , wax esters , sterols , phospholipids and the like , and generally also emulsifiers ( nonionic , cationic or anionic ), although some of the emollients inherently possess emulsifying properties . these same general ingredients can be formulated into a cream rather than a lotion , or into gels , or into solid sticks by utilization of different proportions of the ingredients and / or by inclusion of thickening agents such as gums or other forms of hydrophilic colloids . such compositions are referred to herein as dermatologically - acceptable carriers . many preferred embodiments of this invention contain at least one or two , and sometimes several , other active ingredients in addition to mitochondria extract , provided that the ingredients are not acids present in concentrations high enough to denature and the mitochondria extract components sensitive to low ph . some embodiments may include materials to maintain components of the mitochondrial electron transport chain in its reduced state . antioxidants such as tocotrienol , lycopene , astaxanthin , ascorbic acid , and / or vitamin e may also be added to the mitochondria extract composition , alone or in combination with reduced glutathione in some embodiments . in terms of a possible explanation for the effectiveness of the active ingredients in the prevention or treatment of damage to the skin , it is noted that some or all components of the plant mitochondrial extract will replenish skin mitochondrial components depleted or damaged . just like in the living cell , where a number of components work in a concerted fashion , some embodiments of this invention also use the synergistic effect of antioxidants or other mitochondrial components such as reduced glutathione , tocotrienols , vitamin e , ascorbic acid , superoxide dismutase , catalase , astaxanthin , lycopene , epidermal growth factor , cardiolipin , superoxide dismutase . the method of the present invention is particularly useful for the prevention and treatment of sunburn and other skin damage resulting from exposure to ultraviolet radiation , which accelerates skin aging . mitochondria extract , alone or with other active ingredients can thus be added to dermatological creams and emollients as well as to commercial sunscreens to enhance their sun protection activity , or to creams used to treat sunburn or burns produced by therapeutical radiation used to treat cancer . having described the invention with reference to particular compositions , theories of effectiveness , it will be apparent to those of skill in the art that it is not intended that the invention be limited by such illustrative embodiments or mechanisms , and that modifications can be made without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention , as defined by the appended claims . it is intended that all modifications and variations be included within the scope of the invention . the claims are meant to cover the claimed components and steps in any sequence which is effective to meet the objectives there intended , unless the context specifically indicates the contrary . bowman , e . j . et al . citric acid cycle activity in mitochondria isolated from mung bean hypocotyls . plant physiol . 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