JP7791856B2 - Hair improving agent containing Mekabu extract, method for producing the same, and hair improving composition - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a hair improvement agent containing Mekabu extract, a method for producing the same, and a hair improvement composition.

Since ancient times, black hair that flows beautifully when combed has been considered a sign of beauty. In recent years, with growing fashion consciousness, methods for changing the appearance of hair, such as hair coloring, perms, hair irons, and hot curlers, have become popular. While these methods make hair look more attractive, the pH changes caused by the acids and alkalis associated with hair coloring and perms, as well as the high temperatures involved in using hair irons and hot curlers, can denature the protein in the hair and cause damage. Hair does not have the ability to repair itself, so the accumulation of daily damage can lead to problems such as dryness, split ends, loss of shine, and difficulty combing.

Traditionally, silicones and other additives have been used to compensate for this damage, but unless a significant amount is added, the effect is insufficient. Furthermore, some silicones are considered to be environmentally hazardous, and cyclic silicone compounds are subject to restrictions in the EU under the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) due to concerns about their impact on the aquatic ecosystem, resulting in restrictions on their use.

It has been reported that in order to improve the amount of silicone, a conditioning ingredient in hair cleansing compositions, that is adsorbed onto the hair, the hair cleansing composition contains at least one water-soluble polymer selected from the group consisting of carrageenan, alginic acid, alginate salts, and fucoidan (see, for example, Patent Document 1). However, when these seaweed ingredients, such as fucoidan, are used on hair as is, their effect on beautifying hair is extremely limited.

In order to effectively utilize Mekabu, a type of seaweed, it has been reported that a hair growth agent can be obtained by adding alcohol to Mekabu's water-soluble extract components to make a 50-60% alcohol solution, or by soaking Mekabu's dried powder in a 50-60% alcohol solution and removing the resulting sediment (see, for example, Patent Document 2). According to Patent Document 2, this hair growth effect is only observed in low-molecular-weight substances derived from Mekabu, and that glycoproteins with higher molecular weights such as fucoidan and alginic acid do not have this effect. It also goes on to state that the viscous components of Mekabu extract make hair feel rough when applied to hair and have a strong seaweed odor, making it unsuitable for use as is.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-298916 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-81777

The present invention aims to solve the problems associated with the prior art as described above, and to provide a hair improvement agent and hair improvement cosmetic that use primarily seaweed-derived ingredients alone to give hair excellent moisture content, combability, and shine.

As a result of extensive research into resolving the above-mentioned issues, the inventors discovered that the above-mentioned issues can be resolved by extracting Mekabu with hot water containing monovalent cations.

That is, the present invention includes the following embodiments.
(1) A hair improvement agent containing a wakame seaweed extract as an active ingredient.
(2) The hair improvement agent according to (1), wherein the wakame extract contains a sulfated polysaccharide salt salified with a monovalent cation.
(3) The hair improvement agent according to (1), wherein the wakame extract is dissolved in a mixed solution of water and an organic solvent.
(4) A hair improvement composition comprising the hair improvement agent according to any one of (1) to (3) in an amount of 0.000015% by mass to 0.15% by mass, calculated as the solid content of the Mekabu extract.
(5) A method for producing a hair improvement agent, comprising the steps of extracting Mekabu with hot water containing monovalent cations to obtain an extract, and adding an organic solvent to the extract to obtain a precipitate.
(6) The method for producing a hair improvement agent according to (5), further comprising the step of drying the precipitate and dissolving it in a mixed solution of water and an organic solvent.
(7) A method for producing a hair improvement composition, comprising a step of mixing the hair improvement agent produced by the method according to (5) or (6) with a pharmacologically or cosmetically acceptable carrier.

The hair improvement agent of the present invention can provide excellent hair moisture, combability, and shine, even when used in extremely small amounts.

FIG. 1 shows an outline of the method for analyzing hair gloss evaluated in Example 1. FIG. 2 shows the results of measuring the moisture content per hair before and after application of the test product evaluated in Example 1. FIG. 3 shows the results of measuring the hair friction force (N) before and after application of the test product evaluated in Example 1. FIG. 4 shows the measurement results of the half-width (au) of the hair brightness peak evaluated in Example 1.

The hair improvement agent in one embodiment of the present invention contains Mekabu extract as an active ingredient. Below, this hair improvement agent, its manufacturing method, and a hair improvement composition containing it are described in detail, but not all of the elements and combinations described in each embodiment are necessarily essential to the solution of the present invention.

(Hair improvement agent)
The hair improvement agent of this embodiment contains an active ingredient comprised of an extract of the wakame (Undaria pinnatifida) brown algae of the family Alariaceae in the order Laminariales, or the wakame portion of its analogs (the folded, pleated leaf-like portion at the base of the leaf). This wakame is a spore-producing organ that grows on both sides of the wakame stem at maturity and is responsible for the reproduction of wakame, so it is packed with nutrients, but because it is mucilaginous and has a thick, folded shape, it has few uses as a food or other food, and there is a demand for its effective use.

In a preferred embodiment, the active ingredient comprises a sulfated polysaccharide salt salified with a monovalent cation. Mekabu extract contains sulfated polysaccharides such as fucoidan. Fucoidan is a sulfated polysaccharide composed primarily of L-fucose linked via α1-2 and α1-6 bonds. While fucoidan is a polysaccharide found in large amounts in brown algae, the mekabu extract of the present invention may also contain other polysaccharides such as alginic acid. This active ingredient is preferably soluble in a mixed solution of water and an organic solvent. Polysaccharides extracted from algae are generally known to have extremely high viscosity and are poorly soluble in organic solvents with low polarity. However, because the active ingredient of this embodiment comprises a sulfated polysaccharide salt salified with a monovalent cation, it is believed that the viscosity is reduced and the active ingredient is soluble in a mixed solution of water and an organic solvent, despite being a polymer. As described in detail below, the mixed solution is, for example, a mixed solution of water and an alcohol, particularly a mixed solution containing water and a polyhydric alcohol, typically an aqueous solution containing approximately 30% 1,3-butylene glycol. The hair improvement agent according to this embodiment contains the mekabu extract described above, and its content can be adjusted to a desired concentration of 0.01% to 99% by mass, calculated as the solid content of the mekabu extract. As described in detail below, even when incorporated in very low concentrations or very small amounts, it can exhibit very good hair improvement effects. The hair improvement agent may be used as a hair cosmetic product as is, but is preferably used as an additive for producing a hair improvement composition that improves hair moisture, combability, and shine.

Examples of monovalent cations include Na ⁺ , K ⁺ , and NH ₄ ⁺ , with Na ⁺ and K ⁺ being preferred, and Na ⁺ being particularly preferred. That is, unless the polysaccharides having sulfate groups as described above are in the form of a salt, they undergo autohydrolysis and do not exhibit their intended functions. Furthermore, if the counterion for forming the salt is a divalent cation such as Ca ²⁺ , even sulfated polysaccharide salts do not exhibit hair-improving functions such as improving hair moisture, combability, and hair gloss. It has been revealed that such hair-improving functions are only exhibited when the salt is a monovalent cation salt. Therefore, it is preferable that the sulfated polysaccharide salt according to the present invention is substantially free of divalent cations such as calcium. Here, "substantially free" means, for example, that the amount present is 5% or less, 1% or less, 0.1% or less, 0.01% or less, or 0.001% or less, on a molar basis, and more preferably an amount as close to zero as possible.

(Hair improving composition)
The hair improvement composition according to this embodiment contains the hair improvement agent described above, but when it is made into a composition such as a shampoo, rinse, conditioner, hair mist or hair spray that contains the hair improvement agent as an active ingredient, it may contain other ingredients that are normally used in the preparation of cosmetics, quasi-drugs, topical medicines and the like, to the extent that the effects of the present invention are not impaired. These pharmacologically or cosmetically acceptable other ingredients may include water, oils, surfactants, metallic soaps, gelling agents, alcohols, water-soluble polymers, resins, ultraviolet absorbers, ultraviolet protection agents, antibacterial agents, fragrances, colorants, deodorants, salts, pH adjusters, freshening agents, animal- or microbial-derived extracts, plant extracts, blood circulation promoters, astringents, cell activators, moisturizers, enzymes, hormones, vitamins, and other ingredients listed in Encyclopedia of Conditioning Rinse Ingredients (MICELLE PRESS, 1987), Encyclopedia of Shampoo Ingredients (MICELLE PRESS, 1985), Latest Cosmetic Science (Yakuji Nipposha, 1988), etc. The relevant parts of these documents are incorporated herein by reference.

The content of the hair improvement agent in the hair improvement composition according to this embodiment is not particularly limited, but for example, in a composition in the form of an aqueous solution, even a very small amount of mekabu extract, calculated as solid content, of 0.000015% by mass or more, preferably 0.00015% by mass or more, relative to the total composition, can provide excellent hair improvement effects. There is also no particular upper limit to the amount, but from an economical standpoint, it is desirable that it be, for example, 0.15% by mass or less, preferably 0.015% by mass, and even more preferably 0.0015% by mass or less. A particularly preferred range is 0.00015% by mass to 0.015% by mass.

In particular, the hair improvement composition of the present invention is preferably prepared as an aqueous composition for application to hair. Furthermore, when preparing an aqueous composition, it is desirable to stably maintain the sulfated polysaccharide salt of the specific structure described above as a molecular unit and to incorporate a polyhydric alcohol for preservative purposes.

Water is not particularly limited, but examples include purified water, deionized water, hot spring water, and deep sea water.

There are no particular restrictions on polyhydric alcohols, so long as they are typically used in topical preparations (e.g., cosmetics, quasi-drugs, or topical pharmaceuticals). Among polyhydric alcohols, dihydric or trihydric alcohols are preferred. Specifically, glycol or glycerin is preferred. More specifically, preferred examples include 1,3-butylene glycol, propylene glycol, pentylene glycol (1,2-pentanediol), glycerin, dipropylene glycol, 1,3-propanediol, and isoprene glycol (isopentyldiol). Of these, 1,3-butylene glycol, propylene glycol, pentylene glycol, or isoprene glycol is preferred, with 1,3-butylene glycol being particularly preferred. Naturally-derived 1,3-butylene glycol prepared from plant materials such as sugarcane is even more desirable. Polyhydric alcohols can be used alone or in combination of two or more types.

The lower limit of the polyhydric alcohol content is not particularly limited, and may be 1 mass%, 10 mass%, or 30 mass% relative to the total mass of the hair improvement composition. The upper limit of the polyhydric alcohol content is not particularly limited, and may be 99 mass%, 95 mass%, 90 mass%, or 85 mass% relative to the total mass of the hair improvement composition. As described above, in order to stably maintain the sulfated polysaccharide salt of a specific structure as a molecular unit and for preservative purposes, the content is preferably 8 mass% or more, and is preferably within the range of 10 to 50 mass%, particularly 20 to 40 mass%, or 25 to 35 mass%.

Other materials that can be blended into the hair improvement composition according to this embodiment are not particularly limited, but examples include oils commonly used in cosmetics, such as natural oils, synthetic oils, and any oils, whether solid, semi-solid, or liquid, including hydrocarbons, waxes, fatty acids, higher alcohols, ester oils, silicone oils, and fluorinated oils. Examples include hydrocarbons such as squalane, squalene, ceresin, paraffin, paraffin wax, liquid paraffin, pristane, polyisobutylene, microcrystalline wax, and petrolatum; waxes such as beeswax, carnauba wax, candelilla wax, and spermaceti; animal oils such as beef tallow, beef foot fat, beef bone fat, hardened beef tallow, hardened oil, turtle oil, lard, horse fat, mink oil, liver oil, and egg yolk oil; lanolin, liquid lanolin, reduced lanolin, lanolin alcohol, hard lanolin, and acetate lanolin. Examples of suitable lanolin derivatives include lanolin, lanolin fatty acid isopropyl, POE lanolin alcohol ether, POE lanolin alcohol acetate, lanolin fatty acid polyethylene glycol, and POE hydrogenated lanolin alcohol ether; and fatty acids such as lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, behenic acid, undecylenic acid, oleic acid, arachidonic acid, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), isostearic acid, and 12-hydroxystearic acid. Further, higher alcohols such as lauryl alcohol, myristyl alcohol, palmityl alcohol, stearyl alcohol, behenyl alcohol, hexadecyl alcohol, oleyl alcohol, isostearyl alcohol, hexyldodecanol, octyldodecanol, cetostearyl alcohol, 2-decyltetradecinol, cholesterol, phytosterol, sitosterol, lanosterol, POE cholesterol ether, and monostearyl glycerin ether (batyl alcohol); diisobutyl adipate, 2-hexyldecyl adipate, di-2-heptylundecyl adipate, N-alkyl glycol monoisostearate, isocetyl isostearate, trimethylolpropane triisostearate, ethylene glycol di-2-ethylhexanoate, cetyl 2-ethylhexanoate, trimethylolpropane tri-2-ethylhexanoate, pentaerythritol tetra-2-ethylhexanoate, cetyl octanoate, octanoic acid, octyl hydroxybenzoate ... Childodecyl gum ester, oleyl oleate, octyldodecyl oleate, decyl oleate, neopentyl glycol dicaprate, triethyl citrate, 2-ethylhexyl succinate, amyl acetate, ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, isocetyl stearate, butyl stearate, diisopropyl sebacate, di-2-ethylhexyl sebacate, cetyl lactate, myristyl lactate, isopropyl palmitate, 2-ethylhexyl palmitate, 2-hexyl palmitate Examples of ester oils include ester oils such as 2-hexyldodecyl palmitate, 2-heptylundecyl palmitate, cholesteryl 12-hydroxystearate, dipentaerythritol fatty acid esters, isopropyl myristate, octyldodecyl myristate, 2-hexyldecyl myristate, myristyl myristate, hexyldecyl dimethyloctanoate, ethyl laurate, hexyl laurate, 2-octyldodecyl N-lauroyl-L-glutamate, and diisostearyl malate. Further examples include glyceride oils such as acetoglyceride, triisooctanoic acid glyceride, triisostearic acid glyceride, triisopalmitic acid glyceride, tri-2-ethylhexanoic acid glyceride, monostearic acid glyceride, di-2-heptylundecanoic acid glyceride, and trimyristate acid glyceride; higher alkoxy-modified silicones such as dimethylpolysiloxane, methylphenylpolysiloxane, methylhydrogenpolysiloxane, octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane, decamethylcyclopentasiloxane, dodecamethylcyclohexasiloxane, tetramethyltetrahydrogencyclotetrasiloxane, and stearoxysilicone; silicone-based oils such as higher fatty acid-modified silicones, silicone resins, silicone rubber, and silicone oil; and fluorine-based oils such as perfluoropolyether, perfluorodecalin, and perfluorooctane.

However, since the sulfated polysaccharide salt with the specific structure described above, which is the hair improvement agent according to this embodiment, provides sufficient hair improvement effects, it is desirable to use a non-silicone composition that does not contain silicone-based oils.

Anionic, cationic, nonionic, and amphoteric surfactants can be used as surfactants. Examples of anionic surfactants include fatty acid soaps such as sodium stearate and triethanolamine palmitate, alkyl ether carboxylic acids and their salts, carboxylates such as condensates of amino acids and fatty acids, alkyl sulfonic acids, alkene sulfonates, sulfonates of fatty acid esters, sulfonates of fatty acid amides, sulfonates of alkyl sulfonates and their formalin condensates, alkyl sulfates, secondary higher alcohol sulfates, alkyl and allyl ether sulfates, sulfates of fatty acid esters, sulfates of fatty acid alkylolamides, sulfates such as turmeric oil, alkyl phosphates, ether phosphates, alkyl allyl ether phosphates, amide phosphates, and N-acyl amino acid surfactants.

Examples of cationic surfactants include alkylamine salts, amine salts of polyamines and amino alcohol fatty acid derivatives, alkyl quaternary ammonium salts, aromatic quaternary ammonium salts, pyridinium salts, and imidazolium salts. Nonionic surfactants include sorbitan fatty acid esters, glycerin fatty acid esters, polyglycerin fatty acid esters, propylene glycol fatty acid esters, polyethylene glycol fatty acid esters, sucrose fatty acid esters, polyoxyethylene alkyl ethers, polyoxypropylene alkyl ethers, polyoxyethylene alkylphenyl ethers, polyoxyethylene fatty acid esters, polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters, polyoxyethylene sorbitol fatty acid esters, polyoxyethylene glycerin fatty acid esters, polyoxyethylene propylene glycol fatty acid esters, polyoxyethylene castor oil, polyoxyethylene hydrogenated castor oil, polyoxyethylene phytostanol ethers, polyoxyethylene phytosterol ethers, polyoxyethylene cholestanol ethers, polyoxyethylene cholesteryl ethers, polyoxyalkylene-modified organopolysiloxanes, polyoxyalkylene-alkyl co-modified organopolysiloxanes, alkanolamides, sugar ethers, and sugar amides. Amphoteric surfactants include betaine, aminocarboxylates, and imidazoline derivatives.

Examples of metal soaps include 12-hydroxyaluminum stearate, zinc stearate, aluminum stearate, calcium stearate, magnesium stearate, zinc myristate, magnesium myristate, zinc cetyl phosphate, calcium cetyl phosphate, sodium zinc cetyl phosphate, zinc laurate, and zinc undecylenate.

Gelling agents include amino acid derivatives such as N-lauroyl-L-glutamic acid and α,γ-di-n-butylamine; dextrin fatty acid esters such as dextrin palmitate, dextrin stearate, and dextrin 2-ethylhexanoate palmitate; sucrose fatty acid esters such as sucrose palmitate and sucrose stearate; benzylidene derivatives of sorbitol such as monobenzylidene sorbitol and dibenzylidene sorbitol; and organically modified clay minerals such as dimethylbenzyldodecylammonium montmorillonite clay and dimethyldioctadecylammonium montmorillonite clay.

UV absorbers include cinnamic acid-based UV absorbers such as 2-ethylhexyl paramethoxycinnamate, isopropyl paramethoxycinnamate, diethanolamine paramethoxyhydrocinnamate, glyceryl di-paramethoxycinnamate-mono-2-ethylhexanoate, octyl methoxycinnamate, and methyl diisopropylcinnamate; 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone, 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone-5-sulfuric acid, sodium 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone-5-sulfate, and 2,4-dihydroxybenzophenone-5-sulfate. Examples include benzophenone-based UV absorbers such as benzophenone, 2,2'-dihydroxy-4,4'-dimethoxybenzophenone, 2,2'-dihydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone, 2,2',4,4'-tetrahydroxybenzophenone, and 2-hydroxy-4-n-octoxybenzophenone; and benzoic acid-based UV absorbers such as para-aminobenzoic acid, ethyl para-aminobenzoate, butyl para-aminobenzoate, 2-ethylhexyl para-dimethylaminobenzoate, glyceryl para-aminobenzoate, and amyl para-aminobenzoate.

Examples of UV protection agents include salicylic acid-based UV absorbers such as 2-ethylhexyl salicylate, triethanolamine salicylate, homomenthyl salicylate, dipropylene glycol salicylate, methyl salicylate, ethylene glycol salicylate, phenyl salicylate, amyl salicylate, benzyl salicylate, isopropyl benzyl salicylate, and potassium salicylate; and dibenzoylmethane-based UV absorbers such as 4-t-butyl-4'-methoxydibenzoylmethane, 4-isopropyldibenzoylmethane, 4-methoxydibenzoylmethane, and 4-t-butyl-4'-hydroxydibenzoylmethane. Ultraviolet absorbers include anthranilic acid-based ultraviolet absorbers such as menthyl-O-aminobenzoate, 2-phenyl-benzimidazole-5-sulfuric acid, 2-phenyl-5-methylbenzoxazole, 3-(4-methylbenzylidene)camphor, 2-ethylhexyl-2-cyano-3,3-diphenylacrylate, 2-ethyl-2-cyano-3,3'-diphenylacrylate, 2-(2'-hydroxy-5-methylphenyl)benzotriazole, and menthyl anthranilate; urocanic acid-based ultraviolet absorbers such as ethyl urocanate; titanium oxide, zirconium oxide, and cerium oxide.

Alcohols include the polyhydric alcohols mentioned above as well as lower alcohols such as ethanol and isopropanol.

Water-soluble polymers include plant-based polymers such as gum arabic, tragacanth, galactan, carob gum, guar gum, karaya gum, carrageenan other than lambda, pectin, agar, algae colloid, fucoidan, tolant gum, locust bean gum, and galactomannan; microbial-based polymers such as xanthan gum, curdlan, gellan gum, fucogel, dextran, succinoglucan, and pullulan; animal-based polymers such as chitosan, casein, albumin, and gelatin; starch-based polymers such as starch, carboxymethyl starch, and methylhydroxypropyl starch; methylcellulose, ethylcellulose, methylhydroxypropylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose, hydroxymethylcellulose, and hydroxymethylcellulose. Examples of suitable polymers include cellulose-based polymers such as hydroxypropyl cellulose, nitrocellulose, sodium cellulose sulfate, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, crystalline cellulose, and cellulose powder; alginate-based polymers such as sodium alginate and propylene glycol alginate; vinyl-based polymers such as polyvinyl methyl ether, carboxyvinyl polymer, and alkyl-modified carboxyvinyl polymer; polyoxyethylene-based polymers; polyoxyethylene-polyoxypropylene copolymer-based polymers; acrylic polymers such as sodium polyacrylate, polyethyl acrylate, and polyacrylamide; and inorganic water-soluble polymers such as polyethyleneimine, cationic polymers, bentonite, laponite, and hectorite. These also include film-forming agents such as polyvinyl alcohol and polyvinylpyrrolidone.

Antibacterial agents include benzoic acid, sodium benzoate, carbolic acid, sorbic acid, potassium sorbate, parahydroxybenzoic acid esters, parachlormetacresol, hexachlorophene, benzalkonium chloride, chlorhexidine chloride, trichlorocarbanilide, photosensitizers, zinc bis(2-pyridylthio-1-oxide), phenoxyethanol, thianthol, isopropylmethylphenol, etc. pH adjusters include potassium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, ammonium bicarbonate, etc. Cooling agents include L-menthol, camphor, etc.

Examples of cell activators include deoxyribonucleic acid and its salts, adenylic acid derivatives such as adenosine triphosphate and adenosine monophosphate and their salts, ribonucleic acid and its salts, nucleic acid-related substances such as cyclic AMP, cyclic GMP, flavin adenine nucleotide, guanine, adenine, cytosine, thymine, xanthine and their derivatives such as caffeine, theophylline and their salts, calf blood extract, deproteinized serum extract, spleen extract, chicken egg components, cockscomb extract, shell extract, shellfish meat extract, royal jelly, silk protein and its hydrolyzates or derivatives thereof, hemoglobin or its hydrolyzates, lactoferrin or its hydrolyzates, mollusk extracts such as squid ink, fish meat extract, etc., extracts derived from animals such as mammals, birds, shellfish, insects, fish, mollusks, and crustaceans, and extracts derived from microorganisms selected from fermentation metabolites such as yeast extract, lactic acid bacteria extract, and bifidobacterium extract. Furthermore, vitamin A such as retinol and its derivatives (retinol palmitate, retinol acetate, etc.), retinal and its derivatives, dehydroretinal, carotenoids such as carotene, thiamines (thiamine hydrochloride, thiamine sulfate), riboflavins (riboflavin, riboflavin acetate, etc.), pyridoxines (pyridoxine hydrochloride, pyridoxine dioctanoate, etc.), flavin adenine nucleotide, cyanocobalamin, folic acids, nicotinic acids (nicotinamide, benzyl nicotinate, etc.), vitamin B such as choline, apricot extract, ginkgo extract, Panax ginseng extract, Examples of plant-derived extracts include barley extract, orange extract, cucumber extract, kiwi extract, shiitake mushroom extract, horsetail extract, Swertia japonica extract, Chinese cabbage extract, chili pepper extract, garlic extract, carrot extract, Poria cocos extract, peach extract, lettuce extract, lemon extract, Ganoderma lucidum extract, rosemary extract, hinokitiol, and cepharanthine; α- and γ-linolenic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid and derivatives thereof; estradiol and derivatives thereof and salts thereof; organic acids such as glycolic acid, succinic acid, lactic acid, and salicylic acid and derivatives thereof and salts thereof; and the like. One or more of the above-listed cell activators can be selected and blended as appropriate.

Moisturizing agents include alkaline simple hot spring water, deep sea water, mucopolysaccharides such as hyaluronic acid, chondroitin sulfate, dermatan sulfate, heparan sulfate, heparin, and keratan sulfate, or their salts, proteins such as collagen, elastin, and keratin, or their derivatives and salts, soybean- and egg-derived phospholipids, glycolipids, ceramide, mucin, honey, erythritol, maltose, maltitol, xylitol, xylose, pentaerythritol, fructose, dextrin and its derivatives, mannitol, sorbitol, and boar fat. Examples of suitable amino acids include sugars such as thal, trehalose, and glucose, urea, asparagine, aspartic acid, alanine, arginine, isoleucine, ornithine, glutamine, glycine, glutamic acid, and derivatives thereof and salts thereof, cysteine, cystine, citrulline, threonine, serine, tyrosine, tryptophan, theanine, valine, histidine, hydroxylysine, hydroxyproline, pyrrolidonecarboxylic acid, and salts thereof, and amino acids such as proline, phenylalanine, methionine, and lysine, and derivatives thereof or salts thereof. Furthermore, D-panthenol, avocado extract, almond oil, carob extract, rice extract, strawberry extract, fennel extract, marshal extract, coptis extract, olive oil, white nettle extract, cocoa butter, oat extract, ivy extract, kumazasa extract, gardenia extract, grapefruit extract, geranium extract, gentian extract, burdock extract, small button vine extract, sesame extract, cactus extract, soapwort extract, ginger extract, rehmannia root extract, shea butter, meadowsweet extract, cnidium extract, mallow extract, thyme extract, camellia extract, corn extract, tocca extract, tocca extract, turmeric ... Examples include menchira extract, houttuynia cordata extract, cinnamon extract, lupin extract, hamamelis extract, mint extract, green mint extract, peppermint extract, parsley extract, rose extract, sunflower extract, cypress extract, loofah extract, prune extract, butcher's broom extract, borage oil, peony extract, jojoba oil, linden extract, hop extract, pine extract, horse chestnut extract, macadamia nut oil, quince extract, purple extract, meadowholm oil, melissa extract, cornflower extract, lily extract, yuzu extract, lime extract, lavender extract, gentian extract, burnet extract, and apple extract. One or more of the above-listed moisturizers can be selected and blended as appropriate.

Vitamins include vitamin Ks such as phytonadione, menaquinone, menadione, and menadiol; vitamin Ps such as eriocitrin and hesperidin; biotin, carnitine, and ferulic acid. Circulation promoters include nonylic acid valenylamide, capsaicin, zingerone, cantharides tincture, ichthammol, α-borneol, inositol hexanicotinate, cyclandelate, cinnarizine, tolazoline, acetylcholine, verapamil, and γ-oryzanol. Skin astringents include tannic acid, antiseborrheic agents include thianthrol, and enzymes include lipase and papain. One or more of these ingredients can be added as appropriate. The amount of these ingredients added is not particularly limited, but typically ranges from 0.0001 to 80% by weight (based on the total amount).

The hair improvement composition of the present invention can be produced according to conventional methods and can be used, for example, as shampoo, hair rinse, hair conditioner, hair treatment, hair cream, styling lotion, styling mousse, conditioning mousse, hair spray, hair mist, hair foam, hair gel, hair blow dryer, etc.

The hair improvement agent or hair improvement composition of the present invention is effective not only for humans, but also for mammals including livestock such as cows, horses, pigs, and goats, as well as pets such as dogs and cats.

(Manufacturing method)
The method for producing a hair improvement agent according to the present invention comprises an extraction step of extracting Mekabu with hot water containing monovalent cations to obtain an extract, a step of adding an organic solvent to the obtained extract to obtain a precipitate, and more preferably a step of drying this precipitate and dissolving it in a mixed solution of water and an organic solvent. In the extraction step, Mekabu is powdered, and water is added to dissolve the powder in the solution, to which a salt that becomes a monovalent ion, such as sodium chloride, may be added and heated. After heating, the solution is separated by precipitation with an organic solvent, allowing the sulfated polysaccharide salt salified with the monovalent cation to be extracted.

The raw material, "mekabu," is the mekabu portion of the brown algae Undaria pinnatifida, which belongs to the family Alariaceae in the order Laminariales, or its related species.

Wakame grows from autumn to winter, and when it matures, it produces sporophytes with densely packed zoosporangia. The parts at the base of wakame leaves where these spores are produced are called fruiting leaves. These sporophytes and/or fruiting leaves are known as "mekabu." Incidentally, after meiosis in zoosporangia, zoospores are formed. Zoospores are asexual spores, but because they have the ability to swim, they can move to an environment suitable for growth and settle on the bottom. They then divide into several dozen cells to form gametophytes. The gametophytes begin to elongate again over the summer, and when the water temperature reaches around 20°C, both male and female gametophytes begin to mature, forming antheridia and oophora, respectively. Sperm and eggs released from these fertilize and grow, becoming the wakame (sporophyte) we commonly see.

In the manufacturing method of the present invention, the "mekabu" used as a raw material is not limited to the sporophyll and/or fruiting leaves of wakame (Undaria pinnatifida) or its analogs in the strict sense, but may also include, for example, parts of the sporophyte (wakame) that was included when the wakame was harvested, as well as other parts such as zoospores and gametophytes.

Salts that become monovalent ions in hot water are not particularly limited, but examples include sodium chloride, potassium chloride, sodium sulfate, and potassium sulfate. The amount of these salts added to the hot water is not particularly limited, but is typically 0.0001 to 10 mol/L, or even 0.001 to 5 mol/L, 0.01 to 2 mol/L, and preferably 0.1 to 1 mol/L.

The temperature of the hot water used in the extraction process is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, 40°C or higher, and may further include, for example, 50°C or higher, 60°C or higher, 70°C or higher, 80°C or higher, 90°C or higher, 100°C or higher, or 120°C or higher. Specifically, the extraction is carried out using water as the solvent at atmospheric pressure (1013 hPa ± 50 hPa) and a temperature of 100°C or lower, for example, 55 to 65°C.

The time required for this extraction may vary depending on the temperature selected, but may be from 1 hour to 2 months, e.g., 1 hour to 1 month, 1 hour to 15 days, 1 hour to 10 days, 1 hour to 5 days, 1 hour to 3 days, 1 hour to 2 days, 1 hour to 1 day, 5 hours to 1 month, 5 hours to 15 days, 5 hours to 10 days, 5 hours to 5 days, 5 hours to 3 days, 5 hours to 2 days, 5 hours to 1 day, 10 hours to 1 month, 10 hours to 15 days, 10 hours to 10 days, 10 hours to 5 days, 10 hours to 3 days, or 10 hours to 2 days.

The extraction process may involve mixing the raw material, Mekabu, with water containing monovalent cations as a solvent and leaving it for a certain period of time. The leaving may include appropriate stirring.

The extraction is repeated one or more times, for example, 1 to 5 times. For example, it can be performed one or more times at 40-50°C, 50-60°C, 60-70°C, 70-80°C, or 50-70°C. Furthermore, when extraction is performed multiple times, the temperature may be different or the same for each time. For example, it is possible to gradually increase the temperature with each time. Preferably, the temperature is 50-60°C or higher, and even more preferably 55°C or higher.

In the hot water extraction process, techniques such as pressurized liquid extraction (PLE), microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), subcritical extraction (SE), or a combination of these can be used in combination, if necessary. The subcritical extraction is subcritical water extraction (SWE). Subcritical water extraction is also called superheated water extraction or pressurized hot water extraction (PHWE).

After the extraction process, a further step of separating the wakame raw material residue and the extract by known methods such as filtration may be included.

In the process of adding an organic solvent to the resulting extract to obtain a precipitate, the organic solvent used (hereinafter also referred to as the "first organic solvent") is not particularly limited as long as it is capable of reducing the solubility of the active extract components in the extract in the solvent and causing them to precipitate. For example, lower C2-C5 alcohols such as ethanol and isopropanol (ethanol, n-propanol, 2-propanol, isopropanol, t-butyl alcohol) can be used. The organic solvent is added to the water in the extract to a concentration sufficient to cause precipitation of the components. The amount added can be adjusted appropriately to the extent that precipitation occurs, depending on the type of organic solvent used.

After obtaining the precipitate, the process may further include a step of separating the solvent and the precipitate by known methods such as filtration. Furthermore, the process may further include a subsequent step of purifying the precipitate by known methods such as washing and reprecipitation.

For the drying process, any known method such as heating or vacuum drying can be used without any particular limitations.

The organic solvent (hereinafter also referred to as the "second organic solvent") used in the step of dissolving the precipitate in a mixed solution of water and an organic solvent is not particularly limited as long as it can be incorporated into the hair improvement agent that is finally prepared, and may be the same as or different from the first organic solvent described above. Specific examples include the same organic solvents as those described in relation to the hair quality improvement agent or hair quality improvement composition described above.

The hair improvement agent produced by the method of the present invention can be further mixed with a pharmacologically or cosmetically acceptable carrier to produce a hair improvement composition. The hair improvement composition and pharmacologically or cosmetically acceptable carrier are as described above.

The present invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples in any way. In the following examples, the unit % used to indicate the amount of each component added means % by mass.

To evaluate the effect of the hair improvement agent of the present invention on hair, damaged hair prepared using the following method was evaluated for moisture content, combability, and shine using the following methods.

[Example 1]
(Sample Preparation)
5 kg of raw wakame was added to 5 kg of distilled water and 150 g of purified salt (NaCl) and heated to 70-80°C. After stirring and extraction for 3 hours, the wakame residue in the extract was filtered through a mesh strainer or nylon sheet, followed by filtration through a 10 μm cartridge filter (manufactured by ADVANTEC), a 1 μm cartridge filter (manufactured by ADVANTEC), and a 1 μm pleated cartridge filter (manufactured by AS ONE). The filtrate was slowly added to 17.9 kg of ethanol (99.5%), and the precipitated fibrous gray solid was recovered. After recovery, the solid was washed with 1.8 kg of ethanol (99.5%) and recovered, and then washed again with 1.8 kg of ethanol (99.5%). The gray-white solid was recovered using 5B filter paper (manufactured by ADVANTEC). This solid was dried for 12 hours or more in a hot air dryer set at 40°C to obtain 40.1 g of Mekabu powder. 39 g of this Mekabu powder was dissolved in a mixed liquid of 9.061 kg of purified water and 3.9 kg of 1,3-butanediol (30 mass % 1,3-butanediol) to prepare a sample containing 0.3 mass % Mekabu extract.

(Creating damaged hair)
500 mL of an aqueous solution containing 3% hydrogen peroxide and 3% ammonia (bleach) was placed in a 1 L beaker, and the same human hair (BS-B3N, Beaulux) was immersed in it. The beaker was placed in a water bath set to 40°C and left to stand for 20 minutes. The hair bundle was rinsed with running water at 30°C for 2 minutes, towel-dried, and then treated with a hair dryer for 7 minutes. The above procedure was repeated three times to create damaged hair.

(Hair moisture content)
The damaged hair prepared as described above was left to stand in a constant temperature and humidity chamber maintained at a room temperature of 21±0.3°C and a humidity of 45.0±2.0% for 24 hours or more. The weight (mg) of this damaged hair was measured and used as the hair weight (mg) before the test.

The sample prepared above was diluted with purified water to a concentration of 0.5% to prepare a test product containing 0.0015% by mass of Mekabu extract. 500 μL of this test product was applied to damaged hair, massaged in for 1 minute, and rinsed with 30°C tap water for 1 minute. The damaged hair was then immersed in 30°C tap water for 1 minute and left to stand in a constant temperature and humidity chamber maintained at a room temperature of 21±0.3°C and a humidity of 45.0±2.0% for 18 hours. The weight (mg) of the damaged hair was measured and used as the post-test hair weight (mg). After cutting and removing 2 cm of the damaged hair from the tip, the remaining hair bundle was cut into strips approximately 5 mm wide from the tip and weighed approximately 0.1 g. The hair bundle was treated at 105°C for 3 minutes using an infrared moisture meter (MOC-120H, Shimadzu Corporation), and the dry weight (mg) of the hair bundle was calculated from the dry residue (%) of the hair. The change in hair moisture content (mg) and hair moisture content per hair (μg/mg) before and after treatment with the test product were calculated using the following formula:

Hair moisture content (mg) = [hair weight (mg) before (after) treatment with test product - dry weight of hair bundle (mg)]
Hair moisture content per hair (μg/mg) = [hair moisture content (mg) / dry weight of hair bundle (mg)] × 1000

(Combing hair)
The damaged hair prepared as described above was left to stand for 24 hours or more in a constant temperature and humidity chamber maintained at a room temperature of 21±0.3°C and a humidity of 45.0±2.0%. The damaged hair was immersed in tap water at 30°C for 1 minute and then left to stand for 18 hours in a constant temperature and humidity chamber maintained at a room temperature of 21±0.3°C and a humidity of 45.0±2.0%. A comb was attached to a digital force gauge (ZP-20N, IMADA), and the load (N) applied to the comb when combing the hair bundle was measured as an index of the frictional force generated between the hair and the comb (before the test). Note that a small hair frictional force is considered to indicate ease of combing. 500 μL of the test product was applied to the damaged hair, massaged in for 1 minute, and then rinsed with tap water at 30°C for 1 minute. The damaged hair was then immersed in tap water at 30°C for 1 minute and left to stand in a constant temperature and humidity chamber maintained at a room temperature of 21±0.3°C and a humidity of 45.0±2.0% for 18 hours. The hair friction force (N) of the damaged hair was measured (after the test) using the same device as before the test.

(Hair shine)
The damaged hair prepared as described above was left to stand for 24 hours or more in a constant temperature and humidity chamber maintained at a room temperature of 21±0.3°C and a humidity of 45.0±2.0%. Next, the damaged hair was immersed in tap water at 30°C for 1 minute, and then left to stand for 18 hours in a constant temperature and humidity chamber maintained at a room temperature of 21±0.3°C and a humidity of 45.0±2.0%. Images of the damaged hair were taken (before the test) using a digital single-lens reflex camera (D610, Nikon) and a large-aperture zoom lens (SP24-70mm F2.8 Di VC USD, TAMRON).

500 μL of the test product was applied to damaged hair, massaged in for 1 minute, and then rinsed with 30°C tap water for 1 minute. The damaged hair was then immersed in 30°C tap water for 1 minute and left to stand in a constant temperature and humidity chamber maintained at a room temperature of 21±0.3°C and a humidity of 45.0±2.0% for 18 hours. Images of the damaged hair were then taken (after the test) using the same method as before the test.

The brightness (a.u.) of the photographed hair images was quantified (a.u.) using image analysis software (Image J). An overview is shown in Figure 1. The half-width was calculated from the measurement distance (pixels) indicating the quantified hair brightness (a.u.) (|maximum value - minimum value|/2 + minimum value), and this was used as a hair gloss index (see R. McMULLEN, J. JACOWICZ, Optical properties of hair: Effect of treatments on luster as quantified by image analysis. J. Cosmet. Sci., 54, 335-351 (2003)). The narrower the half-width, the less diffused light there is, indicating that the hair is shinier.

<Results>
(Hair moisture content)
The hair weight and hair moisture content before and after application of the test product are shown in Tables 1 and 2. The hair moisture content per hair before and after application of the test product is shown in Figure 1.

As shown in Table 1, hair weight after application of the test product increased compared to before application of the test product, and based on the results in Table 2, this is thought to be due to an increase in hair moisture content. Figure 2 plots the hair moisture content per hair, and shows that application of the test product significantly increased the moisture content. From this, it can be expected that the hair improvement agent of the present invention will increase hair moisture content and enhance hair's moisturizing power.

(Hair combing)
The hair friction force (N) before and after application of the test product is shown in Table 3 and FIG.

The results shown in Table 3 and Figure 3 show that application of the test product significantly reduces hair friction and improves combing. This demonstrates that the hair improvement agent of the present invention improves combing and is thought to have the effect of making hair smoother.

(Hair gloss)
The half-value width (a.u.) of the hair brightness peak calculated by image analysis of the hair bundle before and after application of the test product is shown in Table 4 and Figure 4. The narrower the half-value width (a.u.) of the hair brightness, the shinier the hair.

As shown in Table 4 and Figure 4, application of the test product significantly reduced the half-width of the luminance of the hair image, indicating that diffuse reflection of light was reduced and hair shine increased. From this, it is believed that the hair improvement agent of the present invention has the effect of suppressing hair frizz and adding visual shine.

Below are examples of formulations for shampoos containing the hair improving agent of the present invention.
(Prescription Example 1)
Polyoxyethylene lauryl ether sodium sulfate 7.0
Lauryl amidopropyl betaine solution 2.5
O-(2-hydroxy-3-(trimethylammonio) chloride
Propyl)hydroxyethyl cellulose 0.3
Phenoxyethanol 0.9
Sodium benzoate 0.45
0.3% by mass Mekabu extract 0.5
Fragrance 0.6
Remaining purified water
Total 100

It has been confirmed that the hair improvement agent of the present invention is effective for conditioning hair and improving hair moisture content, combability, and shine. Therefore, the hair improvement agent of the present invention can be added to compositions such as cosmetics and used to improve hair moisture, shine, and/or combability.

Claims (6)

A hair improvement agent containing a wakame seaweed extract as an active ingredient,
A hair improvement agent to be applied to hair, comprising a sulfated polysaccharide salt in which the Mekabu extract is salified with a monovalent cation . The hair improvement agent according to claim 1, wherein the wakame extract is dissolved in a mixed solution of water and an organic solvent. A hair improvement composition containing the hair improvement agent according to claim 1 or 2 in an amount of 0.000015% by mass to 0.15% by mass, calculated as the solid content of the Mekabu extract. A step of extracting Mekabu with hot water containing monovalent cations to obtain an extract;
and a step of adding an organic solvent to the extract to obtain a precipitate. The method for producing a hair improvement agent according to claim 4 further comprises the steps of drying the precipitate and dissolving it in a mixed solution of water and an organic solvent. A method for producing a hair improvement composition, comprising the step of mixing the hair improvement agent produced by the method according to claim 4 or 5 with a pharmacologically or cosmetically acceptable carrier.