RESEARCH SUMMARY

PURE SWISS COLLAGEN FLUID FORMULATION

CLAIMS:
A cosmetic method for absorption and penetration of a collagen derivative into the lower layers of the stratum corneum (human skin).  This method involves putting an effective amount of a water-soluble hydrolyzed collagen derivative (with a molecular weight in the range of 1,000 – 10,000) on the skin surface for a sufficient period of time to effect substantial penetration below the surface.


BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION:
The skin consists of a number of overlapping layers of cells.  The outermost layer is the stratum corneum and consists of dead keratinized cells.  This layer protects the skin from physical and atmospheric harm, acting as a barrier to external dangers.  Compared with the lower layers of the epidermis, the stratum corneum is rather dry evident in rough, flaky, or even red skin.  The lower layers, however, are where most aging occurs. 

In the lower layers of the skin, degenerative changes occur with age whereby not only moisture is lacking, but also a major amount of lipoidal or fatty substances.  Studies of the epidermis indicate that the stratum corneum is capable of absorbing and retaining only moisture.  It will not accept lipid or fatty substances.  Such materials used for moisturization of the skin have no direct effect whatsoever in increasing the hydration of the epidermal cells.

As a result of aging, exposure to various climatic conditions and loss of moisture in the epidermal layers of skin, it has been found that loss of elasticity, skin tone and texture may occur through degradation of elastin and collagen in the skin. 

The collagens, a family of closely related proteins, are the main fibrillar components of the connective tissues and the major extracellular proteins of the human body.  Examination of collagen in connective tissues by light microscopy demonstrates that collagen is deposited as large bundles of regularly oriented fibers, which on further examination, can be shown to be composed of fibrils and microfibrils. The microfibrils are aligned in a parallel manner resulting in a pattern of cross-striations or banks which can be visualized by electron microscopy.  The most prominent cross-striations appear as repeating banks spaced approximately 70 nm apart.

The basic collagen molecule has an approximate molecular weight of 290,000 and is composed of three polypeptide chains, each having a molecular weight of about 94,000.  These three polypeptides, so-called a chain, are coiled on each other much like strands of rope, so that the collagen molecule has a triple-helical structure.  This unusual helical conformation gives the molecule a rigid, rod-like shape with approximate dimensions of 1.5times.300 nm.

It has been suggested that “a feature of aging is the progressive insolubilization of collagen to produce a form of protein more resistant to chemical attack, less able to retain moisture and more rigid in structure.  The most obvious manifestation of these changes is the development of dry, wrinkled skin that has lost its inherent elasticity.” 

Studies indicate that the stratum corneum is capable of absorbing and retaining only moisture and that it will not accept lipid or fatty substances. Furthermore, when lipids are removed from the skin but water-soluble substances are left in the skin, its ability to hold moisture is impaired.  Various preparations have been proposed which attempt to restore lipids to the surface of the skin.  They may include soluble collagen to improve surface texture of the skin as long as they remain applied to the surface.  Such formulations do not permit any significant penetration of the skin beyond the outermost layers and, therefore, permit only transitory surface effects.

In the study of the structure of the stratum corneum, the dermatologists have used strips of plastic adhesive tape to remove successive layers of the stratum corneum.  This has been verified by staining the cells removed by each layer followed by histological examination.  For most individuals, the stratum corneum comprises about 12-18 layers of cells (sometimes considered as 10-20 layers.)  After this number of layers has been stripped from the same site of stratum corneum, the “glistening layer” of the epidermis appears, so-called because at this layer tissue fluid starts to ooze out of the living cells.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION:
In the development of a type of collagen from a natural protein source that would permeate the outer layers of the stratum corneum, it was established that hydrolyzed collagens had almost no penetration beyond the first and second layers of outer skin.  Therefore a derivative was developed and tested.  The resulting derivative collagen, in comparison with hydrolyzed collagens, underwent testing by applying them to skin surfaces, removing successive layers of skin and measuring the absorption through the first 12-15 layers of the skin.  As the test results demonstrate, hydrolyzed collagens registered little or no penetration below the skin surface, while the collagen derivative showed a much higher degree of penetration in the lower layers of the skin (studied after 1 and 2 hours.)

Incorporated into cosmetic preparations, the derivitized collagen, when used on the skin surface, obtained noticeable moisturizing and skin-toning effects; it was also found that wrinkles were often reduced or eliminated after various periods of time as evidence that the deep absorption of collagen was in effect.

Note:  The instrument used for measuring collagen content was a liquid scintillation spectrometer, capable of measuring radioactive emission within certain energy ranges. 

EXPERIMENT #1:
The first experiment was a measurement of hydrolyzed soluble collagen of 10% solution in water, measured after 1 and 2 hours on a human forearm.  At the end of each period, 12 successive layers of skin were tested in order to analyze the counts of collagen absorbed and retained by the various layers.

*1-Hour Test

**2-HOUR TEST           

Findings: 
These results show only a trivial degree of penetration into the lower layers of the stratum corneum after 2 hours.

EXPERIMENT #2:
The second experiment was a measure of the absorption and penetration of the derivative collagen in solution on a human forearm, registered in the same manner as in the first test, after both 1 and 2 hours and going through successive layers of skin.

*1-Hour Test

**2-HOUR TEST           

Findings:
This test showed a significant degree of penetration beneath the outermost 2 layers of skin, especially compared to the first experiment using hydrolyzed soluble collagen.

SUMMARY: 
The beneficial effects of collagen on the lower layers of the skin has been proven by additional measurements of moisture retention and increased elasticity, resulting in the minimizing of wrinkles and firmer skin tone.  Without injections, this derivative collagen molecule, when used topically in solutions and applied for a period of at least 2 hours, is capable of producing these beneficial effects.