Emulsion containing a plant extract, method for producing said emulsion and for obtaining a plant extract

Abstract

The relates to a method for obtaining triterpenes from plants and/or the constituents thereof, in addition to an emulsion whose aqueous and fatty phase is emulsified by the plant extract. The plant extract contains at least one triterpene and/or a triterpene derivative and the emulsion contains at least one oil and/or fat and water. The invention further relates to a method for production of said emulsion and to the use of said triterpenes in the production of cosmetics and medicaments.

1 . Continuous process for obtaining triterpenes from plants and/or their components, comprising the following steps: 
 (a) continuously introducing plant parts and a solvent, in which solvent the triterpenes are not soluble or only slightly soluble, and washing the plant parts with said solvent at 20° C. to 70° C. in counter-current;    (b) continuously extracting triterpenes with the solvent under increased pressure and elevated temperature in counter-current;    (c) continuously cooling and depressurizing the triterpene containing solution, whereby triterpene crystallizes out of the solvent of step (b);    (d) filtering the triterpene at room temperature;    (e) washing the triterpene in a solvent.    
     
     
         2 . Process according to  claim 1 , thereby characterized, that the triterpene is obtained from birch bark, preferably from the white part of the birch bark (birch cork).  
     
     
         3 . Process according to one of claims  1  or  2 , thereby characterized, that the triterpene is obtained at a purity of at least 80%, preferably 80%, in particular 90%, and particularly preferrably above 90%.  
     
     
         4 . Process according to one of claims  1  through  3 , thereby characterized, that the main component of the extracted triterpene is betulin.  
     
     
         5 . Process according to one of claims  1  through  4 , thereby characterized, that the content of betulin is at least 80% preferably 85%, in particular 90%, particularly preferably above 90%.  
     
     
         6 . Process according to one of claims  1  through  5 , thereby characterized, that the same solvent is employed in steps (a), (b) and (e).  
     
     
         7 . Process according to one of claims  1  through  6 , thereby characterized, that the solvent is selected from the group consisting of supercritical CO 2 , a low boiling carbohydrate or a mixture which includes a low boiling carbohydrate.  
     
     
         8 . Process according to one of claims  1  through  7 , thereby characterized, that the solvent is selected from the group consisting of n-pentane, n-hexane and n-heptane.  
     
     
         9 . Process according to one of claims  1  through  8 , thereby characterized, that the solvent used for step (a) is the solvent which is collected following step (b).  
     
     
         10 . Process according to one of claims  1  through  9 , thereby characterized, that the washing in step (a) occurs under a pressure of 1 to 300 bar, preferably 10 to 35 bar, particularly preferably 25 bar.  
     
     
         11 . Process according to one of claims  1  through  10 , thereby characterized, that extraction in step (b) occurs at a temperature of 50 to 200° C., preferably 140 to 160° C., particularly preferably at about 150° C. and under a pressure of 1 to 300 bar, preferably 10 to 35 bar, particularly preferably about 25 bar.  
     
     
         12 . Process according to one of claims  1  through  11 , thereby characterized, that the crystallization out in step (c) occurs as micro-crystallization with an average particle size of <40 μm, in particular from 2 to 32 μm.  
     
     
         13 . Emulsion wherein the aqueous and fatty phases are emulsified using a plant extract, wherein the plant extract is at least one triterpene and/or at least one derivate of a triterpene and the emulsion further contains at least one oil and/or fat and water, thereby characterized, that the triterpene and/or it derivative is a preservative, emulsifier and pharmaceutical active substance in the emulsion.  
     
     
         14 . Emulsion according to  claim 13 , thereby characterized, that the plant extract is an extract from the bark of birch, preferably from the white part of the birch bark (birch cork).  
     
     
         15 . Emulsion according to  claim 13  or  14 , thereby characterized, that the plant extract is at least one substance selected from the group consisting of betulin, betulinic acid, lupeol, erythrodiol, allobetulin, phellonic acid, hydroxy-lactone, betulin aldyhyde, β-amyrin, oleanolic acid, ursolic acid, esterified betulin and/or β-sitosteol.  
     
     
         16 . Emulsion according to one of claims  13  through  15 , thereby characterized, that the proportion of triterpene and/or its derivative comprises 2 to 10% of the total weight of the emulsion.  
     
     
         17 . Emulsion according to  claim 16 , thereby characterized, that the proportion of triterpene and/or it derivative comprises 2 to 3.5% or 3.5 to 10% of the total weight of the emulsion.  
     
     
         18 . Emulsion according to one of claims  13  through  17 , thereby characterized, that the oil is avocado oil and/or almond oil.  
     
     
         19 . Emulsion according to one of claims  13  through  18  thereby characterized, that the emulsion further includes at least one moisturizing agent and/or at least one thickening agent.  
     
     
         20 . Emulsion according to  claim 19 , thereby characterized, that the moisturizing agent is glycerin and/or urea, which is added in a concentration of 3 to 10%, preferably 5% of each, based upon the amount of the emulsion.  
     
     
         21 . Emulsion according to  claim 19 , thereby characterized, that the thickening agent is a polysaccharide, which is added in a concentration of 0.2 to 2%, preferably 0.5%, based upon the amount of water.  
     
     
         22 . Emulsion according to  claim 21 , thereby characterized, that the polysaccharide is agar agar or carrageenan.  
     
     
         23 . Emulsion according to one of claims  13  through  22 , thereby characterized, that the emulsion includes 2 to 10% extract from the white part of the birch bark, 20 to 30% avocado oil, 10 to 20% almond oil and 40 to 68% water.  
     
     
         24 . Emulsion according to  claim 23 , thereby characterized, that the emulsion comprises 4% extract from the white part of the birch bark, 29.3% avocado oil, 14.7% almond oil and 52% water.  
     
     
         25 . Emulsion according to one of claims  13  through  22 , thereby characterized, that the emulsion comprises 2 to 10% extract from the white part of the birch bark, 20 to 30% avocado oil, 10 to 20% almond oil, 5 to 10% moisturizing agent and 30 to 63% water.  
     
     
         26 . Emulsion according to  claim 25 , thereby characterized, that the emulsion comprises 4% extract from the white part of the birch bark, 29.3% avocado oil, 14.7% almond oil, 5% glycerin and/or 5% urea and from 42 to 47% water.  
     
     
         27 . Emulsion according to one of claims  13  through  26 , thereby characterized, that the extract from the white part of the birch bark comprises at least 80% betulin, at most 10% betulinic acid, at most 3% lupeol and at most 4% oleanolic acid.  
     
     
         28 . Process for producing an emulsion according to one of claims  13  through  27 , which comprises the steps: 
 (a) dispersing the triterpene in an oil and/or fat;  
 (b) emulsifying water;  
 (c) homogenizing the emulsion to the desired consistency.  
 
     
     
         29 . Process according to  claim 28 , thereby characterized, that the dispersing and the homogenizing steps are carried out in a homogenizer mixer.  
     
     
         30 . Process according to  claim 28  or  29 , thereby characterized, that a moisturizing agent is added to the water in step (b), in particular glycerin and/or urea, or a thickening agent, in particular a polysaccharide.  
     
     
         31 . Use of the triterpene for manufacture of a cosmetic, preferably in the form of a salve, a lotion, a cream, a gel, a jelly, a tincture, a shampoo, a powder and/or a compact powder, in particular for application to the skin, the face or scalp and/or for inhalation.  
     
     
         32 . Use of a triterpene for manufacture of a medicament, preferably in the form of a salve, a lotion, a cream, a gel, a jelly, a tincture, a shampoo, a powder and/or a compact powder, in particular for application to the skin, the face or scalp and/or for inhalation, particularly preferably for dermatological conditions of the skin and/or the scalp, above all for neuodermitis, psoriasis, seborrheic eczema, melanoderma, pre-cancerous conditions of the skin as well as inhalation in asthmatic attacks and/or for substitution in place of glucocorticoids.