Anti-microbial perfuming compositions

Abstract

The present invention describes perfumes and perfuming compositions having an anti-microbial activity and containing effective amounts of certain perfuming ingredients which have an anti-microbial activity as evaluated by the Microbial Reduction Test.

Description

[0001] This application is a continuation of International application PCT / IB00 / 01389 filed Sep. 28, 2000, the content of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference thereto.TECHNICAL FIELD AND PRIOR ART[0002] The present invention concerns the field of perfuming ingredients and compositions which have an anti-microbial effect. The application also describes a new test which is particularly adapted for determining the anti-microbial activity of perfuming ingredients.[0003] In the perfume industry as well as in industries in which perfumes and perfuming compositions are used (as, for example, in companies which manufacture dish-washing liquids, all-purpose cleaners, shampoos or even cosmetic products), there is a great tendency towards the creation and use of perfuming compositions having an anti-microbial effect. This is due to the fact that there is an increasing consumer demand for products which have both an activity against bacteria and other microorganisms, and fulfill ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0013] In this specific "Microbial Reduction Test," the perfuming ingredient to be evaluated is weighed into an aqueous test solution in a certain concentration as explained below and is solubilized with an appropriate solvent which does not negatively affect the bacteria in the inoculum that is to be added at a later stage. The appropriate solvents can be of a large variety of alcohols, for example, isopropanol, amyl alcohols and fusel oils. The preferred alcohol, however, is ethanol. We have surprisingly discovered that the addition of alcohols, and in particular of ethanol, makes it possible to obtain reliable and significant results on the anti-microbial activity of a perfuming ingredient, although it is known that ethanol itself has a certain bacteriostatic effect. However, we have surprisingly found that the use of the right amount of ethanol in the test according to the present invention has such a low effect on the bacteria that significant data of the anti-microbial activity of the test perfuming ingredient can be obtained. At the same time, the ethanol ensures a good solubilization of the hydrophobic perfuming ingredient in the aqueous phase which is used as a test medium.

[0028] It is hence possible to prepare perfumes and colognes having an anti-microbial activity, by using a composition comprising active molecules according to the present invention, thus providing anti-microbial perfuming compositions. The anti-microbial perfuming compositions as defined above can advantageously be used to perfume certain products, in particular consumer products in the field of household and body care.

Problems solved by technology

However, this potential use of the perfuming ingredients has not been exploited in the past.

The conclusion in the above application is that the methods disclosed are not reliable, e.g. because conflicting results have been obtained for a given ingredient against one and the same microorganism, or because results obtained for a certain microorganism cannot be transferred to another microorganism.

However, this known test does not provide quantitative results which permit a real evaluation of a compound's activity.

Furthermore, the surfactants employed in the concentrations indicated (iso-octyl-phenoxypolyethoxy-ethanol and sodium dodecyl sulfate) do not solubilize the hydrophobic perfuming ingredients in the aqueous solution.

Therefore, they will not make proper contact with the inoculated bacteria, which are present in the aqueous phase.

This creates an inherent error in the measurement and renders the procedure unreliable.