Using Blueberry Extract to Improve the Appearance of Skin

Abstract

1. Use of a blueberry extract to improve the aesthetic appearance of human skin, said improved aesthetic appearance comprising evenness of complexion and tone and reduction of irregularities.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to the use of blueberry extracts to improve the aesthetic appearance of human skin. [Background technology]

[0002] The skin constitutes the interface between the organism and the external environment and its purpose is to ensure the protection of the human body by forming a true biological barrier.

[0003] Skin color is also an indication of health, and is often associated with youth, vitality and energy.

[0004] Products that prevent darkening of the skin have long been on the market.

[0005] The reason is that the skin is routinely subjected to a wide variety of insults, whether of a physical nature (mechanical, thermal, UV radiation and the like), chemical nature (surfactants, solvents, allergens and the like) or biological nature (infectious agents).

[0006] The term "normal skin" is widely used to describe balanced skin: it is well circulated, supple, smooth, velvety to the touch, has a fresh, translucent appearance, a consistent pink color, is free of imperfections, and is not sensitive.

[0007] When the skin barrier is healthy, the skin can function effectively to retain moisture and protect against external aggressions. A strong, healthy skin barrier looks beautiful and functions well over time.

[0008] Exposure to external factors such as pollutants, UV radiation, temperature and / or humidity fluctuations, cigarette smoke, and / or in addition internal factors, among others stress, fatigue, hormonal changes, ageing or excessive sebum secretion, can induce adverse effects on all components of the skin's barrier function, resulting in, among other things, a poor skin tone. More specifically, when exposed to these factors, the skin tends to take on an uneven, whitish tone.

[0009] The term "skin tone" is understood to mean both the color of the skin and its evenness.

[0010] Foundations and other make-up products are applied to the skin to hide the discoloration and poor appearance of the skin, but many of these contain synthetic ingredients derived from fossil-derived starting materials, a solution that is not in line with consumer expectations, which are moving towards natural cosmetics. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0011] The challenge that arises from this is to develop a composition of plant origin making it possible to improve the aesthetic appearance of human skin, said aesthetic appearance including improving both its complexion and the evenness of its color, as well as reducing its irregularities. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] A subject of the present invention is therefore the use of a blueberry extract for improving the aesthetic appearance of human skin, said improving including both its complexion and the evenness of its color, as well as reducing its irregularities. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] The term "skin complexion" in the context of the present invention is understood to mean providing a "good look effect" to the skin and restoring a fairer or darker complexion to the skin, as will be explained in the experimental part. The term "skin complexion" as used in this context does not refer to the darkening of the skin induced by ultraviolet light or chemical products applied to the skin.

[0014] The term "evenness of skin tone" in the context of the present invention is understood to mean the absence of irregular pigmentation or depigmentation and the absence of uneven skin tone.

[0015] The term "reduction of skin irregularities" in connection with the present invention is understood to mean an improvement in skin texture and thus a smoother skin texture.

[0016] The blueberry extract for use according to the invention may be either fermented or unfermented.

[0017] According to a particular embodiment of this use, the blueberry extract used is an extract of fermented blueberries.

[0018] The use according to the invention may, depending on the case, exhibit one or more of the following characteristics: · Blueberry extract is provided in powder form; the blueberry extract comprises, per 100% by weight of the blueberry extract, 1% to 10% by weight of water and 90% to 99% by weight of dry matter (DM), more particularly 1% to 8% by weight of water and 92% to 99% by weight of dry matter (DM), even more particularly 1% to 7% by weight of water and 93% to 99% by weight of dry matter (DM); Blueberry extract: a) at least one compound of formula (I): [ka] (In the formula, R1 and R2 are the same or different and each represents a hydrogen atom -H, a hydroxyl group -OH, or a methoxyl group -OCH 3represents X is -H (L-arabinose) or -CH 2 -OH (D-glucose, D-galactose) b) at least one amine of formula (II): [ka] (In the formula, R1 and R2 are the same or different and each represents a hydrogen atom -H, a hydroxyl group -OH, or a methoxyl group -OCH 3 and Contains; Fermented Blueberry Extract: c) at least one compound of formula (III): [ka] (For each repeat and constitutional unit of the compound of formula (III), independently: R1 represents a hydrogen atom -H or a hydroxyl group -OH, - an asterisk in formula (III) * The asymmetric carbon marked with can have the R or S configuration; Fermented blueberry extract contains, for example, per 100% of its weight: - from 20% to 50% by weight, more particularly from 25% to 50% by weight, even more particularly from 30% to 50% by weight of at least one compound of formula (I), at least one compound of formula (II) in an amount ranging from 0.01% to 5% by weight, more particularly from 0.01% to 4% by weight, - from 1% to 5% by weight, more particularly from 1% to 4% by weight, of at least one compound of formula (III), - water, from 1% to 10% by weight, more particularly from 1% to 8% by weight, even more particularly from 1% to 7% by weight, - 30% to 78.99% by weight, more particularly 32% to 72.99% by weight, even more particularly 35% to 67.99% by weight of at least one compound selected from the group consisting of carbohydrates, inorganic salts and proteins, Including, - the sum of the various components of this fermented blueberry extract is understood to be 100%; The fermented blueberry extract contains at least one component of formula (IV): [ka] (For each repeat and constitutional unit of the compound of formula (IV), independently: R1 represents a hydrogen atom -H or a hydroxyl group -OH, - an asterisk in formula (IV) * The asymmetric carbon marked with can have the R or S configuration; R3 and R4 may be the same or different and each represent a hydrogen atom -H, a hydroxyl group -OH, or a methoxyl group -OCH 3 wherein Fermented blueberry extract contains, for example, per 100% of its weight: - at least one compound of formula (I) (anthocyanin) in an amount of from 0.1% to 5% by weight, more particularly from 0.1% to 4% by weight, even more particularly from 0.1% to 3% by weight, at least one compound of formula (II) (anthocyanidin) in an amount ranging from 0.01% to 1% by weight, more particularly from 0.01% to 0.8% by weight, - at least one compound of formula (III) (proanthocyanidin) in an amount of from 0.5% to 10% by weight, more particularly from 0.5% to 8% by weight, even more particularly from 0.5% to 6% by weight, - at least one compound of formula (IV) (pseudoproanthocyanidin) in an amount of from 10% to 50% by weight, more particularly from 10% to 40% by weight, even more particularly from 10% to 35% by weight, - water, from 1% to 10% by weight, more particularly from 1% to 8% by weight, even more particularly from 1% to 7% by weight, - from 24% to 88.39% by weight, more particularly from 39% to 88.39% by weight, even more particularly from 48.2% to 88.39% by weight of at least one compound selected from the group consisting of carbohydrates, inorganic salts and proteins, Including, It is understood that the sum of the various components of this fermented blueberry extract is 100%.

[0019] According to a particular embodiment, the carbohydrates present in the blueberry extract are selected from the members of the group consisting of monosaccharides, such as glucose, xylose, arabinose, mannose, galactose or galacturonic acid; disaccharides, such as sucrose; polysaccharides, such as pectin, propectin or cellulose.

[0020] The blueberry extract, preferably an extract of fermented blueberries, can be incorporated into an ingestible composition (IC).The blueberry extract, preferably an extract of fermented blueberries, can be incorporated into an ingestible composition that does not contain extracts of other fruits or vegetables.

[0021] The ingestible composition (IC) may also comprise at least one orally administrable excipient, said excipient being a medicamentously or nutritionally acceptable technological additive (TA) selected from a diluent, a flow agent, a binder or a disintegrant.

[0022] The term "technical additive" refers to any chemical substance or any chemical composition whose technical function consists in allowing and / or facilitating the mixing of the various components of said composition (IC), aiding and / or optimizing the physical properties of said composition (IC), such as its flowability, its stability and its subsequent incorporation into pharmaceutical and / or nutritional formulations, and which is capable of meeting the conditions required by current legal regulations for placing on the market a pharmaceutical and / or nutritional formulation.

[0023] The term "nutritional acceptable technical additive" refers to a technical additive as defined above, the use of which meets the requirements of the current legal regulations relating to food supplements in the country in question.

[0024] The ingestible composition (IC) may comprise at least one technical additive (TA) selected from a diluent, a flow agent, a binder or a disintegrant.

[0025] The term "pharmaceutical acceptable technical additive" refers to a technical additive as defined above, the use of which meets the requirements of the current pharmaceutical regulations of the country in question. Typically, the diluent is selected from at least one member of the group consisting of lactose, sucrose, saccharose, glucose, maltodextrin, mannitol, sorbitol, xylitol, isomalt, calcium hydrogen phosphate, microcrystalline cellulose, starch, more particularly corn starch, wheat starch and potato starch, dicalcium phosphate, anhydrous calcium hydrogen phosphate, sodium carbonate, calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate, monoglycerides and / or diglycerides of fatty acids containing from 8 to 24 carbon atoms.

[0026] Typically, the flow agent is selected from at least one member of the group consisting of magnesium stearate, talc, sodium stearyl fumarate, hydrogenated vegetable oils, anhydrous colloidal silica, sodium benzoate, and silicon dioxide.

[0027] Typically, the binder is selected from at least one member of the group consisting of starch paste, starch in the form of pregelatinized starch, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, methylcellulose, sucrose syrup and gum arabic.

[0028] Typically, the disintegrant is selected from at least one member of the group consisting of starch, sodium starch glycolate, alginic acid, sodium alginate, croscarmellose sodium, crospovidone, and polyvinylpyrrolidone.

[0029] According to a particular embodiment, the ingestible composition (IC) provided in solid form takes the form of a tablet, a hard gelatin capsule, a soft capsule, a powder, a dragee or granules.

[0030] The Ingestible Composition (IC) comprises a blueberry extract, preferably an extract of a fermented blueberry, in a concentration, expressed as milligrams of blueberry extract per milligram of Ingestible Composition (IC), from greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to 1000, more particularly from greater than or equal to 20 and less than or equal to 800, more particularly from greater than or equal to 50 and less than or equal to 500, and even more particularly from greater than or equal to 80 and less than or equal to 250.

[0031] The fermented blueberry extract is produced according to the following process, which includes the following steps: Thus, the first stage of the process consists in fermenting the fruits of Vaccinium myrtillus (blueberry) in the presence of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Second stage: the fermentation medium is then filtered, Third step: Concentrate the filtered medium. Fourth step: The concentrated medium is taken up in ethanol to remove all the soluble compounds in the ethyl alcohol. 5th stage: Filter the extract. Step 6: Dry the extract. Seventh step: the isolated solid obtained above is then redissolved in water, · Eighth step (optional): The aqueous phase obtained above is micronized to obtain a solid, which is then packaged.

[0032] It should be noted that this process can be carried out without a prior fermentation step, substituting the fruit crushing step: in that case the corresponding extract will have a different chemical composition.

[0033] The chemical composition of fermented and unfermented blueberry extracts differs significantly.

[0034] Unfermented blueberry extracts contain mainly anthocyanins, which correspond to phenolic glycosides. When a fermentation step is carried out, these anthocyanins undergo various consecutive and / or sequential chemical transformations, such as deglycosylation, reduction or polymerization, ultimately resulting in two different polymers: proanthocyanidins (flavanol homopolymers) and pseudoproanthocyanidins (flavanol polymers terminated at their ends with anthocyanidin units).

[0035] The reaction sequence is shown below, along with the chemical structures of flavanols. [ka]

[0036] An ingestible composition (IC) containing blueberry extract as the only fruit extract and no other fruit or vegetable extracts can be included in a food supplement.

[0037] According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the food supplement does not contain other fruit or vegetable extracts.

[0038] Preferably, the food supplement contains, per 100% weight of the food supplement, 5% to 70% by weight, more specifically 10% to 70% by weight, and even more specifically 25% to 70% by weight of the ingestible composition (IC).

[0039] The term "food supplements" is understood to mean foodstuffs that constitute concentrated sources of nutrients or other substances intended to supplement the normal diet and that, alone or in combination, exhibit a nutritional or physiological action. Food supplements make it possible to prevent certain deficiencies or to meet the specific dietary requirements of individuals, in particular during physical activity. The definition of "food supplements" is given in Article 2 of French Republic Decree No. 2006-20352 of 26 March 2006 on food supplements and in Directive 2002 / 46 / EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 June 2002.

[0040] Food supplements may be in solid or liquid form.

[0041] The food supplement further comprises at least one active ingredient selected from bioactive lipids, water-soluble or water-dispersible salts of trace elements, water-soluble or fat-soluble vitamins, prebiotics, probiotics, milk protein concentrates and / or proteins, plant or animal enzymes, amino acids, peptides or sugars.

[0042] The food supplement may be provided in any dosage form known to those skilled in the art, such as in the form of tablets, hard gelatin capsules, dragees, granules, soft capsules, syrups, powders, e.g. immediate release powders, delayed release powders or reconstituted beverage powders, liquids, sticks or gels.

[0043] Solid forms used in the food supplement industry are generally provided in the form of tablets, hard gelatin capsules, dragees or granules made by agglomerating solid particles containing at least one nutritional ingredient.

[0044] Such solid forms can be prepared by implementing a number of techniques known to those skilled in the art, such as compression, pelletizing, granulation, compacting or extrusion techniques.

[0045] When the food supplement is provided in powder form, it is obtained by introducing its various components into a mixer equipped with at least one mechanical stirring mechanism, for example a flat blade or impeller type stirring blade, which is optionally a tumbler mixer, which is optionally equipped with a crusher type mechanism. This mixing operation is generally carried out at ambient temperature.

[0046] The food supplement may be provided in the form of any food product known to those skilled in the art, such as beverages, more particularly aqueous drinks, solutions, fruit juices, flavoured beverages, nutritional drinks, alcoholic beverages, coffee-based beverages, chocolate-based beverages, tea-based beverages, dairy products, more particularly milk, yogurt, milk desserts, yogurt drinks, cheese, ice cream, chocolate bars, cereal products, more particularly cereal bars, cookies, breakfast cereals, flour, bakery products, special nutrition products, more particularly infant nutrition products, nutrition products for physical activity, clinical nutrition products, meal replacements, confectionery, more particularly chewing gum, candy, caramel, sugar-coated almonds, mint candy (humbug), marshmallow, Turkish delight, nougat, fruit jellies, licorice confectionery, etc.

[0047] Bioactive lipids optionally present in the food supplement may include plant sterols, such as those extracted from vegetable oils, more particularly extracts of sea buckthorn oil, corn oil or soybean oil; complexes of plant sterols isolated from vegetable oils, such as cholestatin, composed of campesterol, stigmasterol and brassicasterol; plant stanols; carotenoids belonging to the family of the terpenoids, extracted from algae, green plants, fungi or bacteria; polyunsaturated fatty acids of the omega-3 group, such as α-linolenic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid or docosahexanoic acid; polyunsaturated fatty acids of the omega-6 group, such as linoleic acid, γ-linolenic acid, eicosadienoic acid, dihomo-γ-linolenic acid, arachidonic acid, docosadienoic acid, docosatetraenoic acid or docosapentaenoic acid.

[0048] Examples of water-soluble or water-dispersible trace element salts that may optionally be present in the food supplement include ferrous carbonate, ferrous chloride tetrahydrate, ferric chloride hexahydrate, ferrous citrate hexahydrate, ferrous fumarate, ferrous lactate tetrahydrate, ferrous sulfate monohydrate, ferrous sulfate heptahydrate, ferrous amino acid chelate hydrate, ferrous glycine chelate, calcium iodate hexahydrate, calcium iodate anhydrous, sodium iodide, potassium iodide, cobalt acetate tetrahydrate, cobalt carbonate monohydrate, cobalt carbonate hexahydrate, cobalt sulfate heptahydrate, cobalt sulfate monohydrate, cobalt nitrate hexahydrate, cupric acetate monohydrate, cupric carbonate monohydrate, cupric chloride dihydrate, copper methionate ... methionate), cupric sulfate pentahydrate, cuprous amino acid chelate hydrate, cuprous glycine chelate hydrate, copper chelate of methionine hydroxy analogue, manganese carbonate, manganese chloride tetrahydrate, manganese hydrogen phosphate trihydrate, manganese sulfate tetrahydrate, manganese sulfate monohydrate, manganese amino acid chelate hydrate, manganese glycine chelate hydrate, manganese chelate of methionine hydroxy analogue, ammonium molybdate, sodium molybdate, sodium selenite, sodium selenate, organic forms of selenium produced by Saccharomyces cerevisiae, selenomethionine (inactivated selenium-containing yeast) and selenomethionine produced by Saccharomyces cerevisiae (inactivated selenium-containing yeast).

[0049] Examples of water-soluble or fat-soluble vitamins optionally present in the food supplement are vitamin A, more particularly in its retinol, retinyl acetate, retinyl palmitate or β-carotene form, vitamin D2, more particularly in its ergocalciferol or 25-hydroxycalciferol form, vitamin D3, more particularly in its cholecalciferol form, vitamin K, more particularly in its phylloquinone (phytomenadione) or menaquinone form, vitamin B1, more particularly in its thiamine hydrochloride, thiamine nitrate, thiamine monophosphate chloride or thiamine pyrophosphate chloride form, vitamin B2, more particularly in its riboflavin or riboflavin 5'-phosphate sodium form, vitamin B6, more particularly in its pyridoxine hydrochloride, pyridoxine-5'-phosphate or thiamine pyrophosphate chloride form, vitamin B7, more particularly in its pyridoxine hydrochloride, pyridoxine-5'-phosphate or thiamine pyrophosphate chloride form, vitamin B8, more particularly in its pyridoxine hydrochloride, pyridoxine-5'-phosphate or thiamine pyrophosphate chloride form, vitamin B9, more particularly in its pyridoxine hydrochloride, pyridoxine-5'-phosphate or thiamine pyrophosphate chloride form, vitamin B10, more particularly in its pyridoxine hydrochloride, pyridoxine-5'-phosphate or thiamine pyrophosphate chloride form, vitamin B11, more particularly in its pyridoxine hydrochloride, pyridoxine-5'-phosphate or thiamine pyrophosphate chloride form, vitamin B12, more particularly in its pyridoxine hydrochloride, pyridoxine-5'-phosphate or thiamine pyrophosphate chloride form, vitamin B13, more particularly in its pyridoxine hydrochloride, pyridoxine-5'-phosphate or thiamine pyrophosphate chloride form, vitamin B14, more particularly in its pyridoxine hydrochloride, pyridoxine-5'-phosphate or thiamine pyr in the form of pyridoxal-5'-phosphate; vitamin B12, more particularly in the form of cyanocobalamin, hydroxocobalamin, 5'-deoxyadenosylcobalamin or methylcobalamin; vitamin C, more particularly in the form of L-ascorbic acid, sodium L-ascorbate, calcium L-ascorbate, potassium L-ascorbate, the calcium salt of 6-palmitoyl-L-ascorbic acid or sodium ascorbyl monophosphate; pantothenic acid, more particularly in the form of calcium D-pantothenate, sodium D-pantothenate, dexpanthenol or pantethine; vitamin PP, more particularly in the form of nicotinic acid, niacin, nicotinamide or inositol hexanicotinate; vitamin B9, more particularly in the form of folic acidMention may be made of: folic acid, folate, more particularly in the form of pteroylmonoglutamic acid, calcium L-methylfolate or (6S)-5-methyltetrahydrofolic acid in the form of its glucosamine salt; vitamin H2, B7 or BW, more particularly in the form of its biotin; choline, more particularly in the form of choline chloride, choline dihydrogen citrate or choline bitartrate; inositol; carnitine, more particularly in the form of L-carnitine or L-carnitine L-tartrate or taurine.

[0050] Examples of prebiotics optionally present in the food supplement include inulin, trans-galactooligosaccharides, fructans and mannooligosaccharides.

[0051] Examples of probiotics optionally present in food supplements include various strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Bacillus cereus var. toyoi, Bacillus subtilis, either alone or in combination with Bacillus licheniformis, as well as strains of Enterococcus faecium. These strains of microorganisms are generally combined with a solid carrier, such as calcium carbonate, glucose or sorbitol.

[0052] Examples of milk protein concentrates and / or proteins optionally present in the food supplement include milk proteins produced by milk cracking, e.g. colostrum in the form of a freeze-dried or micronized powder, whey in the form of a powder, purified or enriched fractions for IgG, lactoferrin or lactoperoxidase.

[0053] Examples of plant or animal enzymes optionally present in food supplements include promutase, superoxide dismutase (SOD), 3-phytase, 6-phytase, endo-1,4-β-glucanase, endo-1,4-β-xylanase or other enzymes that improve or facilitate digestion.

[0054] Examples of peptides optionally present in the food supplement include avocado peptides, lupin peptides, quinoa peptides, maca peptides, fermented or unfermented soybean peptides, rice peptides, peptides present in Acacia macrostachya seed extract or peptides present in passionflower seed extract.

[0055] Examples of amino acids that are optionally present in the food supplement include alanine, arginine, asparagine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamic acid, glutamine, glycine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, proline, hydroxyproline, pyrrolysine, selenocysteine, serine, threonine, tryptophan, tyrosine, valine, sarcosine, or ornithine.

[0056] Examples of sugars optionally present in the food supplement include water-soluble polysaccharides or low molecular weight sugars, such as oligosaccharides or mono- or disaccharides, such as glucose, lactose or dextrose.

[0057] Examples of pharmaceutical additives optionally present in the food supplement that is the subject of the present invention include flavor enhancers and flavoring agents.

[0058] Examples of flavour enhancers optionally present in the food supplement that is the subject of the present invention include glutamates, such as glutamic acid, monosodium glutamate, monopotassium glutamate, calcium diglutamate, ammonium glutamate or magnesium diglutamate, guanylates, such as guanylic acid (guanosine monophosphate), disodium guanylate, dipotassium guanylate or calcium guanylate, or inosinates, such as inosinic acid, disodium inosinate, dipotassium inosinate or calcium inosinate.

[0059] Examples of sweeteners optionally present in the food supplement can include Stevia extract or rebaudioside.

[0060] The present invention also relates to a method for improving the aesthetic appearance of human skin, said improving the aesthetic appearance of human skin including improving both its complexion and its evenness of color as well as reducing its irregularities, said method comprising orally administering to a human an effective amount of a blueberry extract.

[0061] The method according to the invention may exhibit one or more of the following characteristics: the effective amount of the blueberry extract administered orally is at least 100 mg of the blueberry extract once per day; the effective amount of the blueberry extract to be orally administered is at least 100 mg of the fermented blueberry extract once daily; Fermented blueberry extract contains, per 100% weight: - 20% to 50% by weight of at least one compound of formula (I), - 0.01% to 5% by weight of at least one compound of formula (II), - 1% to 5% by weight of at least one compound of formula (III), - 1% to 10% by weight of water, - 30% to 78.99% by weight of at least one compound selected from the group consisting of carbohydrates, inorganic salts and proteins; Including, It is understood that the sum of the various components of this fermented blueberry extract is 100%; Fermented blueberry extract contains, per 100% weight: - 0.1% to 5% by weight of at least one compound of formula (I), - 0.01% to 1% by weight of at least one compound of formula (II), - 0.5% to 10% by weight of at least one compound of formula (III), - 10% to 50% by weight of at least one compound of formula (IV), - 1% to 10% by weight of water, 24% to 88.39% by weight of at least one compound selected from the group consisting of carbohydrates, inorganic salts and proteins, Including, It is understood that the sum of the various components of this fermented blueberry extract is 100%. EXAMPLES

[0062] Extracyan from Ferlux, obtained according to the process described above TM The composition (EB1) used is an extract of fermented blueberries sold under the trade name of EB1. The analytical characteristics of the composition (EB1) are as follows: ·Water: 2.1%, Anthocyanin or compound of formula (I): 0.8% ( * ) Anthocyanidin or compound of formula (II): 0.03% ( * ) Proanthocyanidin or compound of formula (III): 2.0% ( * ) Pseudoanthocyanidin or compound of formula (IV): 16% ( * ) Carbohydrates, inorganic salts and proteins: 79.07% ( *) The weight percentage was obtained by carrying out a quantitative analysis method using high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC), and is expressed as 100% for the extract.

[0063] A demonstration of a technical effect making it possible to solve the technical problem was carried out using an ingestible composition, represented by composition (C1), comprising an extract of fermented blueberries as set forth in Table 1 below.

[0064] [Table 1]

[0065] A placebo composition (C0) will also be tested and compared with composition (C1), which is set forth in Table 2 below.

[0066] [Table 2]

[0067] As mentioned above, healthy skin tone can be defined by several parameters including skin complexion (a cosmetic effect), evenness of tone, and smoothness of skin texture.

[0068] Skin color Skin color is CIELAB or L * a * b * It can be analyzed using the system L * a * b * The system parameters are: ·Lightness L * : Values ​​range from 0 (black) to 100 (reference white) Parameter a * :Green → Red represents the value on the axis Parameter b * :Blue → Yellow represents the value on the axis ITA° (Individual Typology Angle) Parameter: Parameter L * and b *It is obtained from and represents the shade of color.

[0069] "Appearance" effects and skin tone improvement and color improvement: Parameter a * and b * The rise of -Reduction in ITA° due to darker color There is a tendency for this to be reflected in

[0070] Uniformity of color Skin is a tissue rich in blood vessels. The capillaries and arterioles that make up the vascular system at the epidermal level regulate blood flow, for example, during temperature changes, stress (such as pudic erythema) or relaxation / vasodilation, which is the cause of rosacea.

[0071] This may manifest as the appearance of a diffuse blotch or temporary or permanent red patches due to dilated capillaries.

[0072] The desired effect of a substance or composition to achieve a more uniform color is to improve vasoconstriction so as to alleviate the deficiency of vasodilation and thereby alleviate the drawbacks so as to obtain a more uniform color. Such properties can be investigated by measuring blood flow by laser Doppler imaging and evaluating the uniformity of this blood flow by a dermatologist.

[0073] Color uniformity can also be assessed directly by a dermatologist.

[0074] The PeriCam PSITM system from Perimed is a blood flow imaging system based on laser speckle contrast analysis technology. The system uses a near-infrared (785 nanometer) laser to measure blood flow. The beam is diffused by a diffuser to distribute it over the entire measurement area, generating a speckle pattern.

[0075] This speckle pattern is recorded by a CCD camera, and the blood flow is calculated by analyzing the fluctuations in the speckle pattern.

[0076] The photographs are evaluated by a dermatologist using a scoring scale (see Tables 3 and 4).

[0077] [Table 3]

[0078] [Table 4]

[0079] Skin Texture Smoother skin texture improves skin tone by reducing its texture and irregularities.

[0080] Skin irregularities can be similarly assessed using a scale in which dermatologists score wrinkles in photographs (see Table 5).

[0081] [Table 5]

[0082] Research form of extract The technical efficacy of composition (C1) was demonstrated by a pilot randomized, double-blind, parallel-group clinical trial.

[0083] The effect of taking 100 mg of extract (EB1), corresponding to 539 mg of composition (C1), daily (1 hard gelatin capsule per day) for 84 days (12 weeks) could be tested in comparison with a placebo composition (C0).

[0084] Women between 18 and 65 years of age who met the following criteria were included in the study: Caucasian race, phototype I-III, medium to very dull skin tone. Measurements were performed on day 0 (D0) and after 84 days of ingesting the compositions (C1) or (C0) (D84).

[0085] a) Results obtained regarding skin color The change in skin color was measured using a CM-700d spectrophotometer (available from Konica Minolta) according to the CIELAB standard method established by the International Commission on Illumination (CIE) and was measured using the parameter a * , b * and ITA° were used for monitoring.

[0086] Parameter a of composition (C1) group after 84 days of intake * significantly increased from 12.01±0.28 au (arbitrary units) at D0 to 12.62±0.29 au at D84 (p=0.012), whereas the placebo composition (C0) group showed no significant change from 12.05±0.33 au at D0 to 12.07±0.34 au at D84.

[0087] Similarly, the parameter b of the composition (C1) group after 84 days of intake * The sigma-inducing effect of the composition (C1) group increased significantly from 16.68±0.33 au on D0 to 17.29±0.42 au on D84 (p=0.028), whereas the placebo composition (C0) group showed no significant change from 16.62±0.37 au on D0 to 16.49±0.47 au on D84. In addition, there was a statistically significant difference between the composition (C1) group (4.0±1.7%) and the placebo composition (C0) group (-0.9±1.7%, p=0.047).

[0088] After 84 days of intake, the parameter ITA° in the composition (C1) group decreased significantly (p=0.003) from 40.39±1.13 au on D0 to 38.39±1.16 au on D84, whereas the placebo composition (C0) group showed no significant change from 40.52±1.10 au on D0 to 40.24±1.31 au on D84.

[0089] b) Color uniformity Blood flow was assessed using a laser Doppler blood flow imaging system (PeriCam PSI System sold by Perimed).

[0090] After 84 days of intake, the blood flow in the composition (C1) group was significantly reduced from 139.8±5.5 au on D0 to 118.0±5.3 au on D84 (p<0.001), whereas the placebo composition (C0) group showed no significant change from 138.1±6.8 au on D0 to 127.0±6.6 au on D84.

[0091] From the photographs of the subjects' faces taken on D0 and D84, a dermatologist assessed the uniformity of blood flow and the uniformity of color according to the scoring methods described in Tables 4 and 5 above.

[0092] 62.1% of the subjects in the composition (C1) group experienced an improvement in the uniformity of blood flow, compared to 30% in the placebo composition (C0) group.

[0093] 69% of the subjects in the composition (C1) group experienced an improvement in skin tone evenness compared to 46.7% in the placebo composition (C0) group.

[0094] 80% of the subjects in the composition (C1) group experienced improvement in skin softness compared to 30% in the placebo group.

[0095] c) Skin texture and irregularities From the photographs of the subjects' faces taken on D0 and D84, a dermatologist evaluated the skin texture and unevenness according to the scoring method described in Table 6 above.

[0096] 80% of the subjects in the composition (C1) group noticed a reduction in the irregularities of the skin and therefore a smoother skin texture, whereas only 30% of the subjects in the placebo composition (C0) group noticed this reduction.

[0097] d) Conclusion Composition (C1) has been demonstrated in clinical trials to have the ability to simultaneously improve skin tone, evenness of color, and skin texture.

[0098] Furthermore, it is already known that proanthocyanidins and anthocyanins have antioxidant properties, therefore it was desirable to evaluate changes in antioxidant activity at the skin level in this clinical trial.

[0099] Skin samples were taken using Corneofix® adhesive patches (Courage+Khazaka electronic GmbH). Patches no. 2 and 3 were used to determine the FRAP (Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Parameter), which is a direct measure of the antioxidant capacity of the sample and allows to assess its ability to resist oxidative damage. Fe at acidic pH 3+ Ion to Fe 2+ Reduction to the ions is characterized by a blue coloration, which is monitored by colorimetry at 595 nanometers.

[0100] In the composition (C1) group after 84 days of intake, the antioxidant activity was: 69.6 ± 3.8 μM Fe at D0 2+ 85.7±4.9μM Fe in D84 from equ. 2+ equ., whereas in the placebo composition (C0): 70.9±3.1 μM Fe 2+ 76±4.4μM Fe in D84 from equ. 2+No changes were observed up to equ. In addition, there was a statistically significant difference between the composition (C1) group (26.5±3.7%) and the placebo composition (C0) group (7.1±3.8%, p<0.001).

[0101] The perceived benefit of the study subjects was also assessed using a self-assessment questionnaire.

[0102] At the end of the study (D84), the subjects gave their opinion regarding the components of the study. 83% of the subjects in the group with composition (C1) judged that their skin tone had improved, compared to 57% in the group with placebo composition (C0). 69% of the subjects in the group with composition (C1) perceived that their difficulties had decreased, compared to 33% in the group with placebo composition (C0). 82% of the subjects in the group with composition (C1) judged that they had fewer red spots, compared to 40% in the group with placebo composition (C0). 90% of the subjects in the group with composition (C1) perceived that their skin was more moisturized, compared to 57% in the group with placebo composition (C0). Finally, 69% of the subjects in the group with composition (C1) judged that their skin texture had become finer, compared to 37% in the group with placebo composition (C0).

[0103] Prescription Examples

[0104] [Table 6]

[0105] [Table 7]

Claims

1. 1. Use of a blueberry extract for improving the aesthetic appearance of human skin, wherein said improving the aesthetic appearance of human skin includes improving both its complexion and the evenness of its color, as well as reducing its irregularities.

2. 2. The use according to claim 1, characterized in that the blueberry extract is an extract of fermented blueberries.

3. The fermented blueberry extract contains the following compounds: a) at least one compound of formula (I): 【Chemical 1】 (wherein R1 and R2 are the same or different and represent a hydrogen atom -H, a hydroxy group -OH or a methoxyl group -OCH ３ represents X is -H (L-arabinose) or -CH ２ -OH (D-glucose, D-galactose); b) at least one compound of formula (II): 【Chemistry 2】 (wherein R1 and R2 are the same or different and represent a hydrogen atom —H, a hydroxyl group —OH, or a methoxyl group —OCH ３ and c) at least one compound of formula (III): 【Chemistry 3】 For each repeat and constitutional unit of the compound of formula (III), independently: R1 represents a hydrogen atom —H or a hydroxy group —OH, - asterisk in formula (III) ＊ the asymmetric carbon atom marked with can have the R or S configuration; 3. The use according to claim 2, characterized in that it comprises:

4. The fermented blueberry extract contains, per 100% by weight: 20% to 50% by weight of at least one compound of formula (I), - 0.01% to 5% by weight of at least one compound of formula (II), - 1% to 5% by weight of at least one compound of formula (III), - 1% to 10% by weight of water, 30% to 78.99% by weight of at least one compound selected from the group consisting of carbohydrates, inorganic salts and proteins, Including, Use according to claim 3, characterized in that the sum of the various constituents of this fermented blueberry extract is understood to be 100%.

5. The fermented blueberry extract comprises at least one compound represented by formula (IV): 【Chemistry 4】 (For each repeat and constitutional unit of the compound of formula (IV), independently: R1 represents a hydrogen atom —H or a hydroxy group —OH, The asymmetric carbons in formula (IV) marked with an asterisk * can have the R or S configuration; R3 and R4 may be the same or different and each represent a hydrogen atom -H, a hydroxyl group -OH, or a methoxyl group -OCH ３ Use according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it comprises a compound of formula (I)

6. The fermented blueberry extract contains, per 100% by weight: 0.1% to 5% by weight of at least one compound of formula (I), - 0.01% to 1% by weight of at least one compound of formula (II), 0.5% to 10% by weight of at least one compound of formula (III), 10% to 50% by weight of at least one compound of formula (IV), - 1% to 10% by weight of water, 24% to 88.39% by weight of at least one compound chosen from the group consisting of carbohydrates, inorganic salts and proteins, Including, Use according to claim 5, characterized in that the sum of the various constituents of this fermented blueberry extract is understood to be 100%.

7. 1. A method for improving the aesthetic appearance of a human's skin, wherein said improving the aesthetic appearance of a human's skin includes improving both its complexion and its evenness of color as well as reducing its irregularities, said method comprising orally administering to said human an effective amount of blueberry extract.

8. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the effective amount of the blueberry extract administered orally is at least 100 mg of the blueberry extract once daily.

9. The fermented blueberry extract contains, per 100% by weight: 20% to 50% by weight of at least one compound of formula (I), - 0.01% to 5% by weight of at least one compound of formula (II), - 1% to 5% by weight of at least one compound of formula (III), - 1% to 10% by weight of water, 30% to 78.99% by weight of at least one compound selected from the group consisting of carbohydrates, inorganic salts and proteins, Including, 9. The method according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the sum of the various components of the extract of fermented blueberries is understood to be 100%.

10. The fermented blueberry extract contains, per 100% by weight: 0.1% to 5% by weight of at least one compound of formula (I), - 0.01% to 1% by weight of at least one compound of formula (II), 0.5% to 10% by weight of at least one compound of formula (III), 10% to 50% by weight of at least one compound of formula (IV), 1% to 10% by weight of water, 24% to 88.39% by weight of at least one compound chosen from the group consisting of carbohydrates, inorganic salts and proteins, Including, 9. The method according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the sum of the various components of the extract of fermented blueberries is understood to be 100%.

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