Blackhead remover

Abstract

To provide a keratotic plug remover containing an extract of a hop-oxidation reaction product.SOLUTION: The present invention discloses a keratotic plug remover containing an extract of a hop-oxidation reaction product.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a keratinocyte removal agent containing an extract of hop oxidation products. [Background technology]

[0002] Hops (Humulus lupulus) are one of the main ingredients in beer and are responsible for the bitterness, aroma, and shelf life of beer. Hops have also been used as a folk medicine for a long time and are known to have effects such as sedative, diuretic, anti-hair loss, and anti-allergic properties. Hops contain a variety of components involved in the above-mentioned actions, and the functional effects derived from hop-containing components are being studied and utilized in the fields of medicine, food, cosmetics, etc. For example, Patent Document 1 (JP 2003-183171 A) proposes a composition for sleep disorders containing hops, Patent Document 2 (JP 2003-238383 A) proposes a skin formulation containing hops, and Patent Document 3 (JP 2016-147917 A) proposes an autonomic nervous system regulator containing hops.

[0003] Hops have a very strong bitter taste, making it difficult to use them as they are in oral pharmaceuticals or foods. Patent Document 4 (Japanese Patent No. 5980687) and Non-Patent Document 1 report that hops are oxidized (aged) to convert the bitter acids (iso-α acids, α acids, β acids, and other bittering components of hops) into oxidized matured hop bitter acids (MHBAs), and that these hop oxidation reaction products containing matured hop bitter acids have reduced bitterness and possess health functional effects, such as an effect of improving lipid metabolism. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-183171 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-238383 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-147917 [Patent Document 4] Patent No. 5980687 [Non-patent literature]

[0005] [Non-Patent Document 1] Morimoto-Kobayashi, Y., Ohara, K., Ashigai, H. et al. Matured hop extract reduces body fat in healthy overweight humans: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel group study. Nutr J 15, 25 (2015). Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The objective of the present invention is to provide a keratin plug remover containing an extract of hop oxidation products. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The main means for solving the problems of the present invention are as follows. 1. A blackhead remover characterized by containing an extract of hop oxidation products. 2. The extract of hop oxidation reaction products is The keratin plug remover according to 1., characterized in that it contains one or more polyols selected from the group consisting of pentylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, methyl gluceth-10, cyclohexylglycerin, and polyglyceryl-10 (eicosanedioate / tetradecanedioate), and an aqueous polyol solution dissolved in water. 3. The keratin plug remover according to 1. or 2., characterized in that the hop oxidation reaction product contains matured hop-derived bitter acid (MHBA). 4. The keratin plug remover according to any one of 1. to 3., characterized by containing pentylene glycol. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] The keratin plug remover of the present invention has the effect of swelling keratin plugs, and can easily remove keratin plugs that have swelled and protruded from pores. The keratin plug remover of the present invention, which contains an aqueous polyol solution of a hop oxidation reaction product, is highly stable, does not easily produce precipitates, and can be stored for a long period of time. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] Graph showing the height of precipitates in Experiment 2. [Figure 2] Graph showing the height of precipitates in Experiment 3. [Figure 3] Graph showing the height of precipitates in Experiment 4. [Figure 4] Graph showing the amount of keratin swelling in Examples 1 and 2 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The present invention relates to a keratinocyte removal agent containing an extract of hop oxidation products.

[0011] Hop oxidation products Hop oxidation reaction products refer to products obtained by oxidizing hops or processed products thereof (hop pellets, etc.). The hop oxidation reaction products of the present invention can be obtained by oxidizing hops by contacting them with oxygen in the air. The oxidation method used in the present invention is not particularly limited, but it is preferable to heat hops in air.

[0012] The heating temperature in the oxidation treatment method of the present invention is not particularly limited, but a preferred upper limit is 100°C, and a more preferred upper limit is 80°C. A heating temperature of 100°C or lower is advantageous in that oxidation proceeds preferentially over isomerization. The preferred lower limit of the heating temperature is 40°C, but oxidation may also be carried out at room temperature or a lower temperature. A more preferred lower limit of the heating temperature is 60°C, and a particularly preferred lower limit of the heating temperature is 65°C. A heating temperature of 60°C or higher is advantageous in that the oxidation reaction proceeds efficiently. The reaction time is also not particularly limited and can be determined appropriately depending on the hop variety and reaction temperature. The oxidation treatment can be carried out, for example, at 60 to 80°C for 8 to 120 hours, with 48 to 120 hours at 60°C and 8 to 24 hours at 80°C being preferred. The form of the hops is not particularly limited as long as they can be exposed to oxygen in the air, but powdered form is preferred to shorten the reaction time. They may also be stored in a high-humidity environment.

[0013] In the present invention, hops (Humulus lupulus L.) may be in any form as long as they contain lupulin, and may be harvested and not yet dried, harvested and dried, compressed, crushed, or processed into pellets, but are preferably in the form of hop pellets. Hop pellets may be commercially available, for example, hop cones compressed into pellets (Type 90 pellets), pellets in which the lupulin portion has been selectively concentrated (Type 45 pellets), or isomerized hop pellets (e.g., Isomerized Pellets (Hopsteiner)).

[0014] Hop varieties include, but are not limited to, Galaxy, Saaz, Cascade, Hallertau Tradition, Bullion, Brewers Gold, Chinook, Cluster, East Kent Golding, Fuggles, Hallertau, Mount Hood, Northern Brewer, and others. Brewer, Perle, Styrian, Target, Tettnanger, Willamette, Hersbrucker, Bravo, Columbus, Herkules, Magnum, Millennium, Nugget, Summit, Tomahawk, Warrior, Zeus, Hallertau From the viewpoint of a stable supply of raw materials, relatively inexpensive bitter varieties are preferable, and specific examples include Bravo, Columbus, Herkules, Magnum, Millennium, Nugget, Summit, Tomahawk, Warrior, and Zeus.

[0015] Hops contain bitter components derived from resins, such as α acids (humulones), β acids (lupulones), and iso-α acids (isohumulones). In the present invention, "α acids (humulones)" is used to include humulone, adhumulone, cohumulone, posthumulone, and prehumulone. In addition, in the present invention, "β acids (lupulones)" is used to include lupulone, adlupulone, colupulone, postlupulone, and prelupulone. Furthermore, in the present invention, "iso-α acids (isohumulones)" is used to include isohumulone, isoadhumulone, isocohumulone, isoposthumulone, isoprehumulone, Rho-isohumulone, Rho-isoadhumulone, Rho-isocohumulone, Rho-isoposthumulone, Rho-isoprehumulone, tetrahydroisohumulone, tetrahydroisoadhumulone, tetrahydroisocohumulone, tetrahydroisoprehumulone, tetrahydroisoposthumulone, hexahydroisohumulone, hexahydroisoadhumulone, hexahydroisocohumulone, hexahydroisoposthumulone, and hexahydroisoprehumulone. Note that iso-α acids exist as cis and trans stereoisomers, and unless otherwise specified, the term "iso-α acids" includes both.

[0016] By subjecting hops or their processed products (such as hop pellets) to oxidation treatment, the content of alpha acids, beta acids, and iso-alpha acids is reduced, and a "hop oxidation reaction product" is obtained in which the content of other components is increased. The hop oxidation reaction product of the present invention preferably contains a high level of matured hop bitter acids (MHBA), which are oxidation products of bitter components such as α acids, β acids, and iso-α acids. MHBA has a significantly lower bitterness than α acids, β acids, iso-α acids, and the like, and possesses health functional effects (Patent Document 4, Biosci. Biotech. Biochem. 2015;79:1684-1694). This makes it advantageous for imparting health functions to hop oxidation reaction products. Suitable examples of components constituting such MHBA include the compounds represented by the following formulae (1a-c) to (8a-c). Therefore, the hop oxidation reaction product of the present invention contains at least one compound selected from the following formulae (1a-c) to (8a-c), and preferably contains two or more or all of the compounds. MHBA can be quantified according to the method described in Test Example 1 of JP 2018-199639 A.

[0017] [ka]

[0018] The hop oxidation reaction product preferably contains "tricyclooxyisohumulones." "Tricyclooxyisohumulones" refers to tricyclooxyisocohumulone A (TCOIcoH A: formula (5a), IUPAC name: (3aS,5aS,7S,8aS)-3,3a-dihydroxy-7-(1-hydroxy-1-methylethyl)-6,6-dimethyl-2-(2-methylpropanoyl)-5a,6,7,8-tetrahydro-3aH,5H-cyclopenta[c]pentalene-1,4-dione), tricyclooxyisohumulone A (TCOIH A: Formula (5b), IUPAC name: (3aS,5aS,7S,8aS)-3,3a-dihydroxy-7-(1-hydroxy-1-methylethyl)-6,6-dimethyl-2-(3-methylbutyryl)-5a,6,7,8-tetrahydro-3aH,5H-cyclopenta[c]pentalene-1,4-dione), tricyclooxyisoadhumulone A(tricyclooxyisoadhumulone A)(TCOIadH A: Formula (5c), IUPAC name: (3aS,5aS,7S,8aS)-3,3a-dihydroxy-7-(1-hydroxy-1-methylethyl)-6,6-dimethyl-2-(2-methylbutanoyl)-5a,6,7,8-tetrahydro-3aH,5H-cyclopenta[c]pentalene-1,4-dione).

[0019] The MHBA content in the hop oxidation reaction product of the present invention, based on the dry mass of the entire hop oxidation reaction product, can be suitably set at a lower limit of 0.1%, 0.5%, or 1% by mass, and at a higher limit of 15%, 20%, 30%, 50%, 70%, 90%, 96%, or 98% by mass. The MHBA content in the hop oxidation reaction product of the present invention is, for example, in the range of 0.1 to 98% by mass, more preferably 0.1 to 90% by mass, even more preferably 0.1 to 70% by mass, even more preferably 0.1 to 30% by mass, and even more preferably 1 to 20% by mass.

[0020] Furthermore, in the hop oxidation reaction product of the present invention, the content of α acids, β acids, and iso-α acids is reduced by subjecting the hops to an oxidation treatment. The range of the bitter component content of the hop oxidation reaction product of the present invention, when converted into the total content of α acids, β acids, and iso-α acids relative to the dry mass of the entire hops, can be preferably 0.01% by mass, 0.02% by mass, 0.05% by mass, or 0.1% by mass, and preferably 0.5% by mass, 1% by mass, 5% by mass, or 10% by mass. The range of the bitter component content of the hop oxidation reaction product of the present invention, as converted into the total content of α acids, β acids, and iso-α acids, is, for example, 0.01 to 5% by mass, preferably 0.05 to 5% by mass, and more preferably 0.1 to 1% by mass. The content of such bitter components can be determined, for example, by converting it into the total content of α acids, β acids, and iso-α acids according to the method described in Test Example 1 of JP 2018-199639 A.

[0021] Furthermore, from the viewpoint of achieving both reduced bitterness and imparting health benefits, the content of MHBA in the hop oxidation reaction product is preferably equal to or greater than the bitter components (total amount of α acids, β acids, and iso-α acids), more preferably 4 times or greater, even more preferably 50 times or greater, even more preferably 90 times or greater, and even more preferably 100 times or greater.

[0022] Hop oxidation reaction products are used as extracts using solvents including water and various organic solvents, or as extracts obtained by supercritical extraction using supercritical carbon dioxide or the like. Solvent extracts are liquids in which useful components derived from hop oxidation reaction products are dissolved, and are preferred because they are easy to handle, have excellent permeability, and have a reduced odor. The temperature for solvent extraction is not particularly limited, but is preferably 60°C or less from the perspective of odor removal, and more preferably 50 to 60°C in consideration of extraction efficiency. Examples of organic solvents include lower alcohols having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, such as methanol, ethanol, propanol, and butanol; lower alkyl esters, such as ethyl acetate; glycols, such as ethylene glycol, butylene glycol, propylene glycol, and glycerin; polar solvents, such as acetone and acetic acid; hydrocarbons, such as benzene and hexane; and nonpolar solvents, such as ethers, such as ethyl ether and petroleum ether. Because the keratin plug remover is intended for application to the skin, it is preferably an aqueous medium, more preferably contains water, and even more preferably is water. In other words, in the present invention, the extract of a hop oxidation reaction product is preferably a water extract.

[0023] Aqueous extract of hop oxidation products The aqueous extract of a hop oxidation reaction product of the present invention is an extract obtained by subjecting the above-described hop oxidation reaction product to extraction with water. The extraction method is not particularly limited, and for example, the method described in Non-Patent Document 1 (Nutr J. 2016;15:25.) can be used. Extraction with water can reduce the unpleasant odor of the hop oxidation reaction product. The extraction temperature is not particularly limited, but is preferably 60°C or less from the viewpoint of odor removal, and more preferably 50 to 60°C in consideration of extraction efficiency.

[0024] In the present invention, the aqueous extract of hop oxidation reaction products can be used as a dried solid, a concentrated liquid, or an aqueous extract as is, but it is preferable to use the aqueous extract as is from the viewpoint of ease of handling. In addition to the drying or concentration described above, heat sterilization or the like can also be performed. Specifically, boiling, degassing under reduced pressure, concentration under reduced pressure, spray drying, freeze drying, high-temperature short-time heat treatment, high-temperature short-time sterilization, or a combination thereof can also be used. The aqueous extract of a hop oxidation reaction product is a transparent solution at high temperatures immediately after extraction, but typically becomes a suspension when cooled, as dissolved components precipitate. In the present invention, the aqueous extract of a hop oxidation reaction product may remain in the form of a suspension, or may be subjected to filtration, treatment with an adsorbent such as activated carbon or polyvinylpolypyrrolidone (PVPP), a filter aid, a clarifier, or a suspending agent, as necessary. However, because the aqueous polyol solution of the present invention is capable of dissolving much of the insoluble matter in the aqueous extract of a hop oxidation reaction product, it is preferable to use the aqueous extract as a suspension in order to utilize the active ingredients contained in this insoluble matter.

[0025] The aqueous extract of the hop oxidation reaction product contains 1 to 30% by mass of the aqueous extract of the hop oxidation reaction product, and from the viewpoint of functional effects, the content of MHBA is preferably 0.1 to 10% by mass, more preferably 0.5 to 8% by mass, and particularly preferably 1 to 5% by mass. From the viewpoint of ease of handling, the aqueous extract of the hop oxidation reaction product has a Brix value of preferably 5 to 30°Bx, more preferably 10 to 20°Bx.

[0026] Polyol The polyol can be one or more selected from the group consisting of pentylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, methyl gluceth-10, cyclohexylglycerin, and polyglyceryl-10 (eicosanedioate / tetradecanedioate), and two or more can be mixed and used as long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired. Among these, pentylene glycol is preferred due to its solubility in solids, ease of handling, and minimal change in odor. Furthermore, aqueous solvents other than the above polyols can also be included as long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired.

[0027] When pentylene glycol is used as the polyol in the aqueous polyol solution of the present invention, the blending amount of pentylene glycol is preferably 8% by mass or more and 22% by mass or less, and more preferably 8% by mass or more and 20% by mass or less. When the blending amount of pentylene glycol is within this range, the solubility is excellent, the insoluble matter can be reduced, and in some cases, complete dissolution can be achieved.

[0028] In the aqueous polyol solution of the present invention, the ratio of the aqueous extract of the hop oxidation reaction product to the polyol is not particularly limited as long as it does not impair the effects of the present invention. However, when the amount of the aqueous extract of the hop oxidation reaction product is 30 mass% or less, the ratio of the amount of the polyol to the amount of the aqueous extract of the hop oxidation reaction product is preferably 0.1 to 4.5, more preferably 0.2 to 4.0, and even more preferably 0.3 to 3.8.

[0029] ·water In the aqueous polyol solution of the present invention, the ratio of polyol to water is not particularly limited as long as it does not impede the effects of the present invention, but the weight ratio of polyol to water (polyol:water) is preferably within the range of 5:95 to 40:60, more preferably within the range of 10:90 to 30:70, and even more preferably within the range of 10:90 to 25:75.

[0030] Polyol aqueous solution The aqueous polyol solution of a hop oxidation reaction product of the present invention contains both polyol and water as solvents. The insoluble components of the aqueous extract (which may be a suspension) of the hop oxidation reaction product do not dissolve completely in either polyol or water alone. By adding polyol and water to the aqueous extract (which may be a suspension) of the hop oxidation reaction product and heating as necessary, much of the insoluble components in room-temperature water can be dissolved and reduced, and in some cases, completely dissolved. The heating temperature is not particularly limited as long as it is below the boiling point of the aqueous polyol solution used, but is preferably below 100°C. To improve solubility, it is preferable to add the polyol first and then the water. Furthermore, to improve solubility, it is preferable to heat the mixture after adding the polyol and water.

[0031] In the aqueous polyol solution of the present invention, the concentration of the water extract of the hop oxidation reaction product is preferably 3% by mass or less. If the concentration of the water extract of the hop oxidation reaction product exceeds 3% by mass, insoluble matter is likely to remain, and storage stability may decrease, making precipitation more likely to occur over time. The concentration of the water extract of the hop oxidation reaction product is more preferably 2% by mass or less, and even more preferably 1.5% by mass or less. The lower limit of the concentration of the water extract of the hop oxidation reaction product is preferably 0.1% by mass or more, more preferably 0.2% by mass or more, and even more preferably 0.5% by mass or more.

[0032] In the aqueous polyol solution of the present invention, the content of MHBA is, from the viewpoint of functionality, preferably 0.01% by mass or more, more preferably 0.05% by mass or more, and even more preferably 0.1% by mass or more, and is preferably 3.0% by mass or less, more preferably 1.0% by mass or less, and even more preferably 0.5% by mass or less.

[0033] The aqueous polyol solution of the present invention may or may not contain insoluble matter. Insoluble matter in the aqueous polyol solution can be removed by filtration or centrifugation. By removing insoluble matter that serves as a nucleus for aggregation, the aqueous polyol solution of the present invention can be made less susceptible to precipitation over time, thereby improving storage stability. When the aqueous polyol solution of the present invention contains insoluble matter, the proportion of the insoluble matter is preferably 0.3% by mass or less, more preferably 0.2% by mass or less, and even more preferably 0.15% by mass or less, based on the aqueous polyol solution.

[0034] The keratin plug remover of the present invention may be in any form, as long as it contains a hop oxidation reaction product, such as a liquid formulation such as an aqueous solution, emulsion, or suspension, a semisolid formulation such as a gel or cream, or a solid formulation such as a powder, granules, capsule, or solid. The keratin plug remover of the present invention may contain, within the range that does not impair the effects of the present invention, polyhydric alcohols, oils and fats such as vegetable oils, higher fatty acids, higher alcohols, silicones, anionic surfactants, cationic surfactants, amphoteric surfactants, nonionic surfactants, preservatives, thickeners, sequestering agents, polymers such as water-soluble polymers, ultraviolet absorbers, ultraviolet blockers, moisturizers such as hyaluronic acid and amino acids, fragrances, pH adjusters, desiccants, etc. It may also contain other medicinal ingredients or physiologically active ingredients such as vitamins, skin activators, blood circulation promoters, resident flora control agents, active oxygen scavengers, anti-inflammatory agents, whitening agents, disinfectants, etc. [Example]

[0035] The present invention will be described in detail below based on examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples. Aqueous extract of hop oxidation products Matured hop extract (Kirin Holdings Co., Ltd., solids content 11% by mass, MHBA 2.65% by mass)

[0036] Polyol [Table 1]

[0037] "Experiment 1" 1 g of matured hop extract and 2 g of polyol were weighed into a 15 mL centrifuge tube (Sumitomo Bakelite Co., Ltd.) and stirred to dissolve. 7 g of purified water was added to make a total of 10 g, and the mixture was mixed and dissolved to obtain an aqueous polyol solution with a concentration of approximately 1% (mass %) of the water extract of hop oxidation products. A similar procedure was also used, except that purified water was used instead of polyol, to obtain an approximately 1% aqueous solution. The transparency immediately after preparation and the height of the precipitate after standing for 4 days were measured, and the stability was evaluated according to the following criteria. The results are shown in Table 2. Unless otherwise specified in the examples, all operations such as preparation of aqueous polyol solutions and stability evaluation were carried out at room temperature.

[0038] ·Transparency ○: No precipitates were visible and the product was transparent. ×: Precipitates are visible and suspended. ·Stability ○: The height of the precipitate is 2.0 mm or less. △: The height of the precipitate exceeds 2.0 mm and is 3.0 mm or less. ×: The height of the precipitate exceeds 3.0 mm. ·comprehensive evaluation ○: Both the transparency and stability of the supernatant are good. △: Supernatant transparency is ◯, stability is △. ×: Either one or more of the supernatant transparency and stability is ×.

[0039] [Table 2]

[0040] Pentylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, methyl gluceth-10, and cyclohexylglycerin did not dissolve after adding 20% ​​polyol, and the suspension appeared swollen and fluffy, but when water was added to make an approximately 1% polyol aqueous solution, the suspension dissolved to some extent and decreased in size. Of these, pentylene glycol and cyclohexylglycerin in particular produced little precipitate and were highly stable. The mixture of polyglyceryl-10 (eicosanedioic acid / tetradecanedioic acid) and glycerin was dissolved and transparent both after the addition of polyol alone and after the addition of water. There was also little precipitate, and the mixture had excellent stability. Glycerin and diglycerin were soluble in polyol solutions to some extent, but when water was added to make an approximately 1% polyol aqueous solution, precipitates were formed and suspended. The other polyols were poorly soluble in both the polyol and the aqueous polyol solution.

[0041] "Experiment 2" The samples shown in Table 3 below were weighed out into 15 mL centrifuge tubes so that the total amount was 10 g, and the tubes were stirred and dissolved at room temperature. Immediately after preparation, the aqueous polyol solutions were all transparent, and no precipitate was visible. After leaving the tubes for one week, the height of the precipitated solids was measured. The results are shown in Figure 1. [Table 3] It was confirmed that when the pentylene glycol content was 20% by mass, the amount of precipitate was significantly reduced when the matured hop extract content was 30% by mass or less.

[0042] "Experiment 3" Among samples No. 1 to No. 5, No. 3, which contained a high concentration of matured hop extract, was used as the center for the pentylene glycol concentration study. The samples shown in Table 4 below were weighed out into 15 mL centrifuge tubes to a total weight of 10 g and dissolved by stirring at room temperature. The height of the precipitate was measured after four days of standing. The results are shown in Figure 2. [Table 4] Particularly large amounts of precipitates were formed when the pentylene glycol content was 5% by mass and 25% by mass. The height of the precipitates was 6 mm or less when the content was 8% by mass to 22% by mass, and the amount of precipitates was particularly small when the content was 8% by mass to 20% by mass. This suggests that stability is not improved with increasing polyol content, but is excellent within an appropriate range. In addition, the aqueous solution No. 20, which does not contain pentylene glycol, had a clearly suspended supernatant compared to the aqueous polyol solutions Nos. 11 to 19.

[0043] "Experiment 4" A total of 10 g of the No. 5 formulation was weighed into a 15 mL centrifuge tube and dissolved by stirring at room temperature. In addition, a similar mixture of matured hop extract and pentylene glycol was added, heated at 90°C for 1 hour, and then purified water was added. Another mixture was added entirely and then heated at 90°C for 1 hour. Immediately after preparation, both aqueous polyol solutions were transparent, with no visible precipitates. After leaving the mixture at room temperature for one week, the height of the precipitated solid was measured, and the results are shown in Figure 3.

[0044] It was confirmed that the amount of precipitates was significantly reduced by heating after adding polyol and water. When the solution was heated with only the polyol added, a large amount of precipitates were formed upon heating, and the precipitates did not dissolve even when water was further added, resulting in a larger amount of precipitates than when the solution was dissolved at room temperature. Therefore, it was confirmed that when heating is performed during the production of the aqueous polyol solution of the present invention, it is preferable to heat after all the polyol has been added.

[0045] "Experiment 5" "Example 1" 0.5 g of keratin (derived from wool) (manufactured by Tokyo Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.) and 4.5 g of a 10% aqueous solution (suspension) of matured hop extract diluted 10 times with purified water were weighed into a No. 4 screw tube (12 mL capacity), stirred until the keratin was uniformly dispersed, and then allowed to stand at room temperature. Keratin is the main component of keratin plugs. "Example 2" The same procedure as in Example 1 was carried out, except that the aqueous polyol solution No. 5 of Experiment 2 was used instead of the 10% aqueous solution.

[0046] "Comparative Example 1" The same procedure as in Example 1 was carried out except that purified water was used instead of the 10% aqueous solution. "Comparative Example 2" The same procedure as in Example 1 was carried out, except that a mixture of purified water and pentylene glycol (80:20) was used instead of the 10% aqueous solution. The matured hop extract was a water extract with a solid content of 11% by mass, and therefore the solvent compositions of Example 1 and Comparative Example 2, and Example 2 and Comparative Example 1, were approximately the same.

[0047] The height of the keratin was measured after 3 hours, 5 hours, and 19 hours of standing, and the swelling of the keratin was evaluated. The results are shown in Table 5 and Figure 4. [Table 5]

[0048] The swelling height of keratin after 19 hours was approximately 2.3 times (=9.0 / 4.0) that of Comparative Example 1 in Example 1, and approximately 1.7 times (=10.7 / 6.3) that of Comparative Example 2 in Example 2, confirming that the aqueous extract of hop oxidation reaction products (matured hop extract) has the effect of swelling keratin. Comparing Examples 1 and 2, Example 2, which contained pentylene glycol, exhibited superior keratin swelling properties to Example 1. The use of pentylene glycol in Example 2 dissolved the insoluble matter in Example 1, suggesting that the insoluble matter (precipitate) in the aqueous extract of hop oxidation products (mature hop extract) contained a component with excellent keratin swelling properties.

Claims

1. A blackhead remover comprising a water extract of a hop oxidation reaction product and pentylene glycol.

2. The keratin plug remover according to claim 1, characterized in that the hop oxidation reaction product contains mature hop-derived bitter acid (MHBA).

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