Combination of lingonberry, amla, and hibiscus

Abstract

Provided is a combination of lingonberry, amla, and hibiscus.

Description

Lingonberry, Amla and Hibiscus Combination REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This patent application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-193963 (filing date: November 14, 2023) or Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-137885 (original filing date: November 14, 2023), the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present invention relates to a combination of lingonberry, amla and hibiscus.

[0003] From the outside, the skin is composed of the stratum corneum, epidermis, basement membrane, and dermis. The dermis is the largest of these, and is not as densely packed with cells as the epidermis. Rather, there is a large amount of extracellular space, which is filled with a meshwork of macromolecules called the "extracellular matrix." This extracellular matrix is ​​produced by fibroblasts in the dermis and is composed of polysaccharides called acidic mucopolysaccharides, such as hyaluronic acid and dermatan sulfate, and fibrous proteins, such as collagen and elastin. The extracellular matrix is ​​directly involved in skin elasticity, firmness, moisture, metabolism, etc. Slowing production of the extracellular matrix by fibroblasts, etc., leads to a loss of skin elasticity and moisture, making skin more susceptible to wrinkles, fine lines, and rough skin, contributing to skin aging.

[0004] The above-mentioned fibrous proteins are mainly composed of collagen, with type I collagen accounting for 80% of the total. In addition to type I collagen, types III, V, XII, and XIV collagen are known to exist. One of the causes of wrinkles and sagging seen in aging skin is the thinning of skin tissue with age. In aging skin, collagen fibers, the main matrix component of the dermis, are significantly reduced, which is likely to be the main cause of reduced skin thickness. Therefore, promoting collagen production and maintaining collagen levels is thought to be effective in preventing and improving wrinkles and sagging. In addition to the above, promoting collagen production is also thought to be effective in improving skin wound healing, etc.

[0005] Various ingredients have been known to have such collagen production-promoting properties, such as N-benzoylglycylglycine (Patent Document 1). However, there is still a need for the development of ingredients and products that have a more effective collagen production-promoting effect.

[0006] JP 2014-055116 A

[0007] The present inventors have discovered a new combination of lingonberry, amla, and hibiscus, and the present invention is based on this discovery.

[0008] Thus, the present invention provides a combination of lingonberry, amla and hibiscus.

[0009] The present invention provides the following: (1) A composition comprising lingonberry, amla, and hibiscus. (2) The composition according to (1) for promoting collagen production. (3) A composition for promoting collagen production comprising lingonberry, the composition being used in combination with amla and hibiscus. (4) A composition for promoting collagen production comprising amla, the composition being used in combination with lingonberry and hibiscus. (5) A composition for promoting collagen production comprising hibiscus, the composition being used in combination with lingonberry and amla. (6) The composition according to any one of (1) to (5) for improving one or more conditions selected from the group consisting of rough skin, skin moisture, crow's feet or fine lines, noticeable nasolabial folds, skin firmness or elasticity, skin softness, and hair luster. (7) The composition according to any one of (1) to (6), which is used so that the CA / CB ratio is 0.2 to 2.5, where CA is the dry weight of lingonberry and CB is the dry weight of amla. (8) The composition according to any one of (1) to (7), which is used so that the CB / CD ratio is 0.15 to 2.5, where CB is the dry weight of amla and CD is the dry weight of hibiscus. (9) The composition according to any one of (1) to (8), which is used so that the CA / CD ratio is 0.1 to 1, where CA is the dry weight of lingonberry and CD is the dry weight of hibiscus. (10) The composition according to any one of (1) to (9), which is an oral composition. (11) Use of a combination of lingonberry, amla, and hibiscus for the manufacture of a medicament for promoting collagen production. (12) Use of a combination of lingonberry, amla, and hibiscus for the manufacture of a medicament for improving one or more selected from the group consisting of rough skin, skin moisture, crow's feet or fine lines, noticeable nasolabial folds, skin firmness or elasticity, skin softness, and hair luster. (13) The use according to (11) or (12), wherein the dry weight of lingonberry is CA and the dry weight of amla is CB, so that the CA / CB ratio is 0.2 to 2.5.(14) The use according to any one of (11) to (13), wherein the dry weight of amla is CB and the dry weight of hibiscus is CD, so that CB / CD is 0.15 to 2.5. (15) The use according to any one of (11) to (14), wherein the dry weight of lingonberry is CA and the dry weight of hibiscus is CD, so that CA / CD is 0.1 to 1. (16) The use according to any one of (11) to (15), wherein the lingonberry, amla, or hibiscus is in the form of an oral composition. (17) Use of a combination of lingonberry, amla, and hibiscus for promoting collagen production. (18) Use of a combination of lingonberry, amla, and hibiscus for improving one or more selected from the group consisting of rough skin, skin moisture, crow's feet or fine lines, noticeable nasolabial folds, skin firmness or elasticity, skin softness, and hair luster. (19) The use according to (17) or (18), wherein the lingonberry is used so that the CA / CB ratio is 0.2 to 2.5, where CA is the dry weight of the lingonberry and CB is the dry weight of the amla. (20) The use according to any one of (17) to (19), wherein the lingonberry is used so that the CB / CD ratio is 0.15 to 2.5, where CB is the dry weight of the amla and CD is the dry weight of the hibiscus. (21) The use according to any one of (17) to (20), wherein the lingonberry is used so that the CA / CD ratio is 0.1 to 1, where CA is the dry weight of the lingonberry and CD is the dry weight of the hibiscus. (22) The use according to any one of (17) to (21), wherein the lingonberry, amla, or hibiscus is in the form of an oral composition. (23) A combination of lingonberry, amla, and hibiscus for promoting collagen production. (24) A combination of lingonberry, amla, and hibiscus for improving one or more selected from the group consisting of rough skin, skin moisture, crow's feet or fine lines, noticeable nasolabial folds, skin firmness or elasticity, skin softness, and hair luster. (25) The combination according to (23) or (24), for use so that the CA / CB ratio is 0.2 to 2.5, where CA is the dry weight of lingonberry and CB is the dry weight of amla.(26) The combination according to any one of (23) to (25), for use in such a manner that CB / CD is 0.15 to 2.5, where CB is the dry weight of amla and CD is the dry weight of hibiscus. (27) The combination according to any one of (23) to (26), for use in such a manner that CA / CD is 0.1 to 1, where CA is the dry weight of lingonberry and CD is the dry weight of hibiscus. (28) The combination according to any one of (23) to (27), wherein lingonberry, amla, or hibiscus is in the form of an oral composition. (29) A method for promoting collagen production in a subject, comprising administering an effective amount of a combination of lingonberry, amla, and hibiscus. (30) A method for improving one or more symptoms selected from the group consisting of rough skin, skin moisture, crow's feet or fine lines, noticeable nasolabial folds, skin firmness or elasticity, skin softness, and hair luster in a subject, comprising administering an effective amount of a combination of lingonberry, amla, and hibiscus. (31) The method according to (29) or (30), wherein the combination is administered so that the CA / CB ratio is 0.2 to 2.5, where CA is the dry weight of lingonberry and CB is the dry weight of amla. (32) The method according to any one of (29) to (31), wherein the combination is administered so that the CB / CD ratio is 0.15 to 2.5, where CB is the dry weight of amla and CD is the dry weight of hibiscus. (33) The method according to any one of (29) to (32), wherein the combination is administered so that the CA / CD ratio is 0.1 to 1, where CA is the dry weight of lingonberry and CD is the dry weight of hibiscus. (34) The method according to any one of (29) to (33), wherein the lingonberry, amla, or hibiscus is in the form of an oral composition.

[0010] According to the present invention, a combination of lingonberry, amla, and hibiscus is provided. The combination of the present invention can effectively promote collagen production.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a graph evaluating the collagen production promoting effect when lingonberry, amla, and hibiscus are applied alone or in combination. FIG. 2 is a graph evaluating the effect of lingonberry, amla, and hibiscus applied alone or in combination on improving rough skin. FIG. 3 is a graph evaluating the effect of lingonberry, amla, and hibiscus applied alone or in combination on improving skin moisture. FIG. 4 is a graph evaluating the effect of lingonberry, amla, and hibiscus applied alone or in combination on improving crow's feet or fine lines. FIG. 5 is a graph evaluating the effect of lingonberry, amla, and hibiscus applied alone or in combination on improving the visibility of nasolabial folds. FIG. 6 is a graph evaluating the effect of lingonberry, amla, and hibiscus applied alone or in combination on improving skin firmness or elasticity. FIG. 7 is a graph evaluating the effect of lingonberry, amla, and hibiscus applied alone or in combination on improving skin softness. FIG. 8 is a graph evaluating the effect of lingonberry, amla, and hibiscus applied alone or in combination on improving hair shine. Specific Description of the Invention

[0012] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a composition comprising lingonberry, amla and hibiscus.

[0013] Another aspect of the present invention provides a collagen production-promoting agent comprising lingonberry for use in combination with amla or a composition comprising amla and hibiscus or a composition comprising hibiscus. Such a collagen production-promoting agent comprising lingonberry may be a composition comprising lingonberry for promoting collagen production.

[0014] Another aspect of the present invention provides a collagen production-promoting agent comprising amla for use in combination with lingonberry or a composition comprising lingonberry and hibiscus or a composition comprising hibiscus. Such a collagen production-promoting agent comprising amla may be a composition comprising amla for promoting collagen production.

[0015] Another aspect of the present invention provides a collagen production-promoting agent comprising hibiscus for use in combination with lingonberry or a composition comprising lingonberry and amla or a composition comprising amla. Such a collagen production-promoting agent comprising hibiscus may be a composition comprising hibiscus for promoting collagen production.

[0016] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a collagen production promoter comprising lingonberry, amla, and hibiscus. Such a collagen production promoter comprising lingonberry, amla, and hibiscus may be a composition comprising lingonberry, amla, and hibiscus for promoting collagen production.

[0017] The collagen in the present invention is not particularly limited, but is preferably type I collagen.

[0018] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an agent for improving one or more skin conditions selected from the group consisting of rough skin, skin moisture, wrinkles or fine lines at the corners of the eyes, the appearance of nasolabial folds, skin firmness or elasticity, skin softness, and hair luster, which comprises lingonberry and is used in combination with amla or a composition comprising amla and hibiscus or a composition comprising hibiscus. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an agent for improving one or more skin conditions selected from the group consisting of rough skin, skin moisture, wrinkles or fine lines at the corners of the eyes, the appearance of nasolabial folds, skin firmness or elasticity, and skin softness, which comprises lingonberry and is used in combination with amla or a composition comprising amla and hibiscus or a composition comprising hibiscus.

[0019] Such an improving agent comprising lingonberry may be a composition comprising lingonberry. Improvement of rough skin, skin moisture, crow's feet or fine lines, noticeable nasolabial folds, skin firmness or elasticity, skin softness, or hair gloss may be achieved by or without promoting collagen production, but is preferably achieved by promoting collagen production.

[0020] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an agent for improving one or more skin conditions selected from the group consisting of rough skin, skin moisture, wrinkles or fine lines at the corners of the eyes, the appearance of nasolabial folds, skin firmness or elasticity, skin softness, and hair luster, which comprises amla and is used in combination with lingonberry or a composition comprising lingonberry and hibiscus or a composition comprising hibiscus. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an agent for improving one or more skin conditions selected from the group consisting of rough skin, skin moisture, wrinkles or fine lines at the corners of the eyes, the appearance of nasolabial folds, skin firmness or elasticity, and skin softness, which comprises amla and is used in combination with lingonberry or a composition comprising lingonberry and hibiscus or a composition comprising hibiscus.

[0021] Such an improving agent comprising amla may be a composition comprising amla. Improvement of rough skin, skin moisture, crow's feet or fine lines, noticeable nasolabial folds, skin firmness or elasticity, skin softness, or hair gloss may be achieved by or without promoting collagen production, but is preferably achieved by promoting collagen production.

[0022] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an agent for improving one or more skin conditions selected from the group consisting of rough skin, skin moisture, wrinkles or fine lines at the corners of the eyes, the appearance of nasolabial folds, skin firmness or elasticity, skin softness, and hair luster, which comprises hibiscus and is used in combination with lingonberry or a composition comprising lingonberry and amla or a composition comprising amla. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an agent for improving one or more skin conditions selected from the group consisting of rough skin, skin moisture, wrinkles or fine lines at the corners of the eyes, the appearance of nasolabial folds, skin firmness or elasticity, and skin softness, which comprises hibiscus and is used in combination with lingonberry or a composition comprising lingonberry and amla or a composition comprising amla.

[0023] Such an improving agent containing hibiscus may be a composition containing hibiscus. Improvement of rough skin, skin moisture, crow's feet or fine lines, noticeable nasolabial folds, skin firmness or elasticity, skin softness, or hair gloss may be achieved by or without promoting collagen production, but is preferably achieved by promoting collagen production.

[0024] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an agent for improving one or more of the following: rough skin, skin moisture, wrinkles or fine lines at the corners of the eyes, the appearance of nasolabial folds, skin firmness or elasticity, skin softness, and hair gloss, the agent comprising lingonberry, amla, and hibiscus. According to a more preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an agent for improving one or more of the following: rough skin, skin moisture, wrinkles or fine lines at the corners of the eyes, the appearance of nasolabial folds, skin firmness or elasticity, and skin softness, the agent comprising lingonberry, amla, and hibiscus.

[0025] Such an improving agent comprising lingonberry, amla, and hibiscus may be a composition comprising lingonberry, amla, and hibiscus. Improvement of rough skin, skin moisture, crow's feet or fine lines, noticeable nasolabial folds, skin firmness or elasticity, skin softness, or hair luster may be achieved by or without promoting collagen production, but is preferably achieved by promoting collagen production.

[0026] Improvement in the present invention includes the condition of a subject that is not equivalent to that of a healthy subject returning to or approaching a condition equivalent to that of a healthy subject, and the condition of a subject that is equivalent to that of a healthy subject being maintained or becoming better than that equivalent to that of a healthy subject.

[0027] In the present invention, the combination of lingonberry, amla, and hibiscus can be applied to, but is not limited to, humans, primates including chimpanzees, pet animals such as dogs and cats, livestock animals such as cows, horses, sheep, and goats, and mammals such as rodents such as mice and rats. The combination of lingonberry, amla, and hibiscus can be applied to, but is not limited to, humans.

[0028] The amounts of lingonberry and amla used in the composition of the present invention can be determined appropriately depending on the intended use, but preferably, when the dry weight of lingonberry is CA and the dry weight of amla is CB, the CA / CB ratio is 0.2 to 2.5, and more preferably 0.5 to 1.5.

[0029] The amounts of amla and hibiscus used in the composition of the present invention can be appropriately determined depending on the intended use. Preferably, when the dry weight of amla is CB and the dry weight of hibiscus is CD, the CB / CD ratio is 0.15 to 2.5, more preferably 0.25 to 0.8.

[0030] The amounts of lingonberry and hibiscus used in the composition of the present invention can be determined appropriately depending on the intended use, but preferably, where CA is the dry weight of lingonberry and CD is the dry weight of hibiscus, the CA / CD ratio is 0.1 to 1, and more preferably 0.2 to 0.6.

[0031] The amounts of lingonberry, amla, and hibiscus used in the composition of the present invention can be determined appropriately depending on the application, and the amounts of lingonberry and amla used, the amounts of amla and hibiscus used, and the amounts of lingonberry and hibiscus used specified above may be combined appropriately.

[0032] In the present invention, "lingonberry" refers to Vaccinium vitis-idaea (Chinese name: Yueju), a plant of the Ericaceae family, also known as cowberry. Lingonberries generally grow wild in large numbers in the Arctic Circle of Northern Europe and Canada, and are known to be rich in vitamin C and citric acid. The fruits are eaten raw and are commonly used in processed foods such as juice and jam. In the present invention, ordinary lingonberries can be used.

[0033] In the present invention, examples of parts of lingonberries that can be used include fruits (unripe fruits, ripe fruits, dried fruits), leaves, tuberous roots, flowers, seeds, etc., and preferably fruits are used.

[0034] In the present invention, lingonberries can be used either fresh or dried. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the "lingonberry" is a lingonberry extract prepared using the whole lingonberry or a part of it.

[0035] In the present invention, "amla" refers to Phyllanthus emblica or Emblica officinale (Chinese name: Amla), a plant of the genus Emblica in the family Euphorbiaceae, and is also known as Yukanzi, Yukan, Emma Lok, Malacca tree, Indian gooseberry, etc. In the present invention, ordinary amla can be used.

[0036] In the present invention, the parts of amla that can be used include, for example, fruits (unripe fruits, ripe fruits, dried fruits), leaves, tuberous roots, flowers, seeds, etc., and preferably, fruits. In addition, amla itself (e.g., fresh fruits) may also be used in the present invention.

[0037] In the present invention, amla can be used either fresh or dried. According to one embodiment of the present invention, "amla" refers to an amla extract prepared using the whole or part of amla.

[0038] "Hibiscus" in the present invention refers to Hibiscus sabdariffa or Hibiscus rosa-sinensis (Chinese name: Luo Shen Hua), a plant of the genus Hibiscus in the family Malvaceae, which are also known as roselle and hibiscus rose, respectively. Hibiscus is generally a plant native to Africa, and due to its refreshing acidity, it is used in sauces in French and Italian cuisine, and is also used as an herb. In the present invention, although common hibiscus can be used, roselle is preferably used.

[0039] In the present invention, parts of hibiscus that can be used include, for example, flowers, calyx, buds, fruits, pericarp, seeds, seed coats, stems, leaves, branches, foliage, trunks, bark, roots, rhizomes, and root bark, and preferably, calyx and / or flowers are used.

[0040] In the present invention, hibiscus can be used in any form, whether fresh, dried, or extracted with a solvent. According to one embodiment of the present invention, "hibiscus" refers to a hibiscus extract prepared using the whole or part of the hibiscus.

[0041] The method for producing the lingonberry extract, amla extract, or hibiscus extract of the present invention is not particularly limited and can be carried out according to a method commonly used in the art. For example, the extract may be produced by extracting the raw material lingonberry, amla, or hibiscus. Examples of the extraction method include, but are not limited to, hot water extraction, ultrasonic extraction, filtration, reflux extraction, and solvent extraction. These methods may be carried out alone or in combination of two or more. Furthermore, to obtain a highly pure extract, the extract may be further extracted one or more times using the same method.

[0042] The type of solvent used to produce the lingonberry extract, amla extract, or hibiscus extract of the present invention is not particularly limited, and any solvent known in the art may be used as long as it produces an extract having the desired effect of the present invention. Examples of such solvents include, but are not limited to, water, hexane, ether, ethyl acetate, butanol, acetone, propanol, ethanol, methanol, propylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, etc., and these may be used in combination of two or more.

[0043] When lingonberry (including dried products, extracts, etc.), amla (including dried products, extracts, etc.), or hibiscus (including dried products, extracts, etc.) is commercially available, it may be used as long as it has the intended effect of the present invention.

[0044] The composition of the present invention may be, but is not limited to, any of a pharmaceutical composition, a cosmetic composition, and a food composition. The composition of the present invention is preferably a food composition.

[0045] The composition of the present invention may be either an oral composition or a topical composition. The lingonberry, amla, and hibiscus of the present invention are preferably absorbed from the digestive tract by oral ingestion, and their active ingredients act in the body. Therefore, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the composition of the present invention is an oral composition.

[0046] When the composition of the present invention is used as an oral composition, it can further contain known components (additives) that are incorporated into oral compositions. Such components include, but are not limited to, emulsifiers, hydrating agents, solvents, emollients, stabilizers, thickeners, preservatives, lubricants, chelating agents, fillers, excipients, powders, fragrances, flavorings, absorbents, dyes, opacifiers, antioxidants, preservatives, vitamins, amino acids, nutrients, minerals (electrolytes), flavorings such as synthetic flavorings and natural flavorings, pectinic acid and its salts, alginic acid and its salts, organic acids, pH adjusters, glycerin, alcohol, carbonation agents used in carbonated drinks, etc.

[0047] The oral composition of the present invention may be liquid, semi-solid, or solid.

[0048] When the composition of the present invention is used as a topical composition, it may further contain known ingredients (additives) that are incorporated into topical compositions, including, but not limited to, emulsifiers, hydrating agents, solvents, emollients, stabilizers, thickeners, preservatives, lubricants, chelating agents, fillers, excipients, powders, fragrances, flavorings, absorbents, dyes, opacifiers, antioxidants, vitamins, amino acids, etc.

[0049] The topical compositions of the present invention may be liquid, semi-solid, or solid.

[0050] The present invention will be specifically described based on the following examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples. Contents are expressed in mass % unless otherwise specified.

[0051] Cell culture: Commercially available human neonatal dermal fibroblasts (Cryo NHDF-Neo, Sanko Junyaku) were used. 2 × 10 cells were cultured per well in a commercially available 24-well plate. ５Human neonatal dermal fibroblasts were seeded so that each cell number was 1, and the cells were cultured at 37°C in 5% CO using a commercially available cell culture medium (D-MEM (1 g / L glucose), Wako Pure Chemical Industries) supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum. ２ The cells were cultured in a saturated water vapor atmosphere until confluent. After culturing until confluent, the medium in each well was replaced with drug-supplemented medium prepared as follows: cell culture medium (D-MEM (1 g / L glucose), Wako Pure Chemical Industries) containing hibiscus extract at 0.3 μg / mL dry weight; lingonberry extract at 0.17 μg / mL dry weight and amla extract at 0.6 μg / mL dry weight; or lingonberry extract at 0.08 μg / mL dry weight, amla extract at 0.3 μg / mL dry weight, and hibiscus extract at 0.15 μg / mL dry weight; and the medium was incubated again for 72 hours. Control groups were treated with drug-free cell culture medium (D-MEM (1 g / L glucose), Wako Pure Chemical Industries).

[0052] Drugs applied to cells The drugs used were those listed in Table 1 below.

[0053] After 72 hours of culture, the supernatant of the culture medium in each well was collected, and the concentration of the C-terminal peptide of type I procollagen (hereinafter referred to as "PIP") produced by human neonatal dermal fibroblasts in the collected supernatant was measured by ELISA using a Procollagen Type I C-peptide EIA kit (manufactured by Takara Bio Inc.).

[0054] Measurement of PIP Concentration by ELISA ELISA measurements were performed according to the kit manual. 100 μL of labeled antibody solution was added to each well of the plate, followed by the addition of 20 μL of pre-prepared PIP standard solutions and measurement samples (supernatants) to each well using a micropipette. The reaction was allowed to proceed for 3 hours at 37°C. The measurement samples were added within 5 minutes. After discarding the reaction solution and washing four times with PBS, 100 μL of Substrate Solution (TMBZ) was added to each well and the reaction was allowed to proceed for 15 minutes at room temperature. The reaction was terminated by adding 100 μL of Stop Solution to each well in the order in which the Substrate Solution (TMBZ) was added, followed by thorough mixing. Distilled water was used as a control for zero adjustment, and absorbance was measured at 450 nm. The color development was stable for up to 1 hour after the reaction was stopped. A standard curve was created by plotting the concentration of each PIP standard solution on the horizontal axis and the corresponding absorbance on the vertical axis, and the PIP concentration value corresponding to the absorbance of the measurement sample was used as the measurement result. The measurement results were corrected by the cell number in each well obtained by Alamar Blue measurement to obtain the value of collagen production.

[0055] Statistical analysis was performed using the Tukey-Kramer method as a multiple comparison test to determine whether or not a significant improvement was observed compared to the comparison group. * was used when p<0.05.

[0056] The results of evaluating collagen production in human neonatal dermal fibroblasts are shown in Figure 1. The group receiving hibiscus alone, the group receiving a combination of lingonberry and amla, and the group receiving a combination of lingonberry, amla, and hibiscus all showed significant collagen production promotion compared to the control group. Furthermore, the group receiving a combination of hibiscus, lingonberry, and amla showed significant collagen production promotion compared to both the control group and the group receiving hibiscus alone, and tended to promote collagen production even more than the group receiving a combination of lingonberry and amla.

[0057] Evaluation of the Effects of Lingonberry, Amla, and Hibiscus on Human Skin Conditions, etc. A panel conducted a continuous use test to confirm the effects of the present invention through the following test. Four types of test samples (tablets) were prepared and the panelists were divided into groups A to D. The panelists consisted of 15 people in group A (placebo group), 15 people in group B (72 mg (dry weight) of hibiscus extract / day), 15 people in group C (25 mg (dry weight) of lingonberry extract + 30 mg (dry weight) of amla extract / day), and 15 people in group D (12.5 mg (dry weight) of lingonberry extract + 15 mg (dry weight) of amla extract + 36 mg (dry weight) of hibiscus extract / day). The panelists were healthy Japanese women aged 35 to 50, excluding those who met one or more of the conditions listed in Table 2 below.

[0058] Each panelist orally took one test sample (tablet) per day with water or lukewarm water before going to bed for 28 days. The tablets contained the lingonberry extract shown in Table 2 as the lingonberry, the amla extract shown in Table 2 as the amla, and the hibiscus extract shown in Table 2 as the hibiscus.

[0059] Questionnaire Evaluation (Test Method) A questionnaire survey was conducted on items relating to the condition of the human skin, etc. before the start of the continuous use test and 1, 3, 7, 14, 21 and 28 days after the start of the continuous use test.

[0060] The questionnaire was evaluated using VAS (visual analogue scale), which is a commonly used evaluation scale. That is, on each survey day, each subject was given a sheet of paper on which a 10 cm horizontal line had been drawn. The left end of the line was designated the "worst condition" and the right end was designated the "best condition." The subject was asked to mark a point on the line to indicate the degree of feeling that they felt, and the distance moved to the right (or left) from the starting position of the test was used as a scale value for evaluation. The results for "skin roughness" are shown in Figure 2, the results for "skin moisture" in Figure 3, the results for "crow's feet or fine lines" in Figure 4, the results for "prominence of nasolabial folds" in Figure 5, the results for "skin firmness or elasticity" in Figure 6, the results for "skin softness" in Figure 7, and the results for "hair gloss" in Figure 8. In Figures 2 to 8, P indicates the evaluation results for Group A (placebo), H indicates the evaluation results for Group B (hibiscus), L+A indicates the evaluation results for Group C (lingonberry + amla), and H+L+A indicates the evaluation results for Group D (lingonberry + amla + hibiscus).

[0061] 2 to 8 show that Group D (lingonberry + amla + hibiscus) has an effect of improving rough skin, skin moisture, wrinkles or fine lines at the corners of the eyes, the appearance of nasolabial folds, skin firmness or elasticity, skin softness, and hair gloss, compared to Group A (placebo), Group B (hibiscus), and Group C (lingonberry + amla). Furthermore, such an effect of Group D (lingonberry + amla + hibiscus) was greater than the simple sum of the effects of Group B (hibiscus) and Group C (lingonberry + amla), demonstrating that the combination of lingonberry, amla, and hibiscus has a synergistic effect on improving rough skin, skin moisture, wrinkles or fine lines at the corners of the eyes, the appearance of nasolabial folds, skin firmness or elasticity, skin softness, and hair gloss.

Claims

1. A composition comprising lingonberry, amla and hibiscus.

2. The composition according to claim 1 for promoting collagen production.

3. A composition for promoting collagen production comprising lingonberry, for use in combination with amla and hibiscus.

4. A composition for promoting collagen production comprising amla, for use in combination with lingonberry and hibiscus.

5. A composition for promoting collagen production comprising hibiscus for use in combination with lingonberry and amla.

6. The composition according to any one of claims 1 to 5 for improving one or more selected from the group consisting of rough skin, skin moisture, crow's feet or fine lines, noticeable nasolabial folds, skin firmness or elasticity, skin softness, and hair shine.

7. The composition according to any one of claims 1 to 5, for use in such a way that the CA / CB is 0.2 to 2.5, where CA is the dry weight of lingonberry and CB is the dry weight of amla.

8. A composition according to any one of claims 1 to 5 for use in such a way that CB / CD is 0.15 to 2.5, where CB is the dry weight of amla and CD is the dry weight of hibiscus.

9. The composition according to any one of claims 1 to 5, for use such that the CA / CD is 0.1 to 1, where CA is the dry weight of lingonberry and CD is the dry weight of hibiscus.

10. A composition according to any one of claims 1 to 5 for use such that CA / CB is 0.2 to 2.5 and CB / CD is 0.15 to 2.5, where CA is the dry weight of lingonberry, CB is the dry weight of amla and CD is the dry weight of hibiscus.

11. The composition according to any one of claims 1 to 5, which is an oral composition.

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