3405 results about "Melanin" patented technology

The present invention is generally directed to dermatological devices and methods in which one or more skin characteristics, such as the melanin index, are determined by analyzing radiation backscattered from a skin region illuminated by at least one, and preferably, two or more wavelengths, e.g., in a range of about 600 nm to about 900 nm. In many embodiments, the radiation is coupled to the skin via a waveguide, and an optical sensor is employed to ascertain contact between the waveguide (e.g., a waveguide surface adapted for contact with the skin) and the skin.

A photoacoustic probe for port wine stain (PWS), burn and melanin depth measurements is comprised of optical fibers for laser light delivery and a piezoelectric element for acoustic detection. The probe induced and measured photoacoustic waves in acryl amide tissue phantoms and PWS skin in vivo. Acoustic waves were denoised using spline wavelet transforms, then deconvolved with the impulse response of the probe to yield initial subsurface pressure distributions in phantoms and skin. The waves were then analyzed for epidermal melanin concentration, using a photoacoustic melanin index (PAMI) related to the amount of laser energy absorbed by melanin. Propagation time of the photoacoustic wave was used to determine the depth of blood perfusion underlying necrotic, burned tissue. Thus, the photoacoustic probe can be used for determining PWS, burn and melanin depth for most patients receiving laser therapy.

The present invention concerns a composition for retarding skin aging which contains an edible herb medicine or medicines round in Taiwan, in particular a plant extract or extracts having melanine formation-unhibiting, elastase-inhibiting, hyaluronidase-inhibiting, active oxygen-eliminating and/or radical-capturing type antioxidant activities, and a medicinally acceptable base and/or additives for external dermal application. The composition is useful in promoting skin whitening effects, maintaining the tension and elasticity of the skin, facilitating skin moistening and providing the skin with anti-inflammatory and/or anti-allergic properties.

The invention discloses whitening and freckle-removing cream and a preparation method thereof. The whitening and freckle-removing cream comprises water, butanediol, caprylic/capric triglyceride, isohexadecane, glycerol, cyclopentasiloxane, butyrspermum parkii butter, trehalose, cetearyl olivate, sorbitan olivate, cetearyl alcohol, cetearyl glucoside, magnolia sieboldii extract, citrus peel extract, hydrogenated lecithin, phytosterol, bisabolol, tocopheryl acetate, glycyrrhiza glabra root extract, thymus serpyllum extract, panthenol, sodium hyaluronate and the like. The whitening and freckle-removing cream disclosed by the invention can be used for inhibiting tautomerase activity of tyrosinase and dopachrome and hindering polymerization of DHI; the formation of melanin in a body is inhibited, the regeneration capability of pigment cells is improved, the pigment deposition is reduced and pigment cell detachment is promoted; the self-immunity of the cells is enhanced, and the skin elasticity and a metabolism function are improved; and the self-protection capability of skins is improved and the safe whitening and freckle-removing effects are realized.

Methods and apparatus are described that provide the ability to estimate the diffuse reflection component of an image of tissue such as skin captured without cross-polarization. It is thereby possible to estimate skin pigmentation information from an image of skin captured conventionally, such as, for example, a total reflection image, obtained in a conventional manner by shining white light on the skin and capturing the reflected light. The image may also be a partially diffuse reflection image, such as a low quality cross-polarized image. The diffuse reflection component of a captured image can then be further processed to obtain Red and Brown pigmentation images, useful for indicating the distribution of hemoglobin and melanin, the primary chromophores of skin. Additionally, a standard captured image of skin can be analyzed to obtain an estimate of the surface reflection component of the reflected light. The surface reflection component can then be used to generate a surface reflection image, useful for showing the distribution of light on the skin and to highlight superficial features such as wrinkles, fine lines, folds, pores, texture, and visible spots.

A multispectral nevoscope that uses specific wavelengths in the visible and infrared spectrum of electromagnetic radiation to transilluminate a skin-lesion or a biological tissue or specimen for imaging and maps multispectral 2-dimensional images into 3-dimensional virtual space for providing 3-D distributions of pre-defined parameters representing the characteristic properties (such as melanin, hemoglobin and deoxyhemoglobin, etc.) of a skin lesion. Methods are disclosed for analyzing and using the characteristic distributions of specific parameters for detection and management of skin-cancers, or characterization of a biological tissue or specimen.

The multi-aperture system of the present invention provides a retinal oximetry apparatus for determining the level of oxygen saturation in retinal vessels using a lenslet array comprising at least seven lenses for the simultaneous measurement of reflected light with at least three wavelengths and at least four polarization states. The multi-aperture system of the present invention further provides an apparatus for determining the level of oxygen saturation in retinal vessels using a lenslet array comprising at least ten lenses for the simultaneous measurement of reflected light with at least three wavelengths for oxygen measurement, at least three wavelengths for melanin content, and at least four polarization states. Methods of operating the same are also provided.

The invention discloses a skin whitening composition which comprises a white mulberry root-bark extract, a chamomile extract, a rhodiola rosea extract, a grape seed extract, a licorice extract, a morus australis extract, arbutin, kojic acid dipalmitate, nicotinamide, tetrahydrodiferuloylmethane, a moisturizer and a preservative. The effective skin whitening ingredients of the skin whitening composition can inhibit the activity of tyrosinase, can block the transportation of melanin and can inhibit the formation of melanin; the skin whitening composition can be applied to skin whitening cosmetics and is safe and effective.

The invention discloses whitening and freckle-removing cream. The cream is mainly prepared from glycerin, ethylhexyl palmitate, caprylic/capric triglyceride, isononyl isononanoate, polydimethylsiloxane, 1,2-pentanediol, butyrospermum parkii butter, 1,2-hexanediol, caprylyl glycol, cetostearyl alcohol, carbomer, xanthan gum, nicotinamide, arginine, rosa damascena flower oil, citrus medica L. extract, cucumis sativus fruit extract, bearberry leaf extract, rose extract, sodium hyaluronate, methyl glucose sesqui-stearate, PEG-20 methyl glucose sesqui-stearate, glyceryl stearate, phenoxyethanol and water. A natural cosmetic is prepared from whitening components of natural plants and directly acts on the facial skin, so that the effective ingredients permeate into the basal layer of the skin to reduce and decompose existing melanin, activate cells and diminish facial freckles; and the natural cosmetic is reasonable in compatibility, so that the skin is whitened and moistened and has delicate sheen.

A method of determining a measure of a tissue state (e.g., glycation end-product or disease state) in an individual is disclosed. A portion of the skin of the individual is illuminated with excitation light, then light emitted by the tissue due to fluorescence of a chemical with the tissue responsive to the excitation light is detected. The detected light can be combined with a model relating fluorescence with a measure of tissue state to determine a tissue state. The invention can illuminate the skin and detect responsive light over a time that spans a plurality of cardiac cycles of the individual, which can, as an example, help mitigate the effects of time-varying signals such as those due to hemoglobin. The invention can also determine the amount of light to be directed to the skin, for example by controlling the time that a light source is energized. The amount of illumination light can be determined from a skin reflectance characteristic such as pigmentation or melanin in the skin. Controlling the amount of light directed to the tissue can reduce the dynamic range required of a corresponding optical system, for example by allowing a single system to accurately measure individuals with very light skin and individuals with very dark skin.

A melanin-concentrating hormone antagonist which comprises a compound of the formula:

wherein Ar¹ is a cyclic group which may have substituents;

• X is a spacer having a main chain of 1 to 6 atoms;
• Y is a bond or a spacer having a main chain of 1 to 6 atoms;
• Ar is a monocyclic aromatic ring which may be condensed with a 4 to 8 membered non-aromatic ring, and may have further substituents;
• R¹ and R² are independently hydrogen atom or a hydrocarbon group which may have substituents; R¹ and R², together with the adjacent nitrogen atom, may form a nitrogen-containing hetero ring which may have substituents; R² may form a spiro ring together with Ar; or R², together with the adjacent nitrogen atom and Y, may form a nitrogen-containing hetero ring which may have substituents; or a salt thereof;
• which is useful as an agent for preventing or treating obesity, etc.

This invention provides melanin nanoshells and their use for protection against radiation, particularly ionizing radiation, and electronic pulses, and methods of making materials comprising melanin nanoshells.

Composition and methods of using melanin, or melanin-promoting compounds, for inhibiting angiogenesis to treat angiogenesis-dependent diseases, such as macular degeneration and cancer.

The invention discloses a whitening composition and a skin care product with the same. The whitening composition and the skin care product contain glycyrrhiza glabra extracts, arbutin and 3-o-ethyl ascorbic acid, and preferably contain nonapeptide-1, nicotinamide, ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate or composition of the nonapeptide-1, the nicotinamide and the ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate. Through mechanism analysis, the composition has the advantages that possibly due to the mutual action and influence among various ingredients, the generation of melanin is inhibited through inhibiting the activity of tyrosinase; the migration of melanocytes to the skin is retarded; in addition, the plant and microbial peptide sourced whitening ingredients and various antiallergic ingredients are selected to be combined to obtain the safe and mild whitening effect.

An extract from leaves of mulberry is disclosed. The extract has an IC₅₀ value sufficient to inhibit α-glucosidase I. The extract may comprise 5-40% (w/w) total imino sugars and 20-70% (w/w) total amino acids. The extract may reduce the production of melanin for the treatment of such ailments or diseases caused by pigmentation as freckle, chloasma, striae gravidarum, sensile plaque and melanoma. The extract may also control blood glucose level.

A melanin preparation as an immunostimulatory agent from at least one of the following botanicals: Echinacea, American ginseng, black walnut, green tea, Parthenium integrifolium, Korean ginseng, alfalfa sprouts, ginger, goldenseal, red clover, dandelion, black cohosh, licorice, chamomile, milk thistle, alfalfa, horsetail, astragalus, gotu kola, feverfew, valerian, hawthorn, rosemary, saw palmetto, ephedra, pau d'arco, ginkgo, garlic, St. John's wort, Agaricus bisporus (common mushroom), Agaricus bisporus brown strain (portabella mushroom), Lentinus edodes (shiitake mushroom) or Boletus edulis (porcini mushroom). Also disclosed is methods of treating a subject requiring immune mediation comprising administering to said subject a therapeutically effective amount of a melanin preparation from any one of the following botanicals: Echinacea, American ginseng, black walnut, green tea, Parthenium integrifolium, Korean ginseng, alfalfa sprouts, ginger, goldenseal, red clover, dandelion, black cohosh, licorice, chamomile, milk thistle, alfalfa, horsetail, astragalus, gotu kola, feverfew, valerian, hawthorn, rosemary, saw palmetto, ephedra, pau d'arco, ginkgo, garlic, St. John's wort, Agaricus bisporus (common mushroom), Agaricus bisporus brown strain (portabella mushroom), Lentinus edodes (shiitake mushroom), Boletus edulis (porcini mushroom).

The present invention is directed to inhibitors of tyrosinase, pharmaceutical compositions comprising such tyrosinase inhibitors, and methods of making and using the same. Specifically, included in the present invention are compositions of matter comprised of at least one 2,4-dihydroxybenzene analog, which inhibit the activity of tyrosinase and which inhibit the overproduction of melanin.

The invention provides a method and system for measuring skin physiology parameters and optical property parameters based on reflective spectral measurement. The measuring system is composed of measuring equipment for a skin reflection spectrum and a computation and display device. By utilizing an analysis method of combining experimental data with the Monte Carlo simulation, the measuring system provides more accurate corresponding data of reflection light intensity and skin optical property; during the practical measurement of sample skin, on the basis of a practically measured reflection spectrum, the data and more physiology parameters are calculated and fit to obtain the skin physiology parameters and the optical property parameters based on reflective spectral measurement; finally, the optical property parameters of the skin adsorption coefficient mu a, a reduction scattering coefficient mu s' and the like as well as physiological information, such as melanin content, deoxygenated haemoglobin content, oxygenated haemoglobin content, moisture content and the like are also measured are measured in real time in a non-invasive and lossless mode.

The process of preparing melanin of squid ink includes the following steps: taking squid ink, washing with distilled water, filtering with filtering cloth to eliminate impurity, regulating pH value with alkali solution to 5.0-10.0, adding enzyme and hydrolyzing at 35-70 deg.c via stirring for 12-24 hr, heating to 90-100 deg.c to terminal reaction, regulating pH value to 1.0-5.0 with acid, centrifuging at 3000-5000xg and in room temperature to collect precipitate, washing the precipitate with distilled water, centrifuging and vacuum drying. The process has product purity of 30-99 % and extraction rate of 6-19.9 %. The present invention has the advantages of rich material source, high melanin content, simple preparation process, no environmental pollution, etc. The melanin product may be used in preparing health product or medicine for resisting oxidation, regulating immunity, promoting hematopoiesis or lowering blood fat.

A method for the modification of melanin distribution, and the composition thereof to modify melanin distribution are disclosed. A method for the reduction of melanin distribution, and the composition thereof to reduce melanin distribution are disclosed. A representative composition comprises 4-ethoxybenzaldehyde and one or more additional active agents as well as a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or excipient. Carriers and excipients may be formulated for topical administration. Compositions may also be formulated for transdermal administration. The compositions may be used for the prevention and treatment of pigmentation disorders, by way of non-limited example, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation and others. The compositions may be used for lightening skin.