3-Hydroxypropyl Ester Antimicrobials for Low-Irritation Odor Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing antimicrobial agents in personal care, pharmaceutical, and household products can induce undesirable side effects and often fail to effectively inhibit the growth of microorganisms, particularly those involved in human sweat odor and skin infections, while traditional approaches overlook the natural diversity of the human skin microbiome.
Innovation Solution
The use of 3-hydroxypropylesters, specifically 3-hydroxypropyldecanoate and 3-hydroxypropyldodecanoate, as active ingredients to inhibit or prevent the growth of various microorganisms, including those causing sweat odor, in personal care, pharmaceutical, and household products, at low concentrations, and as deodorant actives.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If common antimicrobial agents (parabens, formaldehyde releasers, isothiazolinones, triclosan, phenoxyethanol, benzyl alcohol) are used to protect products from microbial growth, then product preservation and consumer safety are improved, but skin irritation and allergic reactions occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters by using 3-hydroxypropylesters with specific molecular structures (formula I where R is C1-C3 alkyl or C1-C3 hydroxyalkyl) instead of conventional antimicrobials. These esters have different physicochemical properties that provide effective microbial protection while being gentler on skin, thus resolving the contradiction between preservation reliability and skin irritation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite ester structures combining 3-hydroxypropyl groups with various fatty acid chains (caprylate, caprate, undecylenate, etc.). This composite approach creates molecules that integrate both antimicrobial efficacy and skin compatibility, achieving reliable product preservation without the harsh side effects of single-agent conventional antimicrobials
2Productivity
If traditional antimicrobial screening methods are used, then development cost and time are reduced through high-throughput laboratory screenings, but effectiveness against diverse skin microbiome pathogens is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by pre-selecting and optimizing specific 3-hydroxypropylester structures before market deployment. The inventors conducted extensive in vitro and in vivo studies beforehand to identify esters with proven effectiveness against diverse pathogens including P. acnes, S. aureus, and Malassezia species, ensuring both development efficiency and reliable antimicrobial performance
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the screening parameters by focusing on specific molecular characteristics of 3-hydroxypropylesters (chain length, hydroxyl group position, ester bond configuration) rather than using generic high-throughput screening. This targeted parameter optimization enables efficient identification of effective compounds while ensuring broad-spectrum activity against skin microbiome pathogens
3Reliability
If high concentrations of antimicrobial agents are used to ensure strong antimicrobial activity, then microbial growth inhibition is improved, but skin safety and consumer comfort deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves strong antimicrobial activity at low concentrations by optimizing the molecular parameters of 3-hydroxypropylesters. The specific structure (formula I with C1-C3 alkyl or hydroxyalkyl groups) provides enhanced microbial cell membrane disruption efficiency, allowing effective inhibition of pathogens like P. acnes and S. aureus at concentrations that do not compromise skin safety
Solution Approach 2:
The 3-hydroxypropylester molecules act as intermediaries that bridge the gap between antimicrobial efficacy and skin safety. Their amphiphilic structure (hydrophilic 3-hydroxypropyl head and lipophilic fatty acid tail) allows them to effectively interact with and disrupt microbial membranes while being compatible with skin physiology, thus achieving strong activity at low, safe concentrations
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention primarily relates to use of a compound of formula (I) as defined herein as an active ingredient. Moreover, it relates to methods for inhibiting or preventing the growth of one or more microorganisms and to a method for inhibiting or reducing the conversion of sweat components to odorous compounds. It also relates to a compound of formula (I) as defined herein for use in the treatment of inflammation, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, atopic dermatitis, bacterial vaginosis, tinea pedis, dermatitis exfoliativa neonatorum, impetigo contagiosa, furuncles and carbuncles, folliculitis, impetigo, and/or erysipelas, and for use as an antimicrobial agent, to a mixture comprising one or both compound(s) of formula (I) as defined herein, and to a mixture comprising one or both compound(s) of formula (I) as defined herein and one or more further antimicrobial agent(s). Finally, it relates to a deodorant, rinse-off product, and leave-on product as defined herein.