Vegetable substitute for lanolin

This application is a continuation-in-part of copending application Ser. No. 10/393,149 filed on Mar. 20, 2003, and claims priority of Ser. No. 60/373,973 filed on Apr. 19, 2002.

This invention relates to a vegetable substitute for lanolin.

Lanolin is a product obtained by the purification of degras. Degras is a crude grease obtained by the solvent treatment of wool.

Lanolin is a yellowish to gray semisolid containing 25 to 30% water in its hydrous form, and a brownish-yellow semisolid in its anhydrous form. Lanolin contains cholesterol esters of higher fatty acids.

Lanolin is used as a component of pharmaceuticals, leather finishing compositions, soaps and detergents, face creams, facial tissues, hair-set compositions, suntan preparations, and the like.

This invention relates to lanolin substitute compositions derived from vegetable materials, which are lanolin-free. The lanolin substitute compositions of the invention comprise the following components.

A) from about 5 to about 95% by weight, preferably from 15 to 60% by weight, of a plant sterol fatty acid ester, preferably soya sterol fatty acid esters; B) from about 1 to about 20% by weight, preferably from 5 to 15% by weight, of a polyglyceryl di-polyhydroxy fatty acid ester, preferably di-polyhydroxy stearate; C) from about 1 to about 20% by weight, preferably from 5 to 15% by weight, of a polyglyceryl di-fatty acid ester, preferably diisostearate; D) from about 0.25 to about 10% by weight, preferably from 1 to 5% by weight of a glyceryl fatty acid ester, preferably oleate; and E) optionally, from about 1 to about 80% by weight of an additive containing:

(i) a vegetable oil; (ii) a hydrogenated vegetable oil; and (iii) a non-petroleum derived wax component.

In addition to the above components, the compositions can also optionally contain other compatible components including one or more of the following components: F) a microcrystalline wax; G) a polyethyleneglycol plant sterol, preferably PEG-5 soya sterol; and H) a petrolatum/mineral oil

Other than in the operating examples, or where otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing quantities of ingredients or reaction conditions used herein are to be understood as modified in all instances by the term “about”.

When the lanolin substitute compositions of the invention contain one or more of the above named optional components, the optional components can be present in the following quantities:

E) additive—from about 1 to about 80% by weight, preferably from about 15 to 70% by weight, and most preferably from about 35 to 60% by weight; F) microcrystalline wax—up to about 20% by weight, preferably from about 1 to 20% by weight, and more preferably from about 5 to 15% by weight. G) polyethyleneglycol plant sterol—up to about 20% by weight, preferably from about 1 to 20% by weight, and more preferably from about 5 to 15% by weight. H) petrolatum/mineral oil—up to about 60% by weight, preferably from about 1 to 60% by weight, and more preferably from about 20 to 40% by weight.

The percentages of components A) through D) as well as optional components E) through H) can vary according to the performance characteristics desired in the finished product, such as water absorption, iodine value, melting point, and the like.

Component A) can be any plant sterol fatty acid ester in which the fatty acid moiety is derived from a saturated or olefinically unsaturated, straight or branched chain fatty acid containing from 6 to 22 carbon atoms, preferably from 16 to 18 carbon atoms. The preferred sterol is soya sterol, which is a mixture of stigmasterol and sitosterols (dihydrostigmasterols).

Component B) can be any polyglyceryl di-polyhydroxy fatty acid ester in which the fatty acid moieties are independently derived from a polyhydroxy saturated or olefinically unsaturated, straight or branched chain fatty acid containing from 6 to 22 carbon atoms, preferably from 16 to 18 carbon atoms, and most preferably 18 carbon atoms. The polyglyceryl moiety can contain from 2 to 12 glyceryl groups, preferably 2 groups. Each polyhydroxy fatty acid moiety can contain from 2 to 8 hydroxy groups. Preferred compounds are those in which each fatty acid moiety is identical.

Component C) can be any polyglyceryl di-fatty acid ester in which each fatty acid moiety is independently derived from a saturated or unsaturated, straighter branched chain fatty acid containing from 6 to 22 carbon atoms, preferably from 16 to 18 carbon atoms, and most preferably 18 carbon atoms. Preferred compounds are those in which each fatty acid moiety is identical. The polyglyceryl moiety can contain from 2 to 12 glyceryl groups, preferably 3 groups.

Component D) can be any glyceryl fatty acid mono-, di-, or tri-ester in which the fatty acid moiety is independently derived from a saturated or olefinically unsaturated, straight or branched chain fatty acid containing from 6 to 22 carbon atoms, preferably from 16 to 18 carbon atoms, and is most preferably derived from oleic acid.

Component E) is an additive containing a mixture of (i) from about 0.5 to about 95% by weight, preferably from about 10 to about 90% by weight, and most preferably from about 70 to about 90% by weight of a vegetable oil, (ii) from about 0.1 to about 50% by weight, preferably from about 5 to about 20% by weight, and most preferably from about 5 to about 15% by weight of a hydrogenated vegetable oil, and (iii) from about 0.01 to about 30% by weight, preferably from about 0.1 to about 15% by weight, and most preferably from about 1 to about 10% by weight of a non-petroleum derived wax, all weights being based on the total weight of the composition.

Component F) is microcrystalline wax which is a wax that is usually composed of branched-chain paraffins, characterized by a crystalline structure much smaller than that of normal wax.

Component G) is a polyethyleneglycol plant sterol containing from 2 to 10, and preferably 5 ethyleneglycol groups. The plant sterol is preferably soya sterol.

Component H) is a mixture of from 50 to 100% by weight of petrolatum, a petroleum jelly, and from 0 to 50% by weight of white mineral oil, which is a mixture of liquid hydrocarbons.

The compositions of the invention can be prepared by mixing the components together at a temperature of from 50 to 100° C., preferably from 70 to 75° C.

It has also been discovered that compositions comprising polyol esters and petrolatum can be employed as lanolin substitutes. Such compositions contain from 5 to 20% by weight of polyol ester, preferably from 8 to 10% based on the weight of petrolatum.

The above lanolin substitutes can consist of just the above components, or can contain one or more additional components that are compatible therewith, such as one or more of components A) through H) set forth above, in quantities that do not change the lanolin-like characteristics of the components.

The polyol esters can include one or more of sorbitan fatty acid esters and alkyl glycoside esters.

The sorbitan fatty acid esters are esters of C 4 –C 22 , preferably C 6 –C 18 , alkyl or alkenyl fatty acids, which can be straight or branched chain. Examples include, but are not limited to, sorbitan monolaurate, sorbitan monooleate, sorbitan monostearate, sorbitan monopalmitate, and sorbitan tristearate.

The alkyl glycoside esters are C 2 –C 20 alkyl or alkenyl carboxylic acid esters of a reducing saccharide or polysaccharide in which the saccharide contain 5 or 6 carbon atoms, preferably esters of glucoside or a polyglucoside, which also contain an alkyl or alkenyl radical containing from 1 to 20 carbon atoms.

The alkyl glycoside esters have the formula I:

wherein R 1 is a C 1 –C 20 alkyl or alkenyl group, R 2 is a C 3 –C 2 , alkyl or alkenyl group, preferably derived from vegetable fatty acids, a is an integer of from 1 to 4, preferably from 2 to 4, Z is a saccharide residue containing 5 or 6 carbon atoms, preferably 6 carbon atoms, and b is a number of from 1 to 6.

The preferred compound of formula I is methyl glucoside dioleate.

The invention will be illustrated but not limited by the following examples.

The following components listed in Table 1 were mixed together with stirring at a temperature of 70–75° C. until homogeneous:

The following components listed in Table 2 were mixed together with stirring at a temperature of 70–75° C. until homogeneous: