WO1998036759A1

WO1998036759A1 - Pharmaceutical compositions containing colostrum and the use of colostrum for the treatment of hair loss

Info

Publication number: WO1998036759A1
Application number: PCT/EP1998/000903
Authority: WO
Inventors: Luisa Bartorelli
Original assignee: Horse Vitality Ltd.
Priority date: 1997-02-18
Filing date: 1998-02-17
Publication date: 1998-08-27
Also published as: IT1290347B1; AU6720698A; ITMI970339A1

Abstract

Pharmaceutical compositions containing mammalian colostrum, useful for the treatment and prevention of loss of hair.

Description

PHARMACEUTICAL COMPOSITIONS CONTAINING COLOSTRUM AMD THE" USE OF COLOSTRUM FOR THE TREATMENT OF HAIR LOSS.

The present invention concerns pharmaceutical compositions containing mammalian colostrum for the prevention of hair loss. The invention also refers to the use of colostrum for the treatment of hair loss. Hair loss or alopecia is a problem affecting a considerable number of persons, particularly the male population. Hair loss can be transitory, due to causes such as stress, fatigue, diseases (scarlet fever, syphilis, hypopituarism), pharmacological treatment with chemotherapeutics or with high doses of vitamin A, and puerperium. In other cases, the partial or complete hair loss may become permanent.

The most common form of alopecia is that observed in man, (male-pattern), which is often hereditary and is caused by a particular sensitivity of hair follicles to the circulating androgens.

Female alopecia is less common and less permanent; however, hair weakening following aesthetic treatments such as dying, bleaching, conditioning and the like frequently causes a more or less transitory hair loss.

Other forms of alopecia include alopecia aerata, caused by functional or structural impairment of the hair follicles, and scarring alopecia, due to lesions caused by burns, atrophic dermatitis, wounds and the like.

There are presently no effective therapies for male alopecia: the most common treatment is based on the use of minoxidil, an antihypertensive agent which is administered topically in the form of a 3 % hydroalcoholic solution: however, the results are transient and disappear when the treatment is interrupted. Another approach to the problem of male alopecia is the hair transplant, which gives variable results .

Alopecia aerata is also treated with triamcinolone acetonide, which does not always give long-lasting results . The treatment of scarring alopecia consists of the treatment of the etiological agent (dermatitis) etc.

All the previous treatments give variable results, often unsatisfactory and transient.

The present invention aims at overcoming the above mentioned problems, by means of pharmaceutical compositions containing bovine or equine colostrum or colostrum from other mammalian species, but preferably equine colostrum, for the treatment of hair loss.

The present invention refers also to the use of equine or bovine colostrum or of colostrum from other mammalian species, but preferably of equine colostrum, for the preparation of medicaments for both the treatment of hair loss and for stimulating hair re- growth. The clinical tests, carried out on a series of patients affected by:

- male-pattern alopecia;

- alopecia aerata;

- general hair weakening; have shown that the treatment with colostrum exerts a favourable action, by stopping hair loss and stimulating hair re-growth, as well as by strengthening the hair follicles and increasing their activity.

The pharmaceutical compositions of the invention contain .freeze-dried or spray-dried colostrum in liquid or powder forms, but preferably liquid colostrum, in percentages from 10 to 20% by weight.

More particularly, the formulations of the invention comprise gels, lotions, creams, ointments, balsams, shampoos for the maintenance treatment of hair loss.

The formulations of the invention are prepared by means of conventional methods.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, the formulations may contain colostrum mixed with milk. Some examples of the formulations according to the invention are herein below reported.

EXAMPLE 1

Lotion: 100 ml contain:

- liquid colostrum 5 g - jojoba oil 0.6 g

- propylene glycol 25 g

- butyl hydroxyanisole 0.03 g

- triethanolamine q.s. to pH 6-8

- perfume 0.15 g - demineralized water q.s. to 100 ml

EXA P E 2

Shampoo: 100 ml contain:

- colostrum 15 g

- butyl hydroxyanisole 0.025 g - triethanolamine laurylsulfate 30 g

- polyethylene glycol 15 g perrume q.s. demineralized water q.s. to 100 ml.

Claims

1. Pharmaceutical compositions containing colostrum for the -treatment of hair loss.

2 . Pharmaceutical compositions according to claim 1, wherein colostrum is equine or bovine or from other mammalian species.

3. Pharmaceutical composition according to claim 2, wherein colostrum is equine.

4. Pharmaceutical compositions according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in the form of gels, lotions, creams, ointments, shampoos, balsams, containing freeze-dried or spray-dried colostrum in liquid or powder form.

5. Pharmaceutical compositions according to any one of the previous claims, containing from 10 to 20% by weight of colostrum.

6. Pharmaceutical compositions according to any one of the previous claims, also containing milk in powder form.

7. The use of colostrum for the preparation of a medicament for the treatment of hair loss.