Title:  Antioxidants in clusters of structured water

United States Patent:  6,451,328

Issued:  September 17, 2002

Inventors:  Ionita-Manzatu; Vasile (Old Bethpage, NY); Ionita-Manzatu; Mirela (Old Bethpage, NY); Cioca; Gheorghe (Lake Grove, NY); Bevacqua; Andrew J. (East Setauket, NY)

Assignee:  Color Access, Inc. (Melville, NY)

Appl. No.:  632059

Filed:  August 3, 2000

The invention relates to structured water and its antioxidant activity. In addition, the present invention relates to antioxidants incorporated within the cluster structure of either electropositive (S water) or electronegative (I water). The structured water, having the antioxidant within its cluster structure, has a stabilizing effect on the antioxidant. In addition, the antioxidant activity inherent to structured water is enhanced by the presence of the antioxidant within its cluster structure. The present invention also includes methods of removing or reducing free radicals on the skin and thereby preventing the signs of skin aging and the risks of cancer associated with the presence of free radicals in the skin.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

It has now been discovered that structured water possesses antioxidant activity and that an antioxidant agent can be incorporated within its cluster structure providing stability to the antioxidant and enhancing the antioxidant activity of the structured water. As noted above, structured water is known in the art. In particular, I and S waters are derived from feed water which has conductivity, C (.mu.S/cm), of about 250 to 450, and a pH of about 5.0 to 7.5. Interaction of the dipolar molecular structure of tap water with an electrical field simultaneously produces I and S water. The conductivity of I water is characterized by C (.mu.S/cm) of about 500 to 3500, and a pH of about 2.0 to 4.0; and the conductivity of S water is characterized by C (.mu.S/cm) of about 600 to 2500, and a pH of about 10.0 to 12.0.

The present invention includes methods of making structured water having the antioxidant within its cluster structure. The process of making structured water is described for example, in RO 88053 which describes a method for producing "B" or basic (S-type) water, and RO 88054 which discloses a method for making "A" or acid (I-type) water. The content of each of these documents is incorporated herein by reference. One specific method of preparing I and S waters generally is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,846,397 and is incorporated herein by reference.

Feed water used to make the structured water of the present invention comprises an ionic component having certain concentrations of anions and cations. Specifically, the feed water is prepared with an ionic component of extremely small concentrations of cations and anions such as, for example, CaCl₂, MgCl₂, Na₂ SO₄, KH₂ PO₄, and KNO₃. The range of concentrations of ions in the ionic component can be, for example, CaCl₂ in an amount of about 8.00 to 15.00 mg/100 ml of the feed water, MgCl₂ in an amount of about 2.00 to 6.00 mg/100 ml, Na₂ SO₄ in an amount of about 6.00 to 12.00 mg/100 ml, KH₂ PO₄ in an amount of about 0.200 to about 1.000 mg/100 ml, and KNO₃ in an amount of about 0.80 to 1.20 mg/100 ml. Specifically, for example, to make I water and S water, generally, the ion content of the ionic component can be 10.85 mg/100 ml CaCl₂, 4.25 mg/100 ml MgCl₂, 9.25 mg/100 ml Na₂ SO₄, 0.70 mg/100 ml KH₂ PO₄, and 1.05 mg/100 ml KNO₃. These amounts are weighed on an analytical or micro balance sensitive to a number of decimal places greater than 3. To make I water and S water with the antioxidant in their cluster structure, generally, the ion content of the ionic component can be, for example, 10.00 mg/100 ml CaCl₂, 3.75 mg/100 ml MgCl₂, 8.80 mg/100 ml Na₂ SO₄, 0.60 mg/100 ml KH₂ PO₄, and 1.00 mg/100 ml KNO₃.

The structured water making device uses one or several serial structuring cells placed in a chemically inert parallelipipedic column made out of glass or plexiglass, for example. The cells are typically supported on four legs and are enclosed on top by a cover, but other means of support and enclosure can be used. Each structuring cell has a pair of activators and numerous working spaces. The working spaces are generally arranged such that there are two working spaces available to supply feed water, two working spaces each for generating, and for gathering and disposing S water, and two working spaces each for generating, and for gathering and disposing I water. In the space for generating or producing the S water, the polarization and energy needed for binding water molecules, by hydrogen and hydroxyl bridges, in polymolecular aggregates with radicals (R⁺), are present as a result of the electrostatic field being about 60 to 120 V. Similarly, polymolecular aggregates with radicals (R^-) are simultaneously formed to make I water, in the space for producing I water.

The activators are made of two inox stainless (e.g., stainless steel) lamellar electrodes located on each side of, or formed by, two porous membranes which are chemically inert, and therefore, resistant to solutions having a pH between about 2.0 to 14.0. The space between the two porous membranes provides space through which the feed water can pass. The two porous membranes of the activators are held tightly in place by a gasket in the parallelipipedic column. The positive electrode is in the space for gathering and disposing the I water and the negative electrode is in the space for gathering and disposing the S water.

To integrate the antioxidant in the cluster structure of structured water, feed water containing the antioxidant is fed through the parallelipipedic column in a volume, for example, of about 80 to 320 L, at a flow rate of about 100 to 350 L/hour to make structured water having inherent antioxidant activity. The concentration of the antioxidant in the unstructured feed water is about 0.01 mg/100 ml to about 20 mg/100 ml, preferably 1 mg/100 ml to 10 mg/100 ml, and more preferably about 1 mg/100 ml to 5 mg/100 ml.

The concentration of the antioxidant in the feed water, and the concentration of cations and anions in the feed water used to produce the structured water affects the stability of the antioxidant within the cluster structure of structured water. If the amount of antioxidant is too great, the antioxidant will precipitate out of the cluster. When using green tea as the antioxidant, for example, discoloration will occur especially in S water because it is basic.

Structured water contains electronegative and electropositive clusters of water molecules stabilized by ions. Each of these two types of clusters, present in water, is commonly referred to as "I water" and "S water". On the one hand, I water contains electronegative clusters of water molecules stabilized by ions which can be characterized as being R_m⁺ R_k^- (H⁺)_n (H₂ O)₁, where k>>m, and conversely, on the other hand, S water contains electropositive clusters of water molecules stabilized by ions which can be characterized as being R_k^- R_m⁺ H_n^- (OH^-)_p (H₂ O)₁, where k<<m. In each case of I water and S water, R_m⁺ ions mainly include, but are not limited to, Ca⁺, Mg⁺, Na⁺, K⁺ cations, and R_k^- ions mainly include, but are not limited to, Cl^-, H₂ PO₄^-, SO₄^- anions.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the antioxidant agent is integrated within the cluster structures of I water or S water. To prevent the undesired effects experienced when antioxidants lose their activity, the present invention provides protection against destabilizing factors by nestling the antioxidant within the cluster structures of structured water. Specifically, structured water having an antioxidant m its cluster structure is surprisingly stable against pH, temperature, light, and/or oxygen exposure, conditions which typically cause the antioxidant to degrade. The cluster structure of the structured water is very stable. While not wishing to be bound by any particular theory, it is believed that additional ions are introduced into the system of cluster structures by replacing the ion which stabilizes the structure with ions that have the same or similar ionic radius. In addition, when the antioxidant is intrinsic within the cluster structure of structured water, the inherent antioxidant activity of structured water is fortified.

The antioxidant incorporated within the cluster structure of structured water preferably has a large negative electrical charge, large mass, and large ionic radius. These characteristics determine the concentration of antioxidant which can be incorporated in the cluster structure of structured water. Antioxidants that are neutral are also included within the scope of the present invention. The cluster structures of structured water form around the neutral antioxidant, as well as other antioxidants, and in effect hold the antioxidant inside the formed cluster structure. The type of antioxidant incorporated within the network of the cluster structure can be any water soluble antioxidant which is beneficially used in a topical cosmetic or pharmaceutical composition. Examples of suitable antioxidants include, but are not limited to, ginkgo-biloba, beta carotene, green tea, ascorbic acid and derivatives thereof such as for example sodium ascorbyl phosphate and magnesium ascorbyl phosphate, carnosic acid (rosemary), and BHT and BHA. The green tea, as well as other antioxidants, can be in the form of an extract or any other known form of the antioxidant, as well as the active components of extracts, e.g., catechin based flavonoids such as EGCG (epigallcatechin gallate) from green tea, rosemary extract, and the like. The antioxidant has a dipolar molecular structure associated with its electrical charge. The antioxidant of the present invention is preferably one that is labile because one of the surprising benefits of the present invention is the ability to stabilize labile antioxidants when they are present within the cluster structure of structured water.

The structured water of the present invention can also be used to provide antioxidant activity in any topical or non-topical cosmetic or pharmaceutical product in which there is an aqueous component. Structured I or S water, alone or having the antioxidant within its cluster structure, can constitute the entire aqueous component of the composition. When structured water alone is used as the aqueous component in a cosmetic or pharmaceutical composition in antioxidant effective amounts, it is preferably from about 1 to about 99.5% by weight of the composition as a whole, more preferably at levels of from about 20 to 80%, more preferably still from about 40 to 80%. The antioxidant effective amount of structured water having the antioxidant in its cluster structure when used in a cosmetic or pharmaceutical composition can be 0.05 to about 99.50% by weight of the composition as a whole, more preferably about 2 to 40%, and more preferably about 2 to 20%. Further, the structured water, alone or having the antioxidant in its cluster structure, can be a portion of a traditional aqueous component, i.e., it is combined with other non-structured aqueous components, such as distilled water, or floral water. The use of non-structured water with structured water is possible because of the specificity and the stability of structured water.

The structured water alone or the structured water having the antioxidant in its cluster structure can be used as a purely aqueous vehicle, as part of a hydroalcoholic vehicle, or it can be used as part of the aqueous phase of any emulsion such as, for example, a water-in-oil or oil-in-water emulsion to provide antioxidant activity. The form the vehicle takes can be any which is suitable for topical application to the skin, for example, solutions, colloidal dispersions, emulsions, suspensions, creams, lotions, gels, foams, mousses, sprays and the like. For example, it can be used in skin care products, such as cleansers, toners, moisturizers, masks, scrubs, and the like, and it can be used in makeup products, such as lipsticks and glosses, foundations, blushes, eyeliners, eyeshadows and the like. It will also be useful in treatment products, including pharmaceutical products, in which the stability of the antioxidant is particularly crucial.

In another embodiment of the present invention, cosmetic or pharmaceutical compositions contain an antioxidant effective amount of structured water, either I water or S water. Use of the term "antioxidant effective amount" herein means an amount sufficient to prevent the harmful effects of reactive oxygen species comparable with other known antioxidants, such as for example 1% ascorbic acid in combination with deionized water or any other known cosmetic or pharmaceutical vehicle. The intrinsic structural properties of electronegative and electropositive clusters of I water and S water, respectively, while not wishing to be bound to any particular theory, are believed to inactivate free radicals in the skin, and when incorporated in a composition, they are believed to inactivate free radicals in the composition as well.

Other biological active agents can be added to the structured water of the present invention or to the compositions containing the structured water. The biological active agents are simply added after processing the feed water to produce the structured water or are added to compositions containing the structured water. The type of biological active agent added, can be any which is beneficially used in a topical cosmetic or pharmaceutical composition. For example, the structured water can contain within its cluster structure, moisturizing actives, agents used to treat age spots, keratoses and wrinkles, as well as analgesics, anesthetics, anti-acne agents, antibacterials, antiyeast agents, antifungal agents, antiviral agents, antidandruff agents, antidermatitis agents, antipruritic agents, antiemetics, antimotion sickness agents, anti-irritant agents, anti-inflammatory agents, antihyperkeratolytic agents, anti-dry skin agents, antiperspirants, antipsoriatic agents, antiseborrheic agents, hair conditioners and hair treatment agents, antiaging agents, antiwrinkle agents, sunscreen agents, antihistamine agents, skin lightening agents, depigmenting agents, wound-healing agents, vitamins, corticosteroids, self-tanning agents, or hormones.

Claim 1 of 2 Claims

What we claim is:

1. A cosmetic or pharmaceutical composition comprising structured water having at least one water soluble antioxidant agent integrated within at least one cluster structure of said structured water, said structured water comprising a combination of I and S water, wherein I water is characterized by a conductivity of about 500 to 3500, and a pH of about 2.0 to 4.0; S water is characterized by a conductivity of about 600 to 2500, and a pH of about 10.0 to 12.0.

 

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