Carnosic acid is obtained by extracting sage and rosemary with an apolar solvent, contacting the extract with an adsorbent material to separate carnosic acid from apolar compounds of the extract, desorbing the adsorbent with a polar solvent and then evaporating the solvent to obtain a residue containing carnosic acid. The carnosic acid contained in the residue may be purified by crystallizing it from the residue.
A skin care composition contains an antioxidant effective amount of a phenolic diterpene compound of the ferruginol type. The compounds can be dissolved, dispersed or encapsulated in cosmetic solutions, lotions, creams and liposomes to provide skin care products which reduce the accumulation of lipid peroxides and other biological oxidation products in the skin. Such compositions are effective agents against the production of peroxides in the skin resulting from sunlight, heat, radiation and the aging process.
A novel carnosic acid derivative for promoting the synthesis of nerve growth factor (NGF), a composition comprising the carnosic acid derivative as an effective ingredient, as well as, a method of promoting the synthesis of NGF comprising administering an effective amount of the carnosic acid derivative as an effective ingredient to a subject requiring such promotion. The carnosic acid derivative, composition and method according to the present invention can safely and efficiently promote the production of NGF in the living body, without being accompanied by a side effect such as a loss of a quantitative balance of hormones in the living body.
A novel process for the production of the natural antioxidant, carnosic acid, by extracting it from rosemary leaves with an aqueous solution of a lower alkyl alcohol in the presence of a water soluble acid is described. The extraction of the carnosic acid is very selective, i.e. very few other chemicals such as pro-oxidants from the plant are extracted. Furthermore, a method for the stabilization of the extracted acid from decomposition and a method of preparing the acid in high concentration are described.
An increase in specific antioxidant activity of extracts from rosemary (Rosemarinus officinalis) is obtained by the use of a blend of tetrafluoroethane and an organic solvent in the extraction process. A blend of tetrafluoroethane, acetone and methanol improves total yield. A tetrafluoroethane and acetone blend has higher efficacy but comparatively lower yields. The methods yield a liquid and oily antioxidant extract that is readily mixed with a liquid product such as soybean oil for addition to animal feeds and human food. The methods simultaneously yield pharmaceutical-grade essential oils in high yields.
An increase in specific antioxidant activity of extracts from rosemary (Rosemarinus officinalis) is obtained by the use of a blend of tetrafluoroethane and acetone in the extraction process. A blend of tetrafluoroethane, acetone and methanol improves total yield. A tetrafluoroethane and acetone blend has higher efficacy but comparatively lower yields. The methods yield a liquid and oily antioxidant extract that is readily mixed with a liquid product such as soybean oil for addition to animal feeds and human food. The methods simultaneously yield pharmaceutical grade essential oils in high yields.
