Anti-microbial perfuming compositions

Abstract

The present invention describes perfumes and perfuming compositions having an anti-microbial activity and containing effective amounts of certain perfuming ingredients which have an anti-microbial activity as evaluated by the Microbial Reduction Test.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method to evaluate the anti-microbial activity of a perfuming ingredient, which method comprises: 
 solubilizing the ingredient to be tested in an aqueous medium at a concentration between 250 and 1000 μg/ml, relative to the medium, in the presence of an effective amount of solvent which is substantially non-toxic for a subsequently added bacteria and which allows a complete solubilizing of the perfuming ingredient;    adding an inoculum of a desired bacteria such that the final concentration in the medium is at least 10 7  colony forming units/ml of the medium;    diluting the medium so as to reduce the bacteria concentration to 10 3  colony forming units/ml of medium;    spreading 10 2  colony forming units/ml of the bacteria onto an appropriate culture medium;    counting the surviving colonies after incubation; and    comparing the value obtained with a control that contains no perfume.    
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the solvent is an alcohol.  
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the alcohol is ethanol.  
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the ethanol is present at a concentration in the aqueous medium of between 5 and 20% by weight with respect to the total weight of the medium.  
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the bacteria contacts the culture medium for a time of about 5 min.  
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the perfuming ingredient is present in the aqueous medium at a concentration of between 400 and 600 μg/ml.  
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein that the bacteria is selected from the group consisting of  Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus  and  Enterococcus hirae.    
     
     
         8 . An anti-microbial composition containing at least 30% by weight of one or more active perfuming ingredients, the anti-microbial activity of which, against at least 2 different kinds of bacteria selected from the group consisting of  Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus  and  Enterococcus hirae,  is 100% measurable by the method according to  claim 1 .  
     
     
         9 . The anti-microbial composition according to  claim 8 , wherein the active perfuming ingredient is chosen from the group consisting of decanal, 10-undecen- 1-al, nonanal, 4-isopropylbenzaldehyde, 4-undecanolide, citronellal, citronellol, cyclamen aldehyde, delphone, dihydro eugenol, 8-p-menthanol, dimetol, geraniol, 3-(1,3-benzodioxal-5-yl)-2-methylpropanal, isoeugenal, nerol, tetrahydrolinalool, zestover, intreleven aldehyde, (2E,6Z)-2,6-nonadien-1-ol, γ-dodecalactone, floralozone, isobutylquinoleine, LILIAL®, MAYOL®, phenylhexanol, or 9-decen-1-ol.  
     
     
         10 . The anti-microbial composition according to  claim 8 , which contains at least 50% by weight of active perfuming ingredients.  
     
     
         11 . A perfuming composition or perfumed article containing an anti-microbial perfuming composition according to  claim 8 .  
     
     
         12 . A perfumed article according to  claim 11 , in the form of a soap, a bath or shower gel, a shampoo or other hair-care product, a deodorant or antiperspirant, a cosmetic preparation, an air-freshener, a liquid or solid detergent for the treatment of textiles, a fabric softener or an all-purpose cleaner for household or industrial use.  
     
     
         13 . A method for imparting an anti-microbial activity or enhancing the anti-microbial activity of an article for personal care or a functional product which comprises adding a composition according to  claim 8  to personal care or a functional product.  
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the composition added to the personal care or functional product contains at least 50% by weight of active perfuming ingredients.  
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the active perfuming ingredient is chosen from the group consisting of decanal, 10-undecen-1-al, nonanal, 4-isopropylbenzaldehyde, 4-undecanolide, citronellal, citronellol, cyclamen aldehyde, delphone, dihydroeugenol, 8-p-menthanol, dimetol, geraniol, 3-(1,3-benzodioxal-5-yl)-2-methylpropanal, isoeugenal, nerol, tetrahydrolinalool, zestover, intreleven aldehyde, (2E,6Z)-2,6-nonadien-1-ol, γ-dodecalactone, floralozone, isobutylquinoleine, LILIAL®, MAYOL®, phenylhexanol, or 9-decen-1-ol.