Processes for obtaining (-)- guaiol and the use thereof

Abstract

A process for obtaining oils of sesquiterpenes and sesquilactones and (−)-guaiol from the oil of Callitris intratropica, processes for encapsulation of the oil from Callitris intratropica, and the various uses of the oil and the encapsulated oil are described. The oils are suitable for various purposes in the personal care field, e.g. for the antimicrobial treatment of skin, mucosa and hair and of textile fibre materials, as an antimycotic against skin fungi and moulds, as an anti-inflammatory, as an acaricide against house dust mites and ticks, and for preserving cosmetic products.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A process for obtaining (−)-guaiol from the oil of  Callitris intratropica,  wherein the oil is held at about from 4 to −18° C. and the (−)-guaiol which then separates out in the form of fine needles is isolated from the rest of the oil by filtration and then washed with cold, nonpolar solvent.  
     
     
         2 . A process according to  claim 1 , wherein a C 5 -C 10 alkane is used as solvent.  
     
     
         3 . A process according to  claim 2 , wherein n-hexane or iso-octane is used as solvent.  
     
     
         4 . A process according to  claim 1 , wherein a mixture of n-hexane/petroleum ether, ethanol/water, dimethylformamide/water, methanol/water, ethylene glycol/water, ethylene glycol methyl and ethyl ester/water, dimethyl sulfoxide/water, tetrahydrofuran/water or dioxane/water is used as solvent.  
     
     
         5 . A process according to any one of  claims 1  to  4 , wherein the (−)-guaiol is isolated from the rest of the oil by filtering under suction.  
     
     
         6 . A process according to any one of  claims 1  to  5 , wherein, for further purification, the crude (−)-guaiol is recrystallised from a solvent mixture selected from n-hexane/petroleum ether, ethanol/water, dimethylformamide/water, methanol/water, ethylene glycol/water, ethylene glycol methyl and ethyl ester/water, dimethyl sulfoxide/water, tetrahydrofuran/water and dioxane/water.  
     
     
         7 . A process according to any one of  claims 1  to  5 , wherein the crude (−)-guaiol is, after filtration, subjected to vacuum distillation for purification.  
     
     
         8 . A process for obtaining (−)-guaiol, wherein the crude material of  Callitris intratropica,  which is contaminated with other ingredients, is subjected to steam distillation and, for further purification, is recrystallised from a solvent mixture selected from n-hexane/petroleum ether, ethanol/water, dimethylformamide/water, methanol/water, ethylene glycol/water, ethylene glycol methyl and ethyl ester/water, dimethyl sulfoxide/water, tetrahydrofuran/water and dioxane/water.  
     
     
         9 . A process for obtaining an oil of sesquiterpenes and sesquilactones, wherein pieces of wood with or without bark and/or pieces of bark of  Callitris intratropica,  glaucophylla or columellaris are extracted with a supercritical solvent.  
     
     
         10 . A process according to  claim 9 , wherein the supercritical solvent is selected from supercritical CO 2 , ethylene, propane, butane, pentane and N 2 O.  
     
     
         11 . A process according to  claim 9 , wherein the supercritical solvent is selected from mixtures of CO 2  and cyclic C 1 -C 10 hydrocarbons or C 1 -C 10 -n-alkanes.  
     
     
         12 . A process according to any one of  claims 9  to  11 , wherein small amounts of modifiers, such as short-chain aliphatic alcohols, are additionally used.  
     
     
         13 . A process according to any one of  claims 9  to  12 , wherein extraction is carried out with a mixture of CO 2  and ethanol or methanol.  
     
     
         14 . A process for obtaining (−)-guaiol, wherein pieces of wood with or without bark and/or pieces of bark of  Callitris intratropica,  glaucophylla or columellaris are extracted with a supercritical solvent in accordance with the process according to  claim 9  and the (−)-guaiol is crystallised out at room temperature, or frozen out, from the oil thereby obtained.  
     
     
         15 . A process according to any one of  claims 9  to  14 , wherein bark chips are used for the extraction.  
     
     
         16 . A process for encapsulation of the oil from  Callitris intratropica,  of the oil obtained in accordance with  claim 9 , or of the (−)-guaiol-depleted oil in accordance with  claim 1  or  claim 14 , wherein equimolar amounts of the oil from  Callitris intratropica  and an encapsulation material selected from α-, β- and γ-cyclodextrins, liposomes, bacteria, fungi, organic and inorganic porous supports, the latter being selected from bentonites, modified bentonites and hectorites, are suspended in water and stirred for from 1 to 4 hours, until a complex of encapsulation material and oil forms.  
     
     
         17 . A process according to  claim 16 , wherein α-, β- and γ-cyclodextrin is used as the encapsulation material.  
     
     
         18 . A personal care preparation, containing 
 from 0.01 to 15% by weight, based on the total weight of the composition, of the oil of  Callitris intratropica,  or of the encapsulated oil prepared in accordance with  claim 14 , or of the oil obtained in accordance with  claim 9 , or of the (−)-guaiol-depleted oil in accordance with  claim 1  or  claim 14 , and cosmetically tolerable adjuvants.    
     
     
         19 . Use of the oil of  Callitris intratropica,  or of the encapsulated oil prepared in accordance with  claim 16 , or of the oil obtained in accordance with  claim 9 , or of the (−)-guaiol-depleted oil in accordance with  claim 1  or  claim 14 , in the antimicrobial treatment of surfaces.  
     
     
         20 . Use of the oil of  Callitris intratropica,  or of the encapsulated oil prepared in accordance with  claim 16 , or of the oil obtained in accordance with  claim 9 , or of the (−)-guaiol-depleted oil in accordance with  claim 1  or  claim 14 , in the antimicrobial treatment of skin, mucosa and hair.  
     
     
         21 . Use of the oil of  Callitris intratropica,  or of the encapsulated oil prepared in accordance with  claim 16 , or of the oil obtained in accordance with  claim 9 , or of the (−)-guaiol-depleted oil in accordance with  claim 1  or  claim 14 , as an antimycotic against skin fungi and moulds.  
     
     
         22 . Use of the oil of  Callitris intratropica,  or of the encapsulated oil prepared in accordance with  claim 16 , or of the oil obtained in accordance with  claim 9 , or of the (−)-guaiol-depleted oil in accordance with  claim 1  or  claim 14 , as an anti-inflammatory.  
     
     
         23 . Use of the oil of  Callitris intratropica,  or of the encapsulated oil prepared in accordance with  claim 16 , or of the oil obtained in accordance with  claim 9 , or of the (−)-guaiol-depleted oil in accordance with  claim 1  or  claim 14 , as an acaricide against house dust mites and ticks.  
     
     
         24 . Use of the oil of  Callitris intratropica,  or of the encapsulated oil prepared in accordance with  claim 16 , or of the oil obtained in accordance with  claim 9 , or of the (−)-guaiol-depleted oil in accordance with  claim 1  or  claim 14 , in the antimicrobial treatment of textile fibre materials.  
     
     
         25 . Use of the oil of  Callitris intratropica,  or of the encapsulated oil prepared in accordance with  claim 16 , or of the oil obtained in accordance with  claim 9 , or of the (−)-guaiol-depleted oil in accordance with  claim 1  or  claim 14 , in preserving cosmetic products.