Treatment of rosacea using lipoic acid

Abstract

Rosacea is treated by application of a composition containing lipoic acid and/or a lipoic acid derivative such as dihydrolipoic acid, a lipoic or dihydrolipoic acid ester, a lipoic or dihydrolipoic acid amide, a lipoic or dihydrolipoic acid salt, and mixtures of any of these. Preferred compositions further comprise α-hydroxy acids or acid derivatives such as glycolic and/or lactic acid. Other embodiments also contain fatty acid esters of ascorbic acid such as ascorbyl palmitate, and/or tocotrienol.

1 . A topical composition for the treatment of rosacea comprising 
 (a) an effective amount of a lipoic acid ingredient selected from the group consisting of lipoic acid, dihydrolipoic acid, a lipoic or dihydrolipoic acid ester, a lipoic or dihydrolipoic acid amide, lipoic acid plus, a lipoic or dihydrolipoic acid salt, and mixtures thereof, and    (b) an effective amount of an α-hydroxy acid ingredient selected from the group consisting of glycolic acid, hydroxymethylglycolic acid, lactic acid, glucuronic acid, galacturonic acid, gluconic acid, glucoheptonic acid, α-hydroxybutyric acid, α-hydroxyisobutyric acid, α-hydroxyvaleric acid, α-hydroxyisovaleric acid, α-hydroxycaproic acid, α-isocaproic acid, tartronic acid, tartaric acid, malic acid, hydroxyglutaric acid, hydroxyadipic acid, hydroxypimelic acid, muric acid, citric acid, isocitric acid, saccharic acid, dihydroxymaleic acid, dihydroxytartaric acid, dihydroxyfumaric acid, pyruvic acid, methyl pyruvate, ethyl pyruvate, isopropyl pyruvate, benzoylformic acid, methyl benzoylformate, ethyl benzoylformate, and mixtures thereof.    
     
     
         2 . A composition according to  claim 1  wherein the lipoic acid ingredient is lipoic acid, dihydrolipoic acid, or mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         3 . A composition according to  claim 1  wherein the α-hydroxy acid ingredient is a compound having an aliphatic backbone of 2 to 3 carbons selected from the group consisting of a free acid, an acid salt, an anhydride, a fatty acid ester, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         4 . A composition according to  claim 3  wherein the α-hydroxy acid ingredient is selected from the group consisting of glycolic acid, lactic acid, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         5 . A composition according to  claim 1  comprising from about 0.1% to about 7% lipoic acid ingredient.  
     
     
         6 . A composition according to  claim 5  comprising from about 0.25% to about 5% lipoic acid ingredient.  
     
     
         7 . A composition according to  claim 5  comprising from about 2 to about 5% lipoic acid ingredient.  
     
     
         8 . A composition according to  claim 1  comprising a combination of lipoic acid and glycolic acid.  
     
     
         9 . A composition according to  claim 1  further comprising a tocotrienol selected from the group consisting of α-tocotrienol, β-tocotrienol, γ-tocotrienol, δ-tocotrienol, desmethyl-tocotrienol, didesmethyl-tocotrienol, tocotrienol-P25, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         10 . A composition according to  claim 1  further comprising a fatty acid ester of ascorbic acid.  
     
     
         11 . A composition for the treatment of rosacea comprising from about 0.2% to about 7% a lipoic acid ingredient selected from the group consisting of lipoic acid, dihydrolipoic acid, lipoic acid plus, a lipoic or dihydrolipoic acid ester, a lipoic or dihydrolipoic acid amide, a lipoic or dihydrolipoic acid salt, and mixtures thereof, and from about 1% to about 5% of an α-hydroxy acid ingredient selected from the group consisting of glycolic acid, lactic acid, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         12 . A composition according to  claim 11  comprising from about 2% to about 5% lipoic acid ingredient.