USE OF AN EXTRACT OF DECAFFEINATED COFFEE BEANS IN THE PREPARATION OF A COMPOSITION INTENDED TO STIMULATE THE SEBACEOUS FUNCTION OF THE SKIN BY ORAL ADMINISTRATION
The present invention relates to the use of an extract of decaffeinated coffee beans in the preparation of a composition formulated for oral administration and intended to stimulate the sebaceous function of the skin, and in particular to correct the disorders associated with a dry skin. The invention relates in particular to cosmetic, nutritional or pharmaceutical compositions intended for administration by the oral route for the
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stimulation of the sebaceous function of the skin. The invention also relates to cosmetic procedures for the treatment of dry skins.
An oligoseborrheic dry skin is characterised by an inadequate secretion and excretion of sebum. Conventionally, a concentration of sebum lower than 100 ng/cm2 measured on the forehead is considered as characteristic of such a dry skin.
A dry skin is often associated with a desquamation deficiency, a dull complexion, an atonic skin texture. Micro-inflammatory symptoms, dermatitis in particular, appear more frequently in cases of dry skin.
Sensations of discomfort such as spasmodic twitches are usuallv felt in the face by subjects with a dry skin.
All of these disorders progress with age, since chronological ageing is conventionally accompanied by loss of function of the sebaceous adnexa.
On the other hand, it is conventionally admitted that normally greasy skins, exhibit an improved picture on ageing compared with dry skins. This effect might be due to the fact that vitamin E is excreted by the sebaceous route (Thiele et al., J. Invest. Dermatol. 1999; 113; 1006-10).

The sebum is the natural product of the sebaceous gland which constitutes an adnex of the pilosebaceous unit. Together with the sweat, produced by the eccrine or apocrine glands, it constitutes a natural hydrating agent of the epidermis.
The sebaceous secretion is under the control of different afferences of nervous origin. Cartlidge et al.(Br. J. Dermatol - 1972; 86(1), 61-63) have defined the modulatory role of the cholinergic system (para-lymphatic) system on seborrhea. It is known, moreover, that the dopaminergic system, when it is destabilised, as is the case in the Parkinson syndrome, leads to hyper-seborrhea which can be corrected by L-DOPA (JC Villares et al., Acta Neurol Scand, 80(1), 5Z-63). It is also known that the cholinergic system, through the intermediary of the muscarinic receptor subtype, antagonises the release of dopamine (Pharmacologie, M. Schorderet et al., p 71, Ed. Prison-Roche, ISBN 2-05-100910-4).
An activation of the dopaminergic system and/or an inhibition of the cholinergic system (via the muscarinic receptors) might thus lead to a diminution of lipogenesis and/or excretion of sebum.
On the other hand, a limitation of the dopaminergic stimulation and/or an activation of the cholinergic system (via the muscarinic receptors) might lead to an increased secretion and/or production of sebum. A cholinomimetic activity of the muscarinic type has been found in alcoholic fractions of decaffeinated or undecaffeinated coffee beans (SY Tse, J. Pharm Sci., 1991, 80(7), 665-669 and SY Tse, J. Pharm Sci., 1992, 81(7),449-452).
The invention results from the demonstration of the fact that the oral administration of a composition containing an extract of decaffeinated coffee beans may have a beneficial effect on the stimulation of the sebaceous function of the skin.

Coffee trees are small trees with smooth-margined, perennial, coriaceous, glossy leaves (10-15 x 4-6 cm). The white, fragrant flowers are grouped in whorls at the axil of the leaves. The fruit is a green drupe, which becomes red at maturity and usually contains two planar-convex berries which arc made contiguous through their planar face. Although only two species supply the essential needs of the coffee market (C. arabica and C. canephora), many species of coffee trees exist in the wild state in the tropical forests of East Africa.
The berry is oval (10-15 x 6-8 mm), convex on the dorsal face, flattened on the ventral face which is traversed by a longitudinal groove, the hilum. Hard
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and greenish, it is odourless. The microscopic examination of the green coffee powder reveals fusiform fibres derived from the tegument and cells of albumen: polyhedral, their wall is nacreous and irregularly thickened in a bead-like structure; they contain oily droplets.
15 The coffee "bean" is obtained by the moist route (fermentation, washing) or the dry route (drying, followed by mechanical decortication) starting from the coffee "cherry", i.e. from the drupes. The reduction to pulp removes the red epicarp and the fleshy mesocarp; it leads to the coffee "husk". It is after husking (removal of the lignified endocarp) that the coffee "berry" (or bean) is obtained.
More than 50% of the dry matter of the green coffee berry is represented by carbohydrates, essentially polysaccharides. The proteins represent 10 to 12% of this mass, the lipids 10 to 18%. The unsaponifiable fraction of the crude lipids is considerable (more than 10%): in addition to sterols, hydrocarbons, tocopherols, diterpenic alcohols (cafestol, kahweol and kauranic derivatives) are observed to be present in the free state and, in particular, in the state of fatty acid esters. The coffee berry contains about 5% of phenolic acids: quinic acid, caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid. The

caffeine content is variable: from 0.6 to 2% and more than 3% for certain canephora (robusta variety).
On torrefaction the texture and the composition of the berry change considerably. The water content is reduced, the berry swells, the polysaccharides are very degraded (forming in particular soluble products), pigments form (polycondensed furans) and the extremely complex flavour develops (several hundred compounds: alcohols, phenols, aldehydes, furanic and pyrrolic derivatives, hydrocarbons, thiophenes, etc.).
As far as the applicant is aware, it has never been suggested that an extract of decaffeinated coffee beans be used in the preparation of a composition formulated for oral administration and intended for the stimulation of the sebaceous function of the skin, in particular for the treatment of dry skins.
Hence the object of the invention is the use of an extract of decaffeinated coffee beans in the preparation of a composition intended to stimulate the sebaceous function of the skin, said composition being formulated for oral administration.
In the text which follows "coffee beans" must be understood to mean the bean obtained by the moist route (fermentation, washing) or by the dry route (drying followed by mechanical husking) starting from the coffee "cherry", after husking as described above.
"Extract" must be understood to mean all of the compounds obtained starting from an alcoholic or aqueous-alcoholic extraction of a crude product, in this instance decaffeinated coffee beans, roasted or unroasted.
The production of sebum by the skin can be determined by the measurement of the amount of sebum according to the standard so-called

sebumetric procedure described, for example, in the L' Oreal patent FR 2368708 or FR 2404845.
By "stimulation of the sebaceous function of the skin" is meant a significant stimulation of the amount of sebum in the skin.
The species of coffee trees selected for the preparation of the extracts of coffee beans used in the compositions are advantageously selected from the Coffea species.
In a particular embodiment, the extract is derived from coffee beans selected from the species Coffea arabica, Coffea robusta, Coffea canephora or Coffea iberica. The extract may be obtained starting from roasted coffee beans. It can also be obtained from unroasted coffee beans.
For use according to the invention, the extract of coffee beans is decaffeinated.
In particular, a coffee bean extract can be obtained by an aqueous-alcoholic or alcoholic extraction of coffee beans, and preferably by an extraction with the aid of methanol, ethanol or propanof. Preferably, it does not contain the fractions of coffee beans extractable by non-polar solvents.
Methods for the preparation of decaffeinated coffee extracts are described in particular by S.Y.H. Tse (see above) and in the Examples presented hereafter.
The invention also relates to cosmetic, nutritional or pharmaceutical compositions suitable for oral administration containing the extract of decaffeinated coffee beans, intended to stimulate the sebaceous function of the skin. In particular, the compositions according to the invention are intended for the treatment and/or the prevention of dry skins or skin ageing. The proportion of decaffeinated coffee bean extract in the composition will of course be determined as a function of the desired effect on the

stimulation of the sebaceous function of the skin and the mode of administration of the composition.
The composition intended for administration by the oral route may be made available in any galenical form suitable for this mode of administration, for example in the form of scored or unscored tablets, granules, capsules, gelatine capsules, solutions, suspensions or solutions containing an appropriate excipient.
The composition may be any food or pharmaceutical product, or a cosmetic product for oral application. Examples for food or pharmaceutical carriers are milk, yogurt, curd, cheese, fermented milks, milk based fermented products, ice-creams, fermented cereal based products, milk based powders, infant formulae or pet food, or tablets, liquid bacterial suspensions, dried oral supplement, wet oral supplement, dry tube-feefing or wet tube-feeding.
Preferably, a composition according to the invention is a nutritional supplement, presented in the form of a solid composition of the tablet, granule, capsule, gelatine capsule type and containing an extract of decaffeinated coffee beans as defined above and at least one adjuvant suitable for oral administration.
In this respect the adjuvants for oral compositions, in particular for dietary supplements, are known to the specialist. Mention may be made, among others and for purely illustrative purposes, of lubricants such as magnesium stearate, products for instantaneous solubilisation, gelling agents, thickeners, moisturisers, fatty and/or aqueous compounds, preservatives, texturizing, flavouring and/or coating agents, anti-oxidants and colouring materials usually used in foods.
The composition according to the present invention may contain, in

and/or oligo-elements. If probiotics are used, they may be included in a live form, semi-active or in a desactivated form, e.g., as a lyophilized powder. Also culture supernatants of the micro-organisms may be included in the composition. They may be selected from the group consisting of Lactic acid bacteria, in particular Lactobacilli and/or Bifidobacteria and are more preferably selected among the group consisting of LactobacHlus johnsonii, Lacfobacilus reuteri, LactobacHlus mamnosus, LactobacHlus paracasei, LactobacHlus case/, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bifidobacterium breve, Bifidobacterium animalis, Bifidobacterium infantis, Bifidobacterium doiescentis and Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum. According to a most preferred embodiment the strains used are LactobacHlus johnsonii (La1). deposited on June 30, 1992, under Budapest Treaty with the Institute Pasteur and receiving the deposit no. CNCM 1-1225 or LactobacHlus paracasei (ST11) deposited on January 12,1999, with the Institute Pasteur according to the Budapest Treaty and receiving the deposit no. CNCM I-2116. The following compounds may for example be used alone or in combination: zinc and its salts including zinc sulfate and zinc glucanate, the vitamins B5, B6, B8, C, E or PP, f}-carotene and the carotenoids, extracts of garlic in particular in the form of allyl sulfide or oil garlic, selenium, curcumin, the curcuminoids, niacin, lithospermic acid and adenosine. It is understood that the specialist will select such active compounds and, where possible, combine them in such a manner as to improve the effects expected of the composition which is the object of the invention by preventing the desired activity of interest from being inhibited or attenuated.
The composition intended for oral administration contains an extract of decaffeinated coffee beans in a quantity ranging from 0.1% to 80% by weight of the composition and preferably from 1% to 50% by weight of the composition.
Chlorogenic acid which is a phenolic compound naturally present in some coffee bean extracts, is not involved in the treatment of dry skins.

Chlorogenic acid is thus not an active agent of the compositions for the treatment and/or the prevention of dry skins according to the invention.
Accordingly, in a specific embodiment, chlorogenic acid is present in the composition containing decaffeinated coffee beans in a quantity inferior or equal to 0.1% by weight of the composition.
The invention also relates to a cosmetic procedure for the prevention and/or the treatment of dry skins, or to a procedure for the prevention and/or the cosmetic treatment of skin ageing, which consists of administering by the oral route a composition containing an extract of coffee beans, such as described above.
The daily doses of decaffeinated coffee bean extract administered by the oral route for the treatment of dry skins may preferably be comprised between 0.01 and 5000 mg/day. Preferentially, the coffee bean extract is present in the composition according to the invention in a quantity permitting its administration at a dose comprised between 0.5 and 1000 > mg/day.
The characteristics of the invention mentioned above as well as others will become more clearly apparent in the light of the Examples presentee hereafter.
EXAMPLES Example 1: Preparation of a roasted extract of Coffea robusta
0.5 kg of roasted coffee beans is reduced to a powder by grinding with the Turrax apparatus at 24000 rev/min for 1 minute at 4°C (ice bath).
The powder obtained is mixed with 5 litres of 0.05M phosphate buffer at pH 8.5. The entire mixture is stirred for 30 minutes at 4°C, then centrifuged at

10 000 G at 4°C. The supernatant is filtered through a 0.22 jim fitter (sterilizing filtration).
The extract is then fractionated by ultrafiltration through a Sartorius type membrane in order to remove from it oxidation phenomena.
The extract is then lyophilized. 29.5 grams of active extract called "lyophilized extract" are thus obtained.
Caffeine is then removed by supercritical chromatography (CO2 is used as carrier gas). 25.5 grams of active extract called "decaffeinated lyophilized extract" are thus obtained.
Example 2: Examples of formulations illustrating the invention and in particular the compositions according to the invention.
These compositions were obtained by the simple mixing of the different constituents.
Composition 1: Soft capsules
Excipients:
Soya oil 40 mg
Wheat germ oil 85 mg
Soya lecithins 25 mg
Vitamins:
Natural tocopherols 3 mg
Vitamin C palmitate 150 mg
Constituents:
Decaffeinated lyophilized extract of Coffea robusta 15 mg
Borage oil 200 mg
Blackcurrant pip oil 150 ma

Composition 2: Soft capsules
Excipients:
Soya oil 40 mg
Wheat germ oil 85 mg
Soya lecithins 25 mg
Vitamins:
Natural tocopherols 3 mg
Constituents:
Decaffeinated lyophilized extract of Coffea robusta 150 mg
Borage oil 200 mg
Evening primrose oil 200 mg
Composition 3: Soft capsules
Excipients:
Soya oil 40 mg
Wheat germ oil 85 mg
Soya lecithins ,25 mg
Vitamins:
Natural tocopherols 3 mg
Constituents:
Decaffeinated lyophilized extract of Coffea robusta 50 mg
Borage oil 200 mg
Evening primrose oil 200 mg
Lyophilized Lactobacillus 200 mg
Composition 4: Soft capsules
Excipients:
Soya oil 40 mg
Wheat germ oil 5 mg

Soya lecithins 25 mg
Vitamins:
Natural tocopherols 3mg
Constituents:
Decaffeinated lyophilized extract of Coffea robusta 150 mg
Borage oil 200 mg
Evening primrose oil 200 mg
Vitamin C 50 mg
Calcium glucanate 200 mg
Magnesium stearate 400 mg
Lyophilized Lactobacillus sp 300 mg

CLAIMS
1 A composition intended to stimulate the sebaceous function of the
skin, characterized in that it contains an extract of decaffeinated
coffee beans, said composition being formulated for an oral
administration.
2 Composition according to Claim 1, characterized in that the extract
is derived from coffee beans selected from the species Co/Tea
arabica, Coffea robusta, Coffee canephora or Coffea iberica.
3 Composition according to either of the Claims 1 or 2, in which the.,
extract is derived from roasted coffee beans.
4 Composition according to any one of the Claims 1 to 3, in which the
coffee bean extract can be obtained by an aqueous-alcoholic or
alcoholic extraction.
5 Composition according to Claims 1 to 4, administrate by the oral
route in the form of a solid composition and which comprises at least
one adjuvant suitable for oral administration.
6 Composition according to any one of the Claims 1 to 5, in which the
coffee bean extract represents from 0.1% to 80% of the total weight
of the composition.
7 Composition according to Claim 6, in which the coffee bean extract
represents from 1 % to 50% of the total weight of the composition.
8 Cosmetic procedure for the treatment and/or prevention of dry skins
or for the treatment and/or prevention of skin ageing, which consists
of administering orally a composition containing a decaffeinated
coffee bean extract according to one of the Claims 1 to 7.

9 Use of a decaffeinated coffee bean extract in the preparation of a
composition intended to stimulate the sebaceous function of the skin
by oral administration.
10 Use according to Claim 9, in which the extract is derived from coffee
beans selected from the species Coffea arabica, Coffea robusta,
Coffea canephora or Coffea iberica.
11 Use according to either of the Claims 9 or 10, in which the extract is
derived from un roasted coffee beans.
12 Use according to any one of the Claims 9 to 11, in which the coffee
bean extract is obtained by an aqueous-alcoholic or alcoholic
extraction.