WO2009090355A1

WO2009090355A1 - Perfume compositions

Info

Publication number: WO2009090355A1
Application number: PCT/GB2008/000114
Authority: WO
Inventors: Pam Asplund
Original assignee: Reckitt Benckiser (Uk) Limited
Priority date: 2008-01-15
Filing date: 2008-01-15
Publication date: 2009-07-23

Abstract

The present invention describes a perfume composition containing between 0.5 to 10 wt % of an essential oils component, wherein said essentials comprises a first component of at least (5) essential oils selected from: bergamot; geranium; jasmine; petitgrain; sandalwood; ylang ylang; rosewood; lemon thyme; coriander; ginger,- clove; cinnamon; benzoin; cypress; lavender; neroli; orange; mandarin/tangerine; chamomile; and characterised in that said essential oils component comprises a second essential oils component of at least one essential oil selected from: black currant; cardamom.; cedarwood; galbanum,- grapefruit; guaicwood; mimosa; rose,- vanilla; lemon; Melissa; eucalyptus; hyssop; cassia; lime.

Description

Compositions

This invention relates to compositions for use in air fresheners which impart a measurably improved psycho-physiological response to a subject, to methods of air-freshening using said compositions, and to air-freshening devices containing said compositions.

Air freshening compositions and devices are well known in the art as a means of delivering a pleasant and desirable fragrance to an environment, and/or masking or removing malodours in the process, thus imparting a sense of well-being to individuals in said environment.

Such effects have hitherto only been temporary and perceptually subjective, and much focus has been on the achievement of a longer lasting benefit by delivery mechanisms which overcome the so-called 'habituation' or 'fragrance-fatigue' phenomenon.

As an alternative means of improving the environment of an individual, aromatherapy oils have been widely used, typically in a simple receptacle where the evaporation of the active components occurs naturally or is aided by heat provided by a candle.

Research indicates that the presence of certain odours during human performance assessment can dramatically influence motivation, task performance, and Happyness.

EP1424071 describes a perfume composition for mental control comprising one of a long list of chemical components having a psycho-sedative effect but does not disclose the use of essential oils as the primary source of these chemicals, and the compositions disclosed comprise at least 20 of these chemical components.

WO 2002/49600 describes a perfume composition comprising at least 25 wt% of at least 5 selected relaxing fragrance materials, again selected from an extensive list of pure chemical components. Qualitative measurements of the change in brain (alpha wave) activity are disclosed.

It is an object of the present invention therefore to provide a solution to the objective technical problem of providing a perfume composition which imparts a measurably improved physiological response on humans the active part of which is based solely on essential oils.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a perfume composition containing between 0.5 to 10 wt% of an essential oils component, wherein said essentials comprises a first component of at least 5 essential oils selected from: bergamot; geranium; jasmine; petitgrain; sandalwood; ylang ylang; rosewood; lemon thyme; coriander; ginger; clove; cinnamon; benzoin; cypress; lavender; neroli; orange; geranium; mandarin/tangerine; chamomile; and characterised in that said essential oils component comprises a second essential oils component of at least one essential oil selected from: black currant; cardamom; cedarwood; galbanum; grapefruit; guaicwood; mimosa; rose; vanilla; lemon; Melissa; eucalyptus; hyssop; cassia; lime.

Preferably the essential oil component of the perfume composition comprises a first component of at least 5 essential oils selected from: bergamot; geranium; jasmine; petitgrain; sandalwood; ylang ylang; rosewood; lemon thyme; coriander; ginger; clove; cinnamon; benzoin; cypress; lavender; neroli; orange; geranium; mandarin/tangerine; chamomile; and further comprises a second essential oils component of eucalyptus.

Most preferably, the essential oil component of the perfume composition comprises a first essential oils component of: bergamot; ginger; orange; petitgrain; mandarin/tangerine; and further comprises a second essential oils component of eucalyptus.

Preferably the ratio of the first essential oils component to the second essential oils component is in the range of 3:1 to 1 :10, and more preferably in the range of 2:1 to 1 :7, and most preferably in the range of 3:2 to 1 :4.

The wt% of the individual essential oils within the first essential oil component may be provided in a range of 0.01 wt% to 2.0wt%.

The wt% of the individual essential oils within the second essential oil component may be provided in a range of 0.1wt% to 5.0wt%.

The perfume composition of the present invention may be diluted using standard excipients and/or solvents in order to produce the desired range of essential oils within said composition.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided an inhaleable medicament, wherein said medicament comprises the perfume composition according to the first aspect present invention, and wherein the perfume composition has been volatilised, in use, for inhalation by a user. Preferably the medicament is adapted for administration by the perfume composition being initially provided in liquid form before subsequently being volatilised so that it may be inhaled by a user.

According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a mood enhancement composition, wherein said mood enhancement composition comprises the perfume composition according to the first aspect present invention, and wherein the perfume composition has been volatilised, in use, for inhalation by a user.

The perfume inhaleable medicament and/or mood enhancement composition may utilise the perfume composition to impart detectable physiological responses to a user, in particular, such responses may have happiness and/or enhanced mood properties.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention there is provided a perfume composition according to the first aspect of the present invention wherein the composition has, upon inhalation by a user, a measurable beneficial physiological response on the user which increases the level of endorphins in the user's bloodstream.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of making the perfume composition of the first aspect of the present invention available for inhalation by a user, comprising the steps of: loading said composition into an aerosol; charging the aerosol with propellant; and activating the aerosol to emanate said composition.

Preferably the method comprises the step of loading the aerosol into a device and the device is configured to activate the aerosol to emanate said composition.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention there is provided an alternative method of making the perfume composition of the first aspect available for inhalation by a user, comprising the steps of: loading liquid perfume composition into a reservoir container; using a wick immersed in said reservoir to uptake the composition from the reservoir to a distal portion of the wick beyond outside of said reservoir; and emanating the composition from the distal portion of the wick.

Preferably the method of the sixth aspect uses an emanation device wherein the device comprises a support structure adapted to hold the reservoir container and, optionally, support a heating means and/or a fan means substantially adjacent the distal portion of the wick to increase the rate of emanation of the perfume composition from said wick portion.

The emanation device may be provided with boost functionality wherein upon activation of the boost mechanism the heating means and/or the fan means are activated to impart heat and/or the passage of air respectively over at least a part of the distal portion of the wick. Alternatively or additionally, said boost mechanism may, upon activation, increase the heat and/or the rate of the passage of air respectively from said heating means and/or fan means.

According to a seventh embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method of improving the happiness of a patient which comprises the inhalation of a perfume composition as hereinbefore described.

According to a eighth embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method of improving the mental state of a user which comprises the volatilisation of a perfume composition according to the first aspect of the present invention into the ambient atmosphere of the user.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention there is provided a patch for emanating a perfume composition according to a first aspect of the present invention, wherein the patch is configured to retain a quantity of the composition and the patch is adapted, in use, to be located adjacent to a user^'

Preferably the patch is adapted to be releasably attached to the skin of a user. The patch may comprise an adhesive side which is configured, in use, to adhere to a user and further comprise an emanation side which is configured, in use, to permit the emanation of the composition therefrom.

Preferably the patch comprises heating means. The heating means may be configured to impart an amount of heat which may be suitable to increase the rate of emanation of the composition from the patch and/or may impart a heating effect on a user.

The patch may be provided with a reservoir section that is capable of retaining a quantity of the perfume composition for subsequent emanation. Alternatively or additionally, the patch may be impregnated with a quantity of perfume composition for subsequent emanation.

The invention will now be described with reference to the following examples, without limitation in any way. Example 1

A composition was made of a blend of the following essential oil components within the prescribed ranges of wt% of the total composition which was diluted using standard excipients:

Bergamot Oil 0.01 - 0.1 %

Ginger Oil 0.01 - 0.1% Orange Oil ^' 0.5 - 1.0%

Petitgrain Oil 0.01 - 0.1%

Mandarin/Tangerine Oil 0.01 - 0.1%

Eucalyptus Oil 1.0 - 2.0%

Four compositions (variants in the balance of the above ingredients, but selected from the same overall range) were made in total.

These overall mixtures, diluted with standard excipients as mentioned, were introduced into the refill bottle of an electrical plug-in air freshener unit, which served as a fragrance warmer.

Key properties that these fragrance compositions could achieve were:

• Helps you feel happier and elevates your mood.

• Elevates feelings of contentment and satisfaction. • Keep you feeling happier.

• Sparkling mood enhancer to lift your spirits.

• Harness the power of the aromatic essences and enhance your mood.

Methodoloαv

35 male and 65 female consumers, aged 22-55 were asked to assess all samples, using as a control the Mandarin & Green Tea fragrance available from Airwick (RTM). Consumers assessed the samples in 2.7m³ booths (55% RH and 22°C) Samples were assessed in a random order following a Latin Square design. Samples were warmed for 24 hours prior to testing, and were placed into the booths 1 hour before initial assessment.

A constant airflow was used to prevent fragrance build up.

A questionnaire containing questions relating both to a "Balancing & Happiness" concept and also to a counter concept "Invigorated & Energized" were put to prevent influencing the consumers during this part of the test.

1. What mood category best describes how this scent makes you feel?

• Happy, pleased, delighted

• Calm, relaxed, tranquil

• Sensuous, romantic, sexy

• Stimulated, lively, excited • Apathetic, dull, sluggish

• Sad, gloomy, depressed

• Irritated, frustrated, agitated

• Tense, anxious, stressed

2. For each of the following phrases, please indicate how much you agree or disagree that the statement describes this product:

• Would be suitable as a stimulant

• Would help me feel happier and elevate my mood

• Would make me feel energetic and invigorated • Would help sooth away my stress

• Would promote a feeling of harmony, serenity and balance

• Would rejuvenate me when I'm tired

• Would enhance my mood

• Would promote a content and peaceful mood • Would make me feel uplifted and excited Analysis of results

Rating questions were analysed using an Analysis of Variance and Multiple Range Test at 95% confidence. The results are presented below in Tables 1 and 2.

Table 1

Would make me feel uplifted and excited Compositions 1-4 38.5 Control 33.0

Example 2

Composition A

A blend of the following essential oil components was prepared which was diluted using standard excipients (amounts in wt%):

Bergamot Peel Oil 0.10

Black Currant Bud Absolute Oil 0.001

Cardamon Oil 0.01

Cedarwood Oil 0.90

Cinnamon Leaf Oil 0.01

Coriander Oil 0.20

Galbanum Oil 0.10

Geranium Oil 0.10

Ginger Oil 0.01

Grapefruit Oil 1.20

Guaicwood Oil 0.10

Mimosa Absolute Oil 0.02

Orange Oil Tarocco 1.00

Rose Otto Oil 0.002

Jasmin Absolute Sambac Oil 0.001

Vanilla Absolute Oil 0.002

Ylang Ylang Oil 0.38

Total % naturals: 2.36°/

Composition B

Bergamot Oil 0.01 - 0.1% Ginger Oil 0.01 - 0.1% Orange Oil 0.5 - 1.0%

Petitgrain Oil 0.01 - 0.1%

Mandarin/Tangerine Oil 0.01 - 0.1%

Eucalyptus Oil 1.0 - 2.0%

Three fragrances, Composition A, Composition B and a control fragrance were presented to an independent testing facility to determine whether they successfully raised levels of a happy mood during the testing period and whether they differed in this regard. Coding was used to ensure that the testing facility did not know which fragrance they were testing to ensure impartiality.

Process: The 3 fragrances were tested to provide a peri-threshold level of fragrance in the testing rooms. Then the 3 fragrances were tested to see (1 ) if people reported different moods when exposed to them, (2) whether they maintained and supported happy moods when the participants were stressed and (3) whether they supported a "search" though recent memory for a happier recent memory. The test was also devised to discover whether any of the fragrances had any detectable negative effects during the experimental period.

Design: The fragrances were used as between-subjects stimuli meaning that each person is exposed to only one fragrance. Comparisons of fragrances means comparisons of groups of people exposed to the fragrance. The different tests were within-subjects events. So every person did all the tasks. Each person was tested individually except in the video stressor condition - it may be watched by several people at once. Baseline measures of mood were taken to insure that the groups were comparable prior to exposure to the odours.

Stimulus Preparation & Determination of Odour Intensity Levels

Step 1 : What comparative amount of each fragrance is needed for equivalent intensity perception?

An intensity standardisation procedure was carried out to determine what strength of each stimulus resulted in equivalent intensity evaluations as close as possible to peri-threshold level. Since the stimuli themselves could not be manipulated (the testing facility did not know the dilutants), the dosage was manipulated. This determination began with in-lab testing of intensity levels. Initial evaluations were comparisons of stimuli placed on perfume strips, using a floral [gardenia] as a known referent. A dosage of 65 μl was the initial starting point, finding that two of the stimuli (#4 and #5) were equivalent to the referent, but one (#9) was too strong. The procedure was repeated but reduced #9 to 32.5 μl; at this dose, #9 was equivalent to the referent.

Step 2: What amount of each fragrance is needed for the peri-threshold level of detection in our testing room?

The rooms were 8'x8', painted concrete block with one large, closed window with window blinds. All testing rooms had identical furnishings. Determination of dose intensity that would come as close as possible to peri-threshold took place in the three rooms targeted for the actual study and used the same presentation method as would be used in the study. A measured amount of stimulus was placed onto a gauze pad positioned on a Petri dish. The Petri dish was placed in front of an oscillating fan; the fan was placed on a high shelf. Evaluations were made on a 6 point scale from 0 (not perceptible/no suggestion of odour) to 5 (very strong).

As suggested by the perfume strip evaluations, the first evaluation presented stimuli #4 and #5 at 65 μl and #9 at 32.5 μl. These doses were easily detected. The procedure was repeated, cutting each stimulus dose in half resulting in 16.5 μl for #4 & #5 and 8 μl for #9). At this point we believed we had attained the peri-threshold level ratings.

Step 3: Can relatively naϊve people easily detect the fragrances?

The stimuli were then tested in the experimental rooms using the Rutgers environmental questionnaire. The subjects for this evaluation were recruited from a college and were not lab personnel. Each person evaluated all three rooms rating the pleasantness, intensity of the fragrance, the light, cleanliness, etc. Some people still rated the fragrance as relatively intense. The dosage was lowered to 8 μl and 4ul (a dab on the gauze). Even at this dose level the lab personnel could readily detect the fragrances; however, experimental participants seldom detected the fragrances.

Lab Protocol: Protocol for R&B Study

All experimenters were trained to follow a set protocol. The protocol was carried by testing personnel.

Space: Four separate rooms were used, one room for preparing fragrances, storing data and compiling data, called the command center; two rooms for participants to perform the memory task and one room for participants to perform the video stressor task. Data Preparation and analysis

There are three types of data; one from each type of test.

DES Mood Questionnaire:

Exposure: First there is the DES mood questionnaire data. There is a (1) baseline mood and a (2) mood following exposure to the fragrance. This indicates whether simple exposure changes reports of moods. (Remember that the exposure is to the peri-threshold fragrance.) Usually this is a weak measure, but it always needs to be checked. The participants had entered this data on a paper form. The mood scale asks for ratings on 3 positive emotions and 9 negative emotions. Each rating can be examined separately; the positive ones can be examined together as can the negative. A full-scale positive-minus-negative emotion scale score can be compiled.

Mood Stressors: Then there are the DES reports on (3, 4, 5) mood following each stressor video. The data is handled in the same way. This mood data tells us whether the moods under stress are better or worse. It usually gives a more definitive answer to mood change than simple mood reaction to the fragrance.

Search Engine: Mood words in the recent memory:

Participants had typed a recent memory into a computer program. These are downloaded and prepared for a computer word search program that searches for emotion words in the narrative. The search was for more than 50 possible types of words ranging from personal pronouns (indicative of personal involvement in narrative) to sexually explicit words and several categories of positive and negative emotion. The purpose being to eliminate the possibility that there are surprising and undesirable effects. The program compiles all scores and was transferred to a SPSS program for further analysis.

Rutgers Environment Questionnaire:

This is the final questionnaire that asks the participants to evaluate the pleasantness of odour, light, cleanliness, sounds, colors and ease of room access, in the experimental environment. Attention is not brought to the fragrances used. The responses to the odour question indicate the level of pleasantness of the odours; however, this is not the same as evaluation by a sensory panel with the odours to be compared. The ratings are noted and treated the same way as the DES scores. Then they are transferred to the SPSS files.

Statistical Analyses

All data are analyzed in SPSS programming. The distributions are checked for suitability for parametric statistics such as factor analysis or t-tests. Post hoc tests such as the LSD are run or comparison t-tests. In the case of the R&B data, there is not a high level of skewness or kurtosis when the items are combined, so the analyses proceeded with parametric analyses.

Initial analyses are run on all items separately. This eliminates the many items that are not significant and assures us that only the focus items are needed.

Results

1. Level of self-reported happy/interest/surprise moods when first exposed to perithreshold levels of each fragrance.

On a 7-point scale for each emotion (summed for positive, negative, etc.), Composition B is at 10.28; Composition A is at 9.8. These are not significantly different from each other. However, Composition B tends to be different from the control (1-tailed t-test) at the p<.07 level. For negative emotions, using the 1-tailed t-test, Composition B is significantly different (p<.04) and Composition A tends to be different (p<.07). When the whole scale is collapsed both Composition B and Composition A are significantly different from the control (p<.005 and p<.02). Composition B and Composition A affect people's rating of their emotions in a positive direction.

2. Level of self-reported positive moods when exposed to perithreshold levels of each fragrance and watching stressor videos that induce anger and fear.

On 7-point scales (these scores were summed), Composition B is at 16.48; Composition A is at 15.8. These are not significantly different from each other. Again, however, both are significantly different from the control using a factor analysis (p<.007). While the differences for the negative moods appear large, the variance is also large, so the difference is not significant (p<.28). When the whole scale is collapsed both Composition B and Composition A are significantly different from the control (p<.017). Composition B and Composition A not only affect the reporting moods somewhat when first rated, but under stress they offer significant protection against the stress leading.

Total- Mean 14.0984 15.7000 -1.7500

Std. Error of .96261 2.27518 2.43441

Mean

3. Search Engine (use of positive emotion words in recent memory):

In this analysis, one-tailed t-tests indicate that Composition B (at 1.63 words per 100) differs from the control (at 1.08 words per hundred) at the p<.045 level. The search for the words indicative of optimism shows the clearest difference. There are no differences for the negative words(sad, anxious, anger).

When writing recent memories, those exposed to Composition B used more positive mood words indicating a search for a happier memory. If a 300 word memory had been written there would have been on average 5 happy/optimistic words for Composition B, compared with 3 happy/optimistic words for the control.

Report

4. Other tests:

Comparing those exposed to the three fragrances showed no significant differences on social, sensing or physical references, nor are there differences on Emotional Intelligence or Empathy.

5. Ratings from the Rutgers Environmental Questionnaire.

There was no differences for assessment of the light, temperature or odour in the room. The temperature was very close to neutral, the Light is slightly pleasant. The Odour is more positive than neutral in general and interestingly, Composition B appeared to affect ratings of cleanliness in a more pleasant direction. This is the only significant effect: The environment of the room was evaluated as more pleasantly clean when Composition B was used than when Composition A was used. Neither are different from the control.

6. Relation of pleasantness of odour in room and mood.

The correlation of the pleasantness of the odour in the room with any mood rating ranges from .009 to .10. There was no significant relationship, it is near zero. Of course if any of the odours had been unpleasant, a relationship would exist, but with three pleasant odours, the pleasantness alone does not predict mood shifts.

Results At the peri-threshold level all the rooms with all odours are mildly pleasant. This level of pleasantness is not related to mood.

1. Mood when first exposed. Both Composition B and Composition A are higher than the control on reported mood when first exposed to the rooms with the perithreshold odour.

2. Mood when stressed.. Both Composition B and Composition A are higher than the control on reported mood when the persons tested are stressed while watching videos of people expressing fear or anger for 12 minutes each. These videos are very effective mood manipulators.

3. Mood words in memories. Composition B is higher than the control on supporting positive mood words in the search for a recent memory, ' 4. Composition B is associated with the environment in the room being rated as more pleasantly clean than Composition A. There are no negative effects for any of the fragrances. They all target only positive emotion in a positive way. Composition B is superior on all 3 tests,

Claims

1. A perfume composition containing between 0.5 to 10 wt% of an essential oils component, wherein said essentials comprises a first component of at least 5 essential oils selected from: bergamot; geranium; jasmine; petitgrain; sandalwood; ylang ylang; rosewood; lemon thyme; coriander; ginger; clove; cinnamon; benzoin; cypress; lavender; neroli; orange; geranium; mandarin/tangerine; chamomile; and characterised in that said essential oils component comprises a second essential oils compoηent of at least one essential oil selected from: black currant; cardamom; cedarwood; galbanum; grapefruit; guaicwood; mimosa; rose; vanilla; lemon; Melissa; eucalyptus; hyssop; cassia; lime..

2. A perfume composition according to claim 1 , wherein the first component of at least ' 5 essential oils is selected from: bergamot; geranium; jasmine; petitgrain; sandalwood; ylang ylang; rosewood; lemon thyme; coriander; ginger; clove; cinnamon; benzoin; cypress; lavender; neroli; orange; geranium; mandarin/tangerine; chamomile; and the second ^ essential oils component is eucalyptus.

3. A perfume composition according to claim 1 , wherein the first essential oils component comprises: bergamot; ginger; orange; petitgrain; mandarin/tangerine; and the second essential oils component is eucalyptus.

4. A perfume composition according to any preceding claim wherein, the ratio of the first essential oils component to the second essential oils component is in the range of 3:1 to 1 :10.

5. A perfume composition according to any of claims 1-3, wherein the ratio of the first essential oils component to the second essential oils component is in the range of 2:1 to 1 :7.

6. A perfume composition according to any of claims 1-3, wherein the ratio of the first essential oils component to the second essential oils component is in the range of 3:2 to 1 :4.

7. A perfume composition according to any preceding claim, wherein the wt% of the individual essential oils within the first essential oil component is provided in a range of 0.01wt% to 2.0wt%.

8. A perfume composition according to any preceding claim, wherein the wt% of the individual essential oils within the second essential oil component is provided in a range of 0.1 wt% to 5.0wt%.

9. An inhaleable medicament, wherein said medicament comprises the perfume composition according to any preceding claim, and wherein the perfume composition has been volatilised, in use, for inhalation by a user.

10. The inhaleable medicament of claim 9, wherein the medicament is provided in liquid form before subsequently being volatilised for inhalation by a user.

11. A mood enhancement composition, wherein said mood enhancement composition comprises the perfume composition according to any of claims 1-8, and wherein the perfume composition has been volatilised, in use, for inhalation by a user.

12. A perfume composition according to any of claims 1-8, wherein the composition has, upon inhalation by a user, a measurable beneficial physiological response on the user which increases the level of endorphins in the user's bloodstream.

13. A method of making the perfume composition according to any of claims 1-8 available for inhalation by a user, comprising the steps of: loading said composition into an aerosol; charging the aerosol with propellant; and activating the aerosol to emanate said composition.

14. The method according to claim 13, whereby the method comprises the further step of loading the aerosol is into a device and the device is configured to activate the aerosol to emanate said composition.

15. A method of making the perfume composition according to any of claims 1 -8 available for inhalation by a user, comprising the steps of: loading liquid perfume composition into a reservoir container; using a wick immersed in said reservoir to uptake the composition from the reservoir to a distal portion of the wick beyond outside of said reservoir; and emanating the composition from the distal portion of the wick.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the method further comprises the use of the reservoir container with an emanation device wherein the device comprises a support structure adapted to hold the reservoir container and support a heating means and/or a fan means substantially adjacent the distal portion of the wick to increase the rate of emanation of the perfume composition from said wick portion.

17. A method of improving the happiness of a patient which comprises the inhalation of a perfume composition according to any of claims 1-8.

18. A method of improving the mental state of a user which comprises the volatilisation of a perfume composition according to any of claims 1-8 into the ambient atmosphere of the user.

19. A patch for emanating a perfume composition according to any of claims 1-8, wherein the patch is configured to retain a quantity of the composition and the patch is adapted, in use, to be located adjacent to a user.

20. The patch according to claim 19, wherein the patch is adapted to be releasably attached to the skin of a user.

21. The patch according to any of claims 19-20, wherein the patch comprises heating means.