Oligosaccharides

Claim 2

An esterified oligosaccharide including at least one esterified disaccharide unit consisting of a uronic acid residue having the structure: ##STR46## and a hexosamine residue having the structure: ##STR47## where R' is C 3 to C 10 alkyl or ##STR48## R" is --H, C 1 to C 4 alkyl, --CO(CH 2 ) m CH 3 , --SO 3 M R'" is --H, --CO(CH 2 ) m CH 3 , or --SO 3 M M is --H, or a metallic or organic cation n is 0 or an integer of from 1 to 7 m is 0 or the integer 1 or 2 the groups designated R" being the same or different, one R" group from each pyranose ring structure being linked by a glycosidic linkage having the configuration α-1,3; α-1,4; β-1,3; or β-1,4; and the --COOR', --CH 2 OR" and --OR" groups being of either configuration with respect to the pyranose rings; provided that when the esterified oligosaccharide is an esterified disaccharide unit having the structure: ##STR49## then R' is C 5 to C 10 alkyl or ##STR50##

Claim 3

The esterified oligosaccharide of claim 1 having the generic structure: ##STR51##

Claim 4

The esterified oligosaccharide of claim 2, selected from those having the following structures: ##STR52##

Claim 5

The esterified oligosaccharide of claim 1 having the generic structure: ##STR53##

Claim 6

The esterified oligosaccharide of claim 4, selected from those having the structures: ##STR54##

Claim 7

the esterified oligosaccharide of claim 1 having the generic structure: ##STR55##

Claim 8

The esterified oligosaccharide of claim 6 having the structure: ##STR56##

Claim 9

The esterified oligosaccharide of claim 1 having the generic structure: ##STR57##

Claim 10

The esterified oligosaccharide of claim 8 having the structure: ##STR58##

Claim 11

The esterified oligosaccharide of claim 1 having the generic structure: ##STR59##

Claim 12

The esterified oligosaccharide of claim 10 selected from those having the structure: ##STR60##

Claim 13

The esterified oligosaccharide of claim 1 having the generic structure: ##STR61##

Claim 14

The esterified oligosaccharide of claim 12 having the structure: ##STR62##

Claim 15

The esterified oligosaccharide of claim 1 having the generic structure: ##STR63##

Claim 16

The esterified oligosaccharide of claim 14, having the structure: ##STR64##

Claim 17

The esterified oligosaccharide of claim 1 having the generic structure: ##STR65##

Claim 18

The esterified oligosaccharide of claim 16, selected from those having the structure: ##STR66##

Claim 19

The esterified oligosaccharide of claim 1 having the generic structure: ##STR67##

Claim 20

The esterified oligosaccharide of claim 18 having the structure: ##STR68##

Claim 21

The esterified oligosaccharide of claim 1 having the generic structure: ##STR69##

Claim 22

The esterified oligosaccharide of claim 20, having the structure: ##STR70##

Claim 23

A process for the synthesis of an esterified oligosaccharide as defined in claim 1, which comprises the steps of: (i) subjecting a glycosaminoglycan chain to chemical cleavage to yield oligosaccharide fragments containing at least one disaccharide unit comprising a hexosamine residue having the structure: ##STR71## which is glycosidically linked to the C-1 position of a uronic acid residue having the structure: ##STR72## and (ii) modifying the oligosaccharide fragments by one or more process steps in any sequence chosen from: acylation of free hydroxyl groups, acylation of free amino groups, sulphation of free hydroxyl groups, sulphation of free amino groups, esterification of free hydroxyl groups, and etherification of free hydroxyl groups; to provide the esterified oligosaccharide.

Claim 24

The process of claim 22, for the synthesis of the esterified disaccharide having the structure (5), which process comprises the steps of: (i) subjecting the glycosaminoglycan chondroitin sulphate to acid hydrolysis to yield the disaccharide chondrosine having the structure: ##STR73## (ii) subjecting the chondrosine to N-acetylation to yield N-acetylchondrosine having the structure: ##STR74## (iii) subjecting the N-acetylchondrosine to sulphation in the C-6 position of the hexosamine moiety to yield N-acetylchondrosine-6-O-sulphate having the structure: ##STR75## (iv) subjecting the N-acetylchondrosine-6-O-sulphate to esterification to yield the intermediate product having the structure: ##STR76## and (v) subjecting the intermediate product having the structure (33) to full acetylation to yield the esterified disaccharide having the structure: ##STR77##

Claim 25

A process for the synthesis of an esterified oligosaccharide as defined in claim 1 having at least one uronic acid residue linked in the β configuration through the C-1 position to a hexosamine residue, or having at least one hexosamine residue linked in the α or β configuration through the C-1 position to a uronic acid residue, which process comprises the steps of: (i) condensing a hexosamine residue having the structure: ##STR78## with a uronic acid residue having the structure: ##STR79## to form an oligosaccharide intermediate, the functional groups of which residues have been modified or protected in such a way that glycosidic bond formation can only occur between the C-1 position of one residue and a free hydroxyl group in the C-3 or C-4 position of the other residue, the α or β configuration of the glycosidic linkage so formed being dictated by the nature of the leaving group on the C-1 position; and (ii) removal of at least one protecting group from the oligosaccharide intermediate by one or more process steps in any sequence chosen from: reduction, acid catalysis, and base catalysis; to provide the esterified oligosaccharide.

Claim 26

The process of claim 24 for the synthesis of the esterified disaccharide having the structure (15), which process comprises the steps of: (i) condensing the oxazoline derivative of N-acetylglucosamine having the structure: ##STR80## with the benzylated uronic acid moiety having the structure: ##STR81## in the presence of nitromethane and p-toluene sulphonic acid to yield the benzylated β-1,4 disaccharide having the structure: ##STR82## (ii) hydrogenating the benzylated β-1,4 disaccharide to remove the benzyl groups to yield a β-1,4 partially acetylated disaccharide having the structure: ##STR83## and, (iii) acetylating the partially acetylated β-1,4 disaccharide to yield the fully acetylated β-1,4 disaccharide having the structure: ##STR84##

Claim 27

A composition suitable for topical application to mammalian skin comprising an effective amount of from 0.01 to 10% by weight of an esterified oligosaccharide as defined in claim 1, together with from 10 to 99.99% by weight of a cosmetically or physiologically acceptable carrier.

Claim 28

A composition suitable for topical application to mammalian skin comprising an effective amount of from 0.01 to 10% by weight of an esterified disaccharide including a uronic acid residue having the structure: ##STR85## and a hexosamine residue having the structure: ##STR86## where X is --H, C 1 to C 4 alkyl, --CO(CH 2 ) m CH 3 , --SO 3 M, or an aryl radical, X is --H, --CO(CH 2 ) m CH 3 , or --SO 3 M, Y is --H, C 1 to C 4 alkyl or M, and M is --H or a metallic or organic cation, and m is O or the integer 1 or 2; the groups designated X being the same or different, one --OH group from each pyranose ring structure being linked by a glycosidic linkage having the configuration α-1,3, β-1,3, α-1,4 or β-1,4; and the --COOY, --CH 2 OX and --OX groups being of either configuration with respect to the pyranose ring; together with from 10 to 99.99% by weight of a cosmetically or physiologically acceptable carrier.

Claim 29

A composition suitable for topical application to mammalian skin comprising an effective amount of from 0.01 to 10% by weight of an esterified disaccharide including a uronic acid residue having the structure: ##STR85## and a hexosamine residue having the structure: ##STR86## where X is --H, C 1 to C 4 alkyl, --CO(CH 2 ) m CH 3 , --SO 3 M, or an aryl radical, X is --H, --CO(CH 2 ) m CH 3 , or --SO 3 M, Y is --H, C 1 to C 4 alkyl or M, and M is --H or a metallic or organic cation, and m is O or the integer 1 or 2; the groups designated X being the same or different, one --OH group from each pyranose ring structure being linked by a glycosidic linkage having the configuration α-1,3, β-1,3, α-1,4 or β-1,4; and the --COOY, --CH 2 OX and --OX groups being of either configuration with respect to the pyranose ring; together with from 10 to 99.99% by weight of a cosmetically or physiologically acceptable carrier.

Claim 30

The composition of claim 27 in which the esterified disaccharide has the structure: ##STR87##

Claim 31

The composition of claim 28, in which the esterfied disaccharide in selected from those having the following structures: ##STR88##

Claim 32

The composition of claim 27, in which the esterfied disaccharide is selected from those having the following structure: ##STR89##

Claim 33

A composition suitable for topical application to mammalian skin comprising an effective amount of from 0.01 to 10% by weight of a low molecular weight limit enzymic digest comprising an esterified oligosaccharide derived from a glycosaminoglycan chosen from heparan sulphate, hyaluronic acid and chondroitin sulphate.

Claim 34

A composition suitable for topical application to mammalian skin comprising an effective amount of from 0.01 to 10% by weight of a low molecular weight limit enzymic digest comprising an esterified oligosaccharide derived from a glycosaminoglycan chosen from heparan sulphate, hyaluronic acid and chondroitin sulphate.

Claim 35

A method for the conversion of vellus hair to growth as terminal hair, which comprises applying to mammalian skin in the region of vellus hair, an effective amount of the composition of claim 26.

Claim 36

A method for the conversion of vellus hair to growth as terminal hair, which comprises applying to mammalian skin in the region of vellus hair, an effective amount of the composition of claim 27.

Claim 37

A method for increasing the rate of terminal hair growth in mammalian species, which comprises applying to mammalian skin in the region of terminal hair, an effective amount of the composition of claim 26.

Claim 38

A method for increasing the rate of terminal hair growth in mammalian species, which comprises applying to mammalian skin in the region of terminal hair, an effective amount of the composition of claim 27.

Claim 39

The use of the esterified oligosaccharide as defined in claim 1 in the promotion of mammalian hair growth or regrowth.