Use of a cereal extract as a slimming active agent in a slimming cosmetic composition

1. A slimming method using a slimming topical composition comprising: applying the slimming topical composition to an area of skin in need thereof, wherein the slimming topical composition comprises an effective amount to provide a slimming effect of at least one cereal extract comprising a rye extract, and wherein the cereal extract comprises at least 90% by weight of total sugars, the percentage being expressed relative to solids constituting the cereal extract.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said cereal extract is obtained by extraction with at least one polar solvent.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the cereal extract is obtained from all or part of the rye alone or as a mixture with at least one other cereal.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the other cereal is selected from the group consisting of wheat, barley, and oats.

5. The method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the cereal comprises saccharide compounds.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the cereal comprises saccharide compounds.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the cereal comprises at least one compound selected from the group consisting of: xylan, arabinoxylan, glucose, and xylose.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the cereal comprises arabinoxylan.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the cereal extract is obtained from at least one cereal fraction chosen from the group consisting of fibers, fibers contained in the stalks; fibers contained in the leaves, fibers contained in the seeds, fibers contained in the hulls, fibers contained in the bran of cereals.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the cereal extract is obtained from flakes of said cereal.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the rye extract is an extract of rye flakes.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the cereal extract is a rye extract prepared by bringing the rye or a rye part into contact with a polar solvent or a mixture of polar solvents.

13. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said cereal extract is obtained by extraction with a polar solvent or a mixture of polar solvents selected from the group consisting of: water, a C 1 -C 4 alcohol, a C 2 to C 6 glycol, and any mixtures thereof.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the alcohol is ethanol; and the glycol is selected from the group consisting of glycerol, butylene glycol, propylene glycol and any mixture thereof.

15. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the cereal extract is an aqueous extract or an extract obtained by extraction in an aqueous-alcoholic or aqueous-glycolic solution comprising at least 50% v/v of water.

16. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the cereal extract is prepared by means of a method comprising the succession of following steps:

suspension of the cereal comprising rye or of parts of cereal comprising rye in water;

simultaneous or successive enzymatic hydrolysis or hydrolyses;

separation of the soluble and insoluble phases by filtration, centrifugation, or settling out to provide an active fraction;

heat treatment;

purification of the active fraction by filtration; and

sterilizing filtration.

17. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the cereal extract comprises at least 95% by weight of total sugars, and the percentage being expressed relative to the solids constituting the cereal extract.

18. A slimming method using a slimming topical composition comprising: applying the slimming topical composition to an area of skin in need thereof, wherein the slimming topical composition comprises between 0.01% and 0.5% by dry weight of at least one cereal extract comprising a rye extract, relative to the weight of the cosmetic composition, and wherein the cereal extract comprises at least 90% by weight of total sugars, the percentage being expressed relative to solids constituting the cereal extract.

19. A slimming method using a slimming topical composition comprising: topically applying between 0.0001% and 1% by weight, relative to the weight of the cosmetic composition, of at least one cereal extract comprising a rye extract to an area of skin in need thereof, and at least one additional cosmetically active agent selected from the group consisting of: an additional slimming agent having a slimming effect through an action on lipogenesis, lipolysis or lipid storage; an additional agent acting on factors responsible for the appearance of cellulite; an additional agent having a skin restructuring effect and acting to preserve tissue firmness by protecting the extracellular matrix; a phytosphingosine or a cosmetically acceptable salt thereof; a cAMP component select from cAMP, a cAMP salt, and acylated cAMP; an additional agent activating adenylate cyclase enzyme; an agent inhibiting phosphodiesterase enzyme; an extract of Cola acuminata , linoleic acid, an extract of Vitis vinifera , a glycosphingolipid, dihydromyricetin, hexapeptide-11, a mixture of a hydrolyzed extract of Prunella vulgaris and Celosia cristata ; an extract of Anogeissus leiocarpus , a leaf extract of Manihot utilissima , madecassoside or a plant extract containing madecassoside; a vitamin A ester; sericoside or a plant extract containing a sericoside; N-acetyl-dipeptide-1-hexadecyl ester; and an extract of Visnaga vera.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein acylated cAMP is selected from the group consisting of monobutyryl cAMP, and dibutyryl cAMP.

21. The method of claim 19 , comprising applying a cosmetic composition comprising said cereal extract and said additional cosmetically active agent, wherein said cAMP component is at a concentration ranging between 0.001% and 5% by weight, relative to the total weight of said cosmetic composition.

22. The method of claim 19 , wherein said adenylate cyclase-activating agent is selected from the group consisting of forskolin, a plant extract containing forskolin, and an extract of Coleus forskholii.

23. The method of claim 22 , comprising applying a cosmetic composition comprising said cereal extract and said adenylate cyclase-activating agent at a concentration ranging between 0.001% and 1% by weight relative to the total weight of said cosmetic composition.

24. The method of claim 19 , wherein said adenylate cyclase-activating agent is an extract of Tephrosia purpurea.

25. The method of claim 24 , comprising applying a cosmetic composition comprising said cereal extract and said extract of Tephrosia purpurea at a concentration ranging between 0.001% and 5% by weight relative to the total weight of said cosmetic composition.

26. The method of claim 19 , wherein said phosphodiesterase-inhibiting agent comprises a xanthine.

27. The method of claim 26 , wherein said xanthine is selected from the consisting of 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine, caffeine and theophylline.

28. The method of claim 26 , further comprising applying a cosmetic composition comprising said cereal extract, and said xanthine at a concentration ranging between 0.001% and 10% relative to the weight of said cosmetic composition.

29. The method of claim 19 , wherein said vitamin A ester is vitamin A retinyl palmitate.

30. A method for slimming an area of skin comprising: topically applying a slimming composition comprising between 0.001 and 1% by weight relative to the total weight of said cosmetic composition of a rye extract, and between 0.001 and 5% by weight relative to the total weight of said cosmetic composition of an extract of Tephrosia purpurea on an area of skin in need thereof.

31. The method of claim 30 , wherein the slimming composition comprises about 0.1 weight % of rye extract and about 1% of an extract of seeds of Tephrosia purpurea.

32. A method for slimming an area of skin comprising topically applying a slimming composition to an area of skin in need thereof, wherein the slimming composition comprises at least one cereal extract, comprising a rye extract, in an amount of between 0.0001% and 1% by weight, relative to the weight of the composition, and wherein the cereal extract comprises at least 90% by weight of total sugars, the percentage being expressed relative to solids constituting the cereal extract.

33. The method of claim 32 , wherein said cereal extract is a rye extract.