Combination of acid protease enzymes and acidic buffers and uses thereof

Abstract

Novel compositions comprising one or more of an acid protease and an acidic buffer, the acidic buffer comprising an acid and a pharmaceutically or cosmetically acceptable carrier, vehicle or excipient, useful for treating or preventing abnormal biological conditions, diseases or disorders, and/or for improving the texture or appearance of the skin, and/or for enhancing epidermal exfoliation and/or for enhancing epidermal cell renewal and to methods for the use of the compositions. The acid protease comprises one or more proteolytic enzymes which exhibit proteolytic activity at pH values below that of the surface of the skin, i.e., approximately pH 5.5. The acidic buffer comprises at least one acidic buffering component that can reversibly disassociate hydrogen ions and has buffering capacity at pH values below that of the surface of the skin, i.e., approximately pH 5.5. or mixtures thereof with a pharmaceutically or cosmetically acceptable carrier, vehicle or excipient. The buffer is capable of reducing the pH of the surface of the skin to less than pH 5.5 and is susceptible to neutralization by normal epidermal processes. Such types of abnormal biological conditions, diseases or disorders include skin atrophy, i.e., the thinning and/or general degradation of the dermis often characterized by a decrease in collagen and/or elastin as well as decreased number, size and doubling potential of fibroblast cells, and other maladies including, but are not limited to dry skin, severe dry skin, dandruff, acne, keratoses, psoriasis, eczema, skin flakiness, pruritus, age spots, lentigines, melasmas, wrinkles, warts, blemished skin, hyperpigmented skin, hyperkeratotic skin, inflammatory dermatoses, age-related skin changes and skin in need of cleansers.