To provide an antioxidation agent for cosmetic and pharmaceutical preparation having strong specific free radical scavenging action and antioxidation action to protect the cells and tissues of mammals and provide a method for the production of the agent and a cosmetic preparation containing the agent.
The 2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)ethyl-substituted carbonic acid derivative of formula I (R1 is H, a lower alkyl or the like; X1, X2 and X3 are each S, O or NH; and R2 is a 1-22C alkyl or the like optionally substituted with O) is produced e.g. by the reaction of 2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)ethylamine with a heterocumulene (an isocyanic acid compound or an isothiocyanic acid compound). The derivative has strong free radical scavenging action and antioxidation action and is useful as a component of cosmetics and pharmaceutical preparations.
