To obtain an external preparation for improving chapped skin having protease inhibiting activity, improving and preventing chapped skin and suffering from chapped skin caused by various dermatoses such as contact dermatosis, psoriasis, etc.
This external preparation for improving chapped skin comprises 0.005-20wt.%, preferably 0.01-10wt.% calculated as a dried material of an extract of Que shuar growing in a dry meadow, a pasture, etc., of South America, especially Andes based on the total of the external preparation as an active ingredient. The external preparation is properly mixed with a beautifying agent, a humectant, an antioxidant, an oily component, an ultraviolet light absorber, a surfactant, a thickening agent, an alcohol, a powder component, a colorant, an aqueous component, water, various skin neutriments, etc., besides the active ingredient, to prepare an ointment, a cream, a milky lotion, a lotion, a pack, a bathing agent, etc. The extract of Que shuar is obtained by immersing the whole grass of Que shuar such as leaf, stem, fruit, etc., in an extractive solvent (e.g. methanol) or heating under reflux, filtering and concentrating.
KITAMURA KANEMOTO
YOKOGAWA YOSHIHIRO
SAKAMOTO OKIHIKO
