Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for extracting organic molecules and/or organic minerals from a limestone material, including placing said limestone material in contact with a solution including at least one organic solvent, water and at least one acid, as well as to the organic molecules and/or organic minerals produced by the method. The products produced by the method can be used, for example, in therapeutic and non-therapeutic fields, in particular the agri-food, cosmetic and medical fields.

Abstract: The method of extracting a lipidic active principle from a solid material coming from a nacreous mollusk comprises the steps of grinding the nacre into a fine powder, preferably having a mean grain size of less than 20 ?m, of putting the powder into contact with a lipid solvent, of separating the solvent, and of extracting the lipidic active principle by evaporating the solvent.

Abstract: The invention relates to a fluid preparation method comprising the recovery of the fluid that is located between the shell and the body of a mollusc. The invention also relates to the liquid obtained using said method, and to the use thereof in the pharmaceutical field, in particular in order to improve cutaneous healing, to regenerate tissues or to promote osteogenesis or bone mineralization. The invention further relates to compositions, particularly pharmaceutical compositions, medical devices or food supplements containing same.

Abstract: The method of extracting a lipidic active principle from a solid material coming from a nacreous mollusk comprises the steps of grinding the nacre into a fine powder, preferably having a mean grain size of less than 20 ?m, of putting the powder into contact with a lipid solvent, of separating the solvent, and of extracting the lipidic active principle by evaporating the solvent.

Abstract: A method for preparing a composition, comprising a) reducing mother-of-pearl into powder with grain size distribution ranging between about 1 and about 300 ?m; b) placing the obtained powder in close contact with an extracting agent in the form of a hydroglycol solution of at least a collagen, of at least a proteoglycan or a mixture thereof; then c) in collecting the extraction mixture, formed by the close contact, constituting the desired composition. The composition obtainable by said method has very interesting properties relative to the skin and/or skin appendages, in particular tissue-regenerating properties, enabling for instance improved wound healing, and anti-ageing properties for preventing and/or visibly reducing effects related to skin and/or skin appendage ageing.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method for preparation of biologically active substances and has the following characteristic features: (a) nacre is reduced to a powder whose grain size is less than approximately 200 &mgr;m; (b) it is placed in close contact with an aqueous solvent, (c) at the end of the contact period, the insoluble fraction is separated out to give the aqueous fraction; (d) the solvent of the aqueous fraction is concentrated to separate out the soluble or water-transportable fraction of the nacre, which is made up of biologically active substances with essentially no mineral components. The invention likewise relates to the products obtained by this method, their use for medicinal purposes and the compositions containing them.