Use of polyurethanes which are soluble or dispersible in water as aids in cosmetic and pharmaceutical compositions, and polyurethanes which contain polylactic acid polyols as copolymerized units

A polyurethane which is soluble or dispersible in water and is composed of

• a) at least one compound which contains two or more active hydrogens per molecule,
• b) at least one diol containing acid groups or salt groups and
• c) at least one diisocyanate with acid numbers of from 12 to 150 or the salts of this polyurethane, which contains as compounds in group (a) at least 5 mol % of a polycondensate of lactic acid and of a polyol of the formula
• where
• Y is a radical derived from a dihydric to tetrahydric alcohol,
• n is 1-50 and
• m is 1-4,
• as copolymerized units.

A method for coating or binding a pharmaceutical composition, comprising coating or binding a pharmaceutical composition with a polyurethane which is soluble or dispersible in water and is composed of

• a) at least one compound which contains two or more active hydrogens per molecule,
• b) at least one diol containing acid groups or salt groups and
• c) at least one diisocyanate with a glass transition temperature of at least 15° C. and acid numbers of from 12 to 150 or the salts of these polyurethanes wherein at least 20 mol % of poly(α-hyroxy carboxylic acid diols) of the formula I
• where
• R1 and R2 are each H, C1-C5-alkyl or aryl
• R is a radical derived from a diol (alkylene radical) with 2-8 carbons,
• n and m are each 1-30,
• are used as compounds in group (a).