Plant Extracts as Skin Care and Therapeutic Agents

Abstract

Natural ingredients have been used for centuries for skin treatment and care. Interest in the health effects of plants has recently increased due to their safety and applicability in the formulation of pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. Long-known plant materials as well as newly discovered ones are increasingly being used in natural products of plant origin. This review highlights the beneficial effects of plants and plant constituents on the skin, including moisturizing (e.g., <i>Cannabis sativa</i>, <i>Hydrangea serrata</i>, <i>Pradosia mutisii</i> and <i>Carthamus tinctorius</i>), anti-aging (e.g., <i>Aegopodium podagraria</i>, <i>Euphorbia characias</i>, <i>Premna odorata</i> and <i>Warburgia salutaris</i>), antimicrobial (e.g., <i>Betula pendula</i> and <i>Epilobium angustifolium</i>), antioxidant (e.g., <i>Kadsura coccinea</i>, <i>Rosmarinus officinalis</i>, <i>Rubus idaeus</i> and <i>Spatholobus suberectus</i>), anti-inflammatory (e.g., <i>Antidesma thwaitesianum</i>, <i>Helianthus annuus</i>, <i>Oenanthe javanica</i>, <i>Penthorum chinense</i>, <i>Ranunculus bulumei</i> and <i>Zanthoxylum bungeanum</i>), regenerative (e.g., <i>Aloe vera</i>, <i>Angelica polymorpha</i>, <i>Digitaria ciliaris</i>, <i>Glycyrrihza glabra</i> and <i>Marantodes pumilum</i>), wound healing (e.g., <i>Agrimonia eupatoria</i>, <i>Astragalus floccosus</i>, <i>Bursera morelensis</i>, <i>Jatropha neopauciflora</i> and <i>Sapindus mukorossi</i>), photoprotective (e.g., <i>Astragalus gombiformis</i>, <i>Calea fruticose</i>, <i>Euphorbia characias</i> and <i>Posoqueria latifolia</i>) and anti-tyrosinase activity (e.g., <i>Aerva lanata</i>, <i>Bruguiera gymnorhiza</i>, <i>Dodonaea viscosa</i>, <i>Lonicera japonica</i> and <i>Schisandra chinensis</i>), as well as their role as excipients in cosmetics (coloring (e.g., <i>Beta vulgaris</i>, <i>Centaurea cyanus</i>, <i>Hibiscus sabdariffa</i> and <i>Rubia tinctiorum</i>), protective and aromatic agents (e.g., <i>Hyssopus officinalis</i>, <i>Melaleuca alternifolia</i>, <i>Pelargonium graveolens</i> and <i>Verbena officinalis</i>)).