Summary of Scientists Discover Anti-Aging Power in an Invasive Weed:
Extracts from cocklebur fruit, a noxious weed plant, can protect the skin, accelerate wound healing, and fight wrinkles due to their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, according to research presented at a meeting of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. In laboratory tests, the extracts reduced damage from UVB radiation and influenced collagen production. Researchers suggested that cocklebur could be a valuable ingredient in cosmetic products, especially when combined with other compounds such as hyaluronic acid or retinoic acid to combat aging. However, high doses of the extract can be harmful, researchers cautioned, and further research is needed to determine safe commercial use.
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Cocklebur Extracts: The Next Big Thing in Skincare?
Cocklebur extracts, derived from the fruit of a plant often considered a noxious weed, have shown potential in protecting skin, accelerating wound healing, and combating wrinkles due to their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. In recent research, cocklebur extracts reduced UVB damage and promoted wound healing in laboratory tests, influencing collagen production and maintaining skin elasticity. The findings suggest cocklebur could be a valuable ingredient in cosmetic products, especially when combined with other effective compounds like hyaluronic acid or retinoic acid to fight age.
What is Cocklebur?
Cocklebur is a plant native to Southern Europe, Central Asia, and China that has spread worldwide, often found in moist or sandy areas such as roadside ditches and riverbanks. Its distinctive fruits, covered in stiff husks and burrs, have been used for centuries in traditional medicines for headaches, stuffy noses, disorders of skin pigmentation, tuberculosis-related illness, and rheumatoid arthritis. In recent years scientists have explored its potential use in treatments for rheumatoid arthritis and cancer.
The Benefits of Cocklebur Extracts for Skin
The new study is the first to examine the fruit’s properties as a wound-healing agent and skin protectant. Researchers first studied the molecular properties of cocklebur fruit extracts and particular isolated compounds that could contribute to antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. They then used cell cultures and a 3D tissue model with properties similar to human skin to study how these compounds affect collagen production, wound healing, and damage from UVB radiation.
The results showed that the cocklebur fruit extracts encouraged collagen production, sped wound healing, and protected against UVB radiation. Comparing the bioactivity of cocklebur fruits grown in different places, the researchers found that fruits grown in South Korea had slightly higher antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and greater wound-healing activity than those produced in China.
Using Cocklebur Extracts Safely
Researchers cautioned that high doses of cocklebur fruit extract could be harmful and further research is needed to determine how to use it safely in cosmetic or pharmaceutical applications.
“In its burrs, cocklebur fruit also has a toxic constituent, carboxyatractyloside, which can damage the liver,” said Eunsu Song, a doctoral candidate at Myongji University in South Korea. “Cocklebur showed potential as a cosmetic agent by increasing collagen synthesis; however, it showed negative results with higher concentrations. Therefore, finding the proper concentration seems important and would be key to commercializing cocklebur fruit extracts in cosmetics.”
Final Thoughts
As the demand for natural and sustainable ingredients in cosmetics increases, cocklebur extracts could become the next big thing in skincare. With their demonstrated effects in protecting the skin, speeding up wound healing, and providing antioxidant and anti-inflammatory protection, cocklebur extracts have the potential for use in creams, lotions, and other cosmetics. However, more research is needed to determine the appropriate cocklebur fruit extract concentration and ensure its safe use in makeup and skincare products.
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