The oil of this medicinal botanical is used in cosmeceuticals to dissolve dirt and makeup and as a skin protectant. The active components include 60-75% triacylglycerols, 50-65% linoleic acid, 15-22% oleic acid, 7-18% palmitic acid, and 9-14% phospholipids. Wheat germ oil also contains other active compounds including glycolipids, sterol esters, tocopherol, tocotrienols, and carotenoids. It […]

The distinctive aroma is due to carvone which comprises 40-80% of the extracts of this herb. Other active compounds include caffeic acids such as rosmaric acid, flavonoids including thymonin, and volatile oils. These molecules provide spearmint with antimicrobial and insecticide activity (72). This herb applied topically produced a statistically significant decrease in oxidative damage and […]

This herb is used in folk medicine to treat crusts and as a massage oil. The active ingredients are nearly completely fatty oils including linoleic and loeic acid (35-50% each), palmitic acid (10%), lignans, and sterols (3). The lignan sesamine is immunosuppressive in vitro. No clinical studies have been published. It has limited risk of […]

This medicinal botanical has documented anti-androgenic, anti-estrogenic, anti­inflammatory, and anti-exudative effects. An unproven use is eczema therapy. Its major components are sitosterols and their glucosides, flavonoids, free fatty acids, and polysaccharides. Multiple blinded human trails document effectiveness in treating prostate disease. This compound has been introduced in at least two cosmeceuticals for photoaging and three […]

This herb is a homeopathic remedy for pruritic and inflammatory cutaneous diseases including psoriasis, leprosy and syphilis. The active molecules include steroid saponins such as sarsasapogenin, phytosterols including beta-sitosterol, and quercetin. This preferred flavoring agent of the Old West is also an antiseptic and antipruritic. Sarsaparilla can induce asthma and renal failure. It is administered […]

This herb is an Asian therapy for heatstroke and sunstroke and for urethral inflammation in homeopathy. Preliminary data suggests it may be chemopreventive for cutaneous malignancy (57). The antiseptic and therapeutic effects result from tannins, resins, and volatile oils. Sandalwood is administered as oil. It has minimal potential for sensitization. It is contraindicated in pregnancy […]

This medicinal botanical soothes mucocutaneous tissue leading to its formulation into cosmeceuticals. It also has antimicrobial, antiviral, and antioxidant effects. Rosemary applied topically inhibited chemically induced murine epithelial tumors. The active components include flavonoids, triterpenes such as ursolic acid, diterpenes including carnosolic acid, and volatile oils in addition to caffeic and rosmarinic acids. This herb […]

The juice of this medicinal botanical soothes cutaneous wounds, burns, and dermatitis due to its mucilages consisting of mucopolysaccharides, sucrose, lignans, and fruit acids. It also is an antiviral against herpes simplex and HIV. This herb is administered as a powder or galenic for a variety of topical formulations. Prickly pear has no reported health […]

This foodstuff enhances resolution of bruises and wounds. It is also used for cosmeceuticals to modify the appearance of scars. The juice from the unripened fruit is primarily papain, a mixture of proteinases, lipases, and phosphatases that additionally have anti-ulcerative, antimicrobial, and antihelminthic effects. This herb also contains polyketide alkaloids such as carpane, glucosinolates, saponins, […]