Puerarin and Its Application in Cosmetics
Yongyuan Bio Kiki
1.Botanical Source
There are 20 species of Pueraria in the world, and 11 species in China, among which Pueraria lobata(Willd.)Ohwi and Pueraria thomsonii Benth. are included in Chinese Pharmacopoeia. According to ChP 2015, Pueraria refers to the dry root of Pueraria lobata (Willd.) Ohwi which is the most widely distributed, the highest yield and the most resource variety in China. According to the results of composition analysis, Pueraria lobata contains higher flavonoids.
2. Specifications
Chemical name: 7,4'-Dihydroxy-8-C-glucosylisoflavone
Specification: Puerarin 10% 99%
water-soluble Puerarin 10% 40% (water soluble, no precipitation, low residue)
Test method: HPLC
CAS NO.: 3681-99-0
Molecular formula: C21H20O
Molecular weight: 416.38
Solubility: soluble in ethanol, propanediol
3.Production flow chart
4.Brief introduction
As the main active component of Pueraria isoflavones, puerarin has many pharmacological effects such as blood vessels dilation, myocardial oxygen consumption reduction, blood circulation promotion, and myocardial contraction improvement, and has been widely used in various dosage forms. It is mainly used in the cardiovascular and cerebrovascular system, diabetes mellitus, fundus diseases, acute alcoholism and so on.
Puerarin is also used in all kinds of food, health tea, and functional food because of its multiple biological activities and health care functions.
In addition, puerarin is also a popular cosmetic raw material, mainly used as moisturizing, antioxidant, skin whitening.
5. Application in Cosmetics
Isoflavones are widely used in cosmetics. As early as the 1980s there was a study on isoflavonoid for its whitening skin activity. Subsequent studies have also found that it has the effect of stimulating hair growth, moisturizing and delaying aging, and has very low toxicity and no side effects on the skin, which makes it very popular in cosmetics.
Puerarin is the main component of Pueraria isoflavones, and it is also widely used in skin whitening products, sunscreen, and freckle products.
Skin whitening mechanism is the inhibition mechanism of melanin. At present, the efficacy of the whitening component is mainly based on its inhibition of tyrosinase activity. Most whitening products in the market are dominated by the inhibition of tyrosinase.
At present, the recognized melanin biosynthesis pathway is as follows.
Tyrosinase is a multi-functional copper-containing oxidase, which is a speed-limiting enzyme that converts the tyrosine into melanin. Tyrosine is oxidized to form melanin under the action of Tyrosinase, and its overexpression can lead to pigmentation disease in the human body. The formation of freckles and elderly plaques is due to the disorder of tyrosine metabolism and abnormal pigmentation, that is to say, the activity of Tyrosinase is higher than that of normal conditions. The activity of Tyrosinase determines the size and quantity of melanin formation, so reducing its activity is the most important reaction mechanism to inhibit melanin.
At present, skin whitening products should meet at least two standards. First, it has a high inhibition rate on the activity of Tyrosinase. Second, it is in high safety, non-toxic and non-irritating to human skin. Although the traditional chemical whitening ingredients can achieve the effect of rapid whitening, they are toxic and allergic to the skin, and there are hidden dangers. With the increasing popularity of botanical functional cosmetics, whitening ingredients such as licorice and arbutin has been popular whitening ingredients in cosmetics at home and abroad.
The enzyme activity of Pueraria lobata in vitro confirmed that puerarin had a high inhibitory effect on tyrosinase. Puerarin is praised as a skin decolorizing component from green plants in the international cosmetics industry.
In Japan, where the cosmetics technology leader is, puerarin has long used in cosmetics. For example, Kao used Pueraria isoflavones as an active substance for whitening cream and added 0.2% Pueraria flavonoids to prevent spots caused by sunlight irradiation.
What’s more, puerarin is a plant estrogen, which has the effect of antioxidant, free radicals removement and anti-lipid peroxidation and moisture preservation. It can be used for anti-aging and moisturizer with no irritation and allergy to the skin.
6.Cosmetic with Puerarin
CHANDO Luna-whiting Hydratation cream
ESTEE LAUDER Cyber White EX Advanced Performance Brightening Essence
DHC ACEROLA LOTION
Clarins Super Restorative Total Eye Concentrate
Dr. Ci. Labo UV and White Protection Milk
IT Cosmetics Anti-Aging Full Coverage Physical SPF 50 CC Cream