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Cosmeceuticals containing herbs: fact, fiction, and future.

BACKGROUND: Modern medicine is rooted in ethnobotanical traditions using indigenous flora to treat symptoms of human diseases or to improve specific aspects of the body condition. Herbal medicine is now used by over half of the American population. Yet the American medical community generally lacks knowledge of the function, metabolism, interaction, adverse reactions, and preparation of herbal products. OBJECTIVE: Because over 60 botanicals are marketed in cosmeceutical formulations, dermatologists need to obtain working knowledge of the major botanicals. The preparation, traditional uses, mechanisms of action, human clinical data, adverse reactions, and interactions all impact herbal efficacy and are discussed below. METHOD: English-language medical journal and symposium searches. RESULTS: The most important botanicals pertaining to dermatologic uses, such as cosmeceuticals, include teas, soy, pomegranate, date, grape seed, Pycnogenol, horse chestnut, German chamomile, curcumin, comfrey, allantoin, and aloe. All are documented to treat dermatologic conditions. Only green and black tea, soy, pomegranate, and date have published clinical trials for the treatment of parameters of extrinsic aging. CONCLUSIONS: Preparation of botanical-based cosmeceuticals is complex. Very few of these products are supported by evidence-based science.

Cosmetics↗

Review of abnormal laboratory test results and toxic effects due to use of herbal medicines.

Herbal medicines are used widely in the United States, and according to a recent survey, the majority of people who use herbal medicines do not inform their physicians about their use. Herbal medicines can cause abnormal test results and confusion in proper diagnosis. Herbal medicines can alter test results by direct interference with certain immunoassays. Drugherb interactions can result in unexpected concentrations of therapeutic drugs. For example, low concentrations of several drugs (e.g., cyclosporine, theophylline, digoxin) can be observed in patients who initiated self-medication with St John's wort. Herbal medicines can alter physiology, and these changes can be reflected in abnormal test results. For example, kavakava can cause drug-induced hepatitis, leading to unexpected high concentrations of liver enzymes. Use of toxic herbal products such as ma huang (an ephedra-containing herbal product), Chan Su, and comfrey may cause death. Other toxic effects of herbal medicines include cardiovascular toxic effects, hematologic toxic effects, neurotoxic effects, nephrotoxic effects, carcinogenic effects, and allergic reactions.

Clinical Laboratory Techniques↗

Natural plant toxicants in milk: a review.

Elimination of plant toxicants via milk by lactating animals is considered a minor route of excretion; however, it may be important when the health of the neonate or food safety in humans is considered. Among plant toxicants excreted in milk is tremetol or tremetone, the toxin in white snakeroot (Eupatorium rugosum) and rayless goldenrod (Haplopappus heterophyllus). These plants have been responsible for intoxication of cows and their suckling calves and for many human poisonings. Other plant toxins excreted through the milk that pose a toxicity hazard include pyrrolizidine alkaloids in Senecio, Crotalaria, Heliotropium, Echium, Amsinckia, Symphytum (comfrey), Cynoglossum (hounds tongue) and Festuca (tall fescue); piperidine alkaloids in Conium, tobacco and others; quinolizidine alkaloids in Lupinus; sesquiterpene lactones of bitterweed and rubber weed; and glucosinolates in Amoracia (horseradish), Brassica (cabbage, broccoli, etc.), Limnanthes (meadowfoam), Nasturtium (watercress), Raphanus (radish) and Thlaspi (stinkweed). Many plants such as Astragalus, Oonopsis, Stanleya, Xylorrhiza, Aster, Atriplex, Sideranthus and Machaeranthera accumulate selenium and may cause intoxication when grazed. Selenium is found in the milk at concentrations relative to the amounts ingested by the lactating animal. Excretion of selenium via the milk is important in the deficiency state, but when in excess it may cause toxicity to offspring.

Animals↗

Evaporative light scattering detection of pyrrolizidine alkaloids.

A reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography method utilizing evaporative light scattering detection (ELSD) has been developed for the simultaneous detection of hepatotoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids with and without chromophores, namely, riddelliine, riddelliine N-oxide, senecionine, senecionine N-oxide, seneciphylline, retrorsine, integerrimine, lasiocarpine and heliotrine. Pyrrolizidine alkaloids were detected in five plant extracts (Senecio spartioides, S. douglasii var. longilobus, S. jacobaea, S. intergerrimus var. exaltatus and Symphytum officinale). The detection of heliotrine (which does not contain a chromophore) was much improved by ELSD compared with photodiode array detection.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid↗

[Novel biologically active polymer of 3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)glyceric acid from two types of the comphrey Symphytum asperum and S. caucasicvum (Boraginoceae)].

Two high-molecular water-soluble preparations with high anticomplement and antioxidant activity were isolated from the roots of Symphytum asperum and S. caucasicum. Their main chemical constituent was found to be poly[oxy-1-carboxy-2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)ethylene] according to IR and NMR spectroscopy. The English version of the paper: Russian Journal of Bioorganic Chemistry, 2002, vol. 28, no. 4; see also http://www.maik.ru.

Comfrey↗

DPPH radical scavengers from dried leaves of oregano (Origanum vulgare).

1,1-Dipehnyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activities were found in the extract of dried leaves of oregano (Origanum vulgare). The water-soluble active ingredients were isolated, and their structures were determined to be 4'-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-3',4'-dihydroxybenzyl protocatechuate and 4'-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-3',4'-dihydroxybenzyl 4-O-methylprotocatechuate by (1)H-, (13)C-NMR, DEPT, HMQC, and HMBC spectral analyses, and by NOE experiments. The DPPH radical scavenging activities of these compounds were compared with those of rutin, quercetin and rosmarinic acid at a concentration of 2 x 10(-5) M. The scavenging activity of 4'-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-3',4'-dihydroxybenzyl protocatechuate was almost the same as that of quercetin and rosmarinic acid, but that of 4'-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-3',4'-dihydroxybennzyl 4-O-methylprotocatechuate was less than that of quercetin, rosmarinic acid and 4'-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-3',4'-dihydroxybenzyl protocatechuate. The amount of 4'-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-3',4'-dihydroxybenzyl protocatechuate was estimated to be 3.8 mg/1 g of dried leaves by an HPLC analysis.

Achillea↗

[Physical and chemical characterization of allantoin-beta-cyclodextrin inclusion complex].

Solubility and bioavailability of poorly water-soluble drugs have been improved by the preparation as cyclodextrin inclusion complexes. The aim of this study is to obtain and characterize the inclusion compound allantoin-beta-cyclodextrin. Allantoin is a vegetable drug, poorly water-soluble (1:300), isolated from roots of Symphytum off. The solid inclusion complex was prepared by mixing with a adequate quantity of water and drying at 50 degrees C to the constant weight. It was used a different proportions between allantoin and beta-cyclodextrin (1:4, 3:7). The inclusion complex was characterized with RMN and IR spectrum and compared with results obtained from beta-cyclodextrin and allantoin alone. The experimental results were demonstrated the inclusion of allantoin in the lipophilic cavity of beta-cyclodextrin without physico-chemical changes.

Allantoin↗