ACMELLA OLERACEA EXTRACT: A NATURAL ANTI-WRINKLE, ANTI-AGING ALTERNATIVE

The beauty industry introduces so many treatments, creams, and serums to combat the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and to ultimately, delay aging. Who doesn't want to reduce wrinkles and delay aging anyway? Some people would even go for Botox: the drug most doctors use to treat wrinkles and side creases. However, Botox has several side effects including chronic migraines, uncontrollable blinking, and even overactive bladder. 

Knowing the side effects of Botox injections, people would have second thoughts to undergo the procedure and would want to go the natural way. For people who opt to do it the natural way, there’s good news! A wonder product, Acmella Oleracea plant extract is a natural way to reduce wrinkles and delay the signs of aging.  

Image Source: Acmella Oleracea, Wikipedia

 A product taking over the organic cosmetic community is Acmella Oleracea extract. According to clinical studies, the Acmella extract is now considered a natural alternative to Botox and can serve as an anti-wrinkle, anti-aging product. Plants and their extracts play a critical role in modern health care as they symbolize the long history of use and safe application for humans and sustainable extraction from the environment (Joseph & George, 2013). 

Cosmetic companies, such as FirstBase Skincare, are returning to the fundamentals of health science and seeking clean, organic products for a holistic approach to skincare. FirstBase believes that it is better to use herbal products for medicinal purposes (for humans and the environment) rather than use the hard to pronounce, harmful synthetics being produced in labs. 

WHAT IS ACMELLA OLERACEA EXTRACT?

The extract is from the Acmella flower buds of the Acmella oleracea plant. Acmella oleracea, also called Paracress or Jambu, family Asteraceae, is an annual herb plant that is native to Brazil’s tropics (Sahu et al, 2011, 1105). However, the plant and its plant species are distributed widely across tropical and subtropical regions in the Americas, North Australia, Africa, India, Borneo, and Malaya (1106). 

WHAT ARE THE USES OF ACMELLA OLERACEA? 

Image Source: Acmella Oleracea Toothache Plant, Healthline

Analgesic, Anti-Inflammatory, Antimicrobial Properties

Acmella Oleracea has a long history of medicinal use for: scurvy, scabies, pain for its analgesic activity, and its anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant activity (1105-1106).

Oral Care and Anesthetic Activity

As seen in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology, the plant extract has a strong correlation to anesthetic and numbing effects and can be used as a mucoadhesive film containing crude extract of jambu treated with activated carbon is a potential alternative for oral, topical use, encouraging future clinical studies. The plant is traditionally known as the toothache plant and has been coveted for its numbing effect with toothaches, swelling, gum infections, and mouthwashes (1105). Currently, it is added to toothpaste and is an oral analgesic in gels (Barbosa, Carvalho, Smith, & Sabaa-Srur, 2016, 128). 

Treats Skin Diseases

Acmella Oleracea has been used to treat skin diseases such as ringworm, athletes’ foot, and nail infections (Sahu et al, 2011,1106). 

Other Uses

One of the more influential uses of the plant is its ability as an insecticide to kill mosquitoes that spread malaria and dengue fever. (128). It is also used as a spice in Brazilian dishes, as its leaves and acmella flowers are popular for their pungency, tingling, numbing, and mouth-watering sensory properties (128).

HOW CAN ACMELLA OLERACEA IMPROVE YOUR SKIN? 

Acmella Oleracea Extract has Anti-Wrinkle and Anti-Aging Properties

A more recent discovery that the plant extract has a strong correlation to fight wrinkles and delay the signs of aging. The Acmella oleracea plant extract can be a substitute for Botox in anti-wrinkle and anti-aging products (Demarne & Passaro, 2009). Acmella Oleracea extract contains Spilanthol, which is an active antiseptic alkaloid that is extracted from the plant (Sahu et al, 2011, 1106). 

The active compound, Spilanthol acts as a natural alternative to Botox because of its botulinum toxin-like action of stopping the subcutaneous muscles, especially those in the face, from contracting (Demarne & Passaro, 2009).

 

The bioactive compound Spilanthol (C14H23NO) which is found in Acmella Oleracea, Source: Barbosa, Carvalho, Smith, & Sabaa-Srur, 2016

In other words, it can relax facial muscles and muscle tension to help quicken the repair of functional wrinkles, resulting in smoother, less wrinkled skin. The Acmella Oleracea extract can be added to serums or creams to “stimulate, reorganize, and reinforce the collagen network”, which also helps to firm and tighten the dermis (skin) (Joseph & George, 2013, 2785). Other benefits of the Acmella Oleracea extract are its to ability to treat skin diseases such as swimmer’s eczema (Barbosa, Carvalho, Smith, & Sabaa-Srur, 2016, 131). 

ACMELLA OLERACEA: THE FUTURE OF SKINCARE

The skincare industry has always been improving and there seems to be a new product introduced. People would always look for ways to delay the signs of aging in one way or another and the acmella oleracea extract is definitely a good skincare ingredient to watch out for.

Speaking of Chemistry, our skin is considered organic and it is best to apply organic products to it as well. Although chemicals made in the lab are not necessarily bad, there are certain side effects we can't deny. Choosing plant-based ingredients like the Acmella oleracea extract can do wonders to the skin especially when you want to reduce fine lines and wrinkles. The good news, this has been proven by multiple clinical studies. 

HOW CAN FIRSTBASE’S DOUBLE DOSE VITAMIN C SERUM HELP IMPROVE YOUR SKIN?

FirstBase integrated the Acmella Oleracea Extract in our Vitamin C Serum to provide clients with a product that has rich Botox-like assets and antioxidant properties. The extract helps smoothen wrinkles and fine lines—especially expression wrinkles. In addition, this serum will help protect skin from external aggression and damage caused by drying and dehydration, to ultimately help delay signs of aging. 

 

Shop our DoubleDose Vitamin C Serum

 

Citations: 

Barbosa, A.F., Carvalho, M.G.,  Smith, R.E., & Sabaa-Srur,  A. U.O. (2016). Spilanthol: occurrence, extraction, chemistry, and biological activities. Brazilian Journal of Pharmacognosy, 26, 128-133. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bjp.2015.07.024

Demarne, J.,  & Passaro, D. (2009). Use of an Acmella oleracea extract for the botulinum toxin-like effect thereof in an anti-wrinkle cosmetic composition. Google Patents. Retrieved from: https://patents.google.com/patent/US7531193B2/en

Joseph, B., & George, J. (2013). The Role of Acmella Oleracea in Medicine—A review. World Journal of Pharmaceutical Research, 2 (6), 2781-2792. Retrieved from:https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jency_George/publication/312320817_The_Role_of_Acmella_Olerecea_in_Medicine_-A_Review/links/587a5f5308aed3826ae7b7af.pdf

Sahu, J., Jain, K., Jain, B.,  & Sahu, R.K. (2011). A Review on Phytopharmacology and micropropagation of Spilanthes Acmella. Pharmacologyonline Newsletter, 1105-1110. Retrieved from: https://pharmacologyonline.silae.it/files/newsletter/2011/vol2/092.sahu.pdf