Preparation and evaluation of anti‐wrinkle cream containing saffron extract and avocado oil

Exploring the Role of Herbal Compounds in Skin Aging: A Systematic Review of Topical Approaches

Recently, dermatology has increasingly focused on understanding skin aging and exploring novel therapeutic approaches. Despite progress in cosmetic and pharmaceutical research, a significant gap remains in comprehensively understanding the effects and mechanisms of herbal extracts on skin aging. While many studies have examined the bioactivities of herbal compounds in preclinical models, comprehensive human trials have been scarce over the past decade. This review aims to address this gap by synthesizing human trials from the past decade, focusing on the therapeutic effects of herbal extracts on skin aging. The objective is to unravel the mechanisms contributing to skin aging and assess the therapeutic potential of herbal compounds. Following the PRISMA 2020 guideline, a systematic review was performed across OvidMEDLINE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Embase via Ovid. A meticulous search strategy identified relevant clinical trials. The review highlights the essential role of herbal compounds in skin aging, particularly their antioxidant activity in suppressing the aging process. Analysis of 51 clinical trials offers valuable insights into their diverse effects on skin aging parameters. Herbal compounds are promising alternatives to synthetic products for treating skin aging. Their demonstrated efficacy in mitigating wrinkles, enhancing elasticity, maintaining hydration, and controlling pigmentation underscores their potential in developing antiaging therapeutics. However, further studies are needed to identify specific compounds responsible for these effects and understand their mechanisms. Future directions include conducting large-scale trials, exploring synergies with other ingredients, and optimizing delivery systems for sustainable, effective antiaging therapies.

Innovative Honey-Based Product and Its Beneficial Effects Measured by Modern Biophysical and Imaging Skin Techniques

BACKGROUND

Honey is widely recognized for its potential benefits in skincare, yet its incorporation into formulations is challenging due to its stickiness. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of hand creams with varying concentrations of multifloral honey (0%, 5%, 10%, and 15% w/w) on skin parameters and to assess their application characteristics.

METHODS

A total of 24 volunteers were divided into two groups, each receiving a blinded pair of creams (0%/10% or 5%/15% honey) to apply on their left and right hands. Instrumental methods (Corneometer®, Tewameter®, Cutometer®, Visioscan®, and Visioline®) were used to measure skin parameters at the baseline, 15 min after the first application, and after 4 weeks of regular use. Sensory characteristics were evaluated through participant questionnaires.

RESULTS

After 4 weeks, honey-infused creams showed notable improvements in skin moisturization (up to 29.7%), smoothness (up to 21.3%), wrinkle area reduction (up to 21.4%), and mean wrinkle depth reduction (up to 11.7%). Among these, the increases in moisturization and reductions in wrinkle depth were statistically significant compared to the placebo. The sensory evaluations revealed no significant differences between formulations, highlighting the vehicle's effectiveness in minimizing the stickiness typically associated with honey.

CONCLUSIONS

This study highlights the efficacy of honey-enriched hand creams in enhancing skin parameters over time while maintaining favorable sensory characteristics. These findings support the use of honey in dermatological formulations and provide insights into overcoming its formulation challenges.

Annurca Apple Oleolite as Functional Ingredient for the Formulation of Cosmetics with Skin-Antiaging Activity

The identification of natural remedies for the management of the skin aging process is an increasingly growing issue. In this context, ursolic acid (UA), a ubiquitous molecule, mainly contained in Annurca apple (AA) fruit, has demonstrated valuable cosmetic potential. To this end, in the current study, the AA oleolite (AAO, extract in sunflower oil containing 784.40 ± 7.579 µg/mL of UA) was evaluated to inhibit porcine elastase enzymatic reactions through a validated spectrophotometric method. AAO has shown a valuable capacity to contrast the elastase enzyme with a calculated IC50 of 212.76 mg/mL, in comparison to UA (IC50 of 135.24 μg/mL) pure molecules and quercetin (IC50 of 72.47 μg/mL) which are used as positive controls. In this context and in view of the valuable antioxidant potential of AAO, its topical formulation with 2.5% (w/w) AAO was tested in a placebo-controlled, double-blind, two-arm clinical study on 40 volunteers. Our results indicated that after 28 days of treatment, a significant reduction of the nasolabial fold (-7.2 vs. baseline T0, p < 0.001) and forehead wrinkles (-5.3 vs. baseline T0, p < 0.001) were registered in combination with a valuable improvement of the viscoelastic skin parameters, where skin pliability/firmness (R0) and gross elasticity (R2) were significantly ameliorated (-13% vs. baseline T0, p < 0.001 for R0 and +12% vs. baseline T0, p < 0.001 for R2). Finally, considering the positive correlation between skin elasticity and hydration, the skin moisture was evaluated through the estimation of Trans epidermal water loss (TEWL) and skin conductance.

Efficacy and safety of oral palmitoleic acid supplementation for skin barrier improvement: A 12-week, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study

Background

Palmitoleic acid (omega-7) has been reported to be effective primarily for metabolic disorders. Recently, it has been reported to help improve quality of life (QoL) by improving skin symptoms.

Objective

The aim of this randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of oral palmitoleic acid in improving skin barrier, elasticity, and wrinkle formation in adult women.

Methods

In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study, 90 healthy participants were enrolled and received 500 mg/day palmitoleic acid (intervention) or corn oil without palmitoleic acid (control) for 12 weeks. Skin hydration and transepidermal water loss and skin elasticity, surface roughness, eye wrinkle volume, and wrinkle severity were measured at 6-week intervals to assess the skin barrier function and efficacy in wrinkle improvement, respectively.

Results

After 12 weeks, skin hydration and transepidermal water loss significantly improved in the intervention group compared to the control group. Skin elasticity, surface roughness, eye wrinkle volume, wrinkle severity, and participant-assessed clinical improvement score did not significantly improve compared with the control group.

Conclusion

Oral palmitoleic acid effectively improves the skin barrier function improvement, which may enhance QoL in aging adults.

Bioactivity and applications of saffron floral bio-residues (tepals): a natural by-product for the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries

Saffron "Crocus sativus" is a plant of the Iridaceae family. Its therapeutic virtues have been known since antiquity; it is used in traditional medicine and culinary preparations. It is also known for its use in cosmetics because of its beneficial pharmacological activities for human skin. In particular, saffron tepals are the main by-product of saffron processing; they contain several bioactive compounds such as mineral agents, anthocyanins, monoterpenoids, carotenoids, flavonoids, and flavonols (kaempferol). This review aims to describe the different properties of saffron flower tepals, including their botanical characteristics, phytochemical composition, biological activities, and cosmetology and perfumery uses.

Avocado Consumption Increased Skin Elasticity and Firmness in Women - A Pilot Study

BACKGROUND

Avocados are a rich dietary source of monounsaturated fatty acids, carotenoids, and phenolic compounds. Clinical studies have demonstrated that oral consumption of carotenoids improved skin aging. However, no studies have investigated whether oral intake of avocado will reduce skin aging.

OBJECTIVES

We therefore performed this pilot study to assess whether oral consumption of one avocado daily for 8 weeks can reduce skin aging in healthy overweight women assessing skin physical characteristics and resistance to UVB radiation.

METHODS

Thirty-nine female participants (age 27-73 years) with Fitzpatrick skin type II-IV were randomly assigned to consume either one avocado daily or continue habitual diet for 8 weeks. Facial skin elasticity, firmness, pigmentation, sebum, and hydration were determined using a cutometer on the forehead and under eye. Minimal erythema dose (MED) was determined by standardized protocol at inner arm.

RESULTS

Elasticity and firmness were increased at forehead comparing 8 weeks to baseline in the avocado group. Comparing avocado to control, change in firmness marker from baseline to week 8 indicated a significant increase in forehead skin firmness in the avocado group. We did not observe any change in hydration, pigmentation, sebum, and UVB resistance between the avocado and control group, although changes in melanin and erythema were observed in both groups over time.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that daily oral avocado consumption may lead to enhanced elasticity and firmness of the facial skin in healthy women. Further studies of other skin locations are required to establish the connection between avocado consumption and skin aging.

The therapeutic potential of Crocus sativus Linn.: A comprehensive narrative review of clinical trials

Crocus sativus Linn. (Saffron) is valued worldwide for its potential use in the management of various degenerative disorders, including cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), diabetes, cancer, metabolic syndrome (MetS), neurodegenerative diseases, immune disorders, and sexual dysfunction. Previous reports, based on clinical trials, suggest that crocetin, crocin, picrocrocin, and safranal are the main bioactive components of saffron with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic effects. In this comprehensive narrative review, we studied the recent clinical trials, investigating the medicinal applications of saffron and/or its components. The present results can provide important insights into the potential of saffron in preventing and treating different disorders, with a special focus on the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms. However, further high-quality studies are needed to firmly establish the clinical efficacy of saffron in treating some degenerative diseases.

Avocado oil: Production and market demand, bioactive components, implications in health, and tendencies and potential uses

Avocado is a subtropical/tropical fruit with creamy texture, peculiar flavor, and high nutritional value. Due to its high oil content, a significant quantity of avocado fruit is used for the production of oil using different methods. Avocado oil is rich in lipid-soluble bioactive compounds, but their content depends on different factors. Several phytochemicals in the oil have been linked to prevention of cancer, age-related macular degeneration, and cardiovascular diseases and therefore have generated an increase in consumer demand for avocado oil. The aim of this review is to critically and systematically analyze the worldwide production and commercialization of avocado oil, its extraction methods, changes in its fat-soluble phytochemical content, health benefits, and new trends and applications. There is a lack of information on the production and commercialization of the different types of avocado oil, but there are abundant data on extraction methods using solvents, centrifugation-assisted aqueous extraction, mechanical extraction by cold pressing (varying concentration and type of enzymes, temperature and time of reaction, and dilution ratio), ultrasound-assisted extraction, and supercritical fluid to enhance the yield and quality of oil. Extensive information is available on the content of fatty acids, although it is limited on carotenoids and chlorophylls. The effect of avocado oil on cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases has been demonstrated through in vitro and animal studies, but not in humans. Avocado oil continues to be of interest to the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries and is also generating increased attention in other areas including structured lipids, nanotechnology, and environmental care.