African Plants and their potential in

the cosmetic sector

Ameenah Gurib-Fakim
Centre for Phytotherapy Research
Ebene, Mauritius
afakim@cephyr-recherche.com
www.cephyr-recherche.com
 Outline of the presentation

• Introduction
• Tropical plants in cosmetic
products
• Potential of African plants and
those from the Indian Ocean
• CEPHYR and value-addition to
plant extracts
Africa in spite of its diversity is absent as a supplier on the Global
scene both for aromatic and medicinal plants!

Tropical & Subtropical Africa: 40-45.000 higher plant. This

represents at least 25% of the global pool of plant genetic
resources and has contributed significantly to the world’s trade in
genetic material.
• Medicinal plants form the single largest grouping
– 30,000 species, of which 33% are trees

Africa: >5.000 medicinal plants yet Africa only contributes 83

out of the 1100 blockbuster drugs!

Yet Africa has contributed to some blockbuster products –

Shea butter (Vittelaria paradoxa) is one such example
Tropical Plants used in
Cosmetic products

Ayapana triplinervis (Ayapana): Sunblock

Commonly used medicinal plants against

gastric ailments

Siegesbeckia orientalis
(Colle colle): Sunscreens

Portulaca oleracea
(Pourprier): ‘Exfoliant’.
-Rich in polyunsaturated vegetable oils of the
3-Omega variety, mineral ions: Ca, Mg
Lesser known African plants
with potential - Marula
MARULA (Sclerocaryea birrea)

• Antioxidant properties
• Cold pressed oil: rich in oleic
acid, more stable than all of
cosmetic oils
• Goes into anti-ageing skin care
products, shampoos, baby
products; Improves skin
hydration, skin smoothness and
reduces redness
Lesser known African plants with
potential - Baobab
BAOBAB (Adansonia digitata)

• Highly appreciated by the

Neutraceutical sector
• Growing interest by
cosmetic companies.

Cold pressed seeds

high quality oil used in cosmetic

creams & milk – after sun care
Baobab Co. produces extracts from
fruit for nourishing the epidermis &
shampoo.
Potential of plants of
African and IO plants
- The database established on plants of the Indian Ocean show that
many plants are used traditionally against skin related ailments – Yet
no scientific experiments have been properly carried out to evaluate
their potential
- Some have high antioxidant activity – anti-ageing potential?
Others are used for their skin-whitening potential
Some are also used to improve the texture and tone of the skin – data
must support these observations!
Cross over between Health Care, Nutrition and Beauty Care
• Cosmeceuticals, Nutraceuticals
• Skin health
• Weight problems, over/under, stretchmarks
• Nail & Eye health
• Circulatory problems, Vein health
• Hair loss/removal
• Menopause
• Ageing – pigmentation
 Cosmetic
High Organic production for
Cosmetic international
Essential Oil
production for market
Based Agro-
international
chemical
market

Market
Growth Essential
Oil under
CO2
extraction Crude
Essential Oil
Steam
Distilled
Low

Strong Weak

Relative Competitive Position

CEPHYR and Value-addition to Plants extracts

Plant extracts and Essential Oils produced at

CEPHYR have been evaluated for their:
- Antioxidant potential (DPPH, ABTS, ORAC)
- Anti-Elastase
- Anti-Collagenase
- Anti-Tyrosinase
- Anti-Diabetes (Glycation, a-amylase, a-
glucosidase)
- Anti-Inflammatory (anti-lipoxidase)
- Anti-microbial

Plant extracts, Essential Oils, Actives: Lesser known but

potentially important and comprise also plants from the ‘Chinese
Authorized List of plants’
-For the Cosmetic Sector, CEPHYR
Portfolios comprise of:

-Plant description
-Its history (etymology of names,
traditional uses) – useful
information for communication
purposes
-Phytochemical, and/or profile
pharmacological profile
(emanating from our research
work)
-Efficacy tests, in vitro (for the
Cosmetic sector)
 Results from screening and testing of potential plant
extracts

ANTITYROSINASE ACTIVITY
CEPHYR Extract CP 57-11
CTL 1 (Tocopherol) CEPHYR Extract CP57-11 CTL 2 (Ascorbic acid)
100.0
ANTITYROSINASE ACTIVITY
CEPHYR Extract CP 33-1
Percentage inhibition (%)

80.0

60.0 CTL 1 (Tocopherol) CEPHYR Extract CP 33-1 CTL 2 (Ascorbic acid)

40.0 100.0

Percentage inhibition (%)

20.0 80.0

60.0
0.0
0.005 0.01 0.02 0.04 0.06 40.0
Concentration (mg/ml)
20.0

0.0
0.004 0.006 0.008 0.01
Concentration (mg/ml)

Prepared from Medicinal Plant Extracts: CP 57-11 and CP 33-1 have potential depigmenting
properties as per the antityrosinase tests performed.

For CP 33-1,the activity is 2x more effective as compared to the control used (Tocopherol
and Ascorbic acid) at equal concentration
 ANTITYROSINASE ACTIVITY
CEPHYR Extract CP 29-1
CTL 1 (Tocopherol) CEPHYR Extract CP29-1 CTL 2 (Ascorbic acid)

80.0 ANTITYROSINASE ACTIVITY

CEPHYR Extract CP 22-3
Percentage inhibition (%)

70.0
60.0
CTL 1 (Tocopherol) CEPHYR Extract CP22-3 CTL 2 (Ascorbic acid)
50.0
40.0
96.0
30.0
20.0 94.0

Percentage inhibition (%)

10.0 92.0
0.0 90.0
0.01 0.02 0.04 0.06 0.08 88.0
Concentration (mg/ml) 86.0
84.0
82.0
80.0
78.0
0.005 0.01 0.02 0.04 0.06
Concentration (mg/ml)

The antityrosinase extracts extracts labelled CP 29-1 and CP 22-3 have been
obtained from edible aromatic plants.
Extracts with Antioxidant properties

Extracts Concentrations Inhibition extract Inhibition control

(mg/ml) (%) (%)
Test DPPH CP 89-14 1 99.8 95.4
CP 51-12 1 99.3 95.4
CP 70-1 0.1 95.4 88.8
CP 88-14 0.06 94.2 88.8
Test ABTS CP 42-10 0.1 99.4 91.5
CP 93-2 0.1 96.2 91.5

These extracts present in our extract-bank exhibit interesting DPPH and ABTS
activities.

The medicinal, aromatic and food plants tested come from the Cucurbitaceae,
Cyperaceae, Fabaceae, Sapindaceae and Lauraceae families. These extracts are
useful for the nutraceutical sector and/or cosmeceutic sector.
 ANTI-ELASTASE ACTIVITY
CEPHYR Extract CP 18-1
ANTICOLLAGENASE ACTIVITY
CEPHYR Extract CP18-1
CTL (N-methoxysuccinyl-Ala-Ala-Pro-Val chloromethyl ketone) CEPHYR Extract CP 18-1
90
(c = 20 mg/ml)
80
CEPHYR Extract CP18-1
Percentage inhibition (%)

70
60 CTL (Metalloprotease inhibitor: 1,10-phenanthroline)
50
40 80
30

Percentage inhibition (%)

70
20
10 60
0 50
0 0.1 0.25 0.5 0.75 1 40

Concentration (mg/ml) 30
20
10
0
0 15 30 45 60 75 90 105 120
Time (mn)

CP 18-1: Has potential anti-aging properties.

Its anti-tyrosinase activity along with its antioxidant and anti-collagenase activities make
a good candidate for future development in the cosmetic sector.
Thank you for your attention