94 NATURALS
Betulin: a triterpene offering multiple benefits
Sandrine Briatte, Julie Martineau, Simon Côté - Terlys
The skin is the main defence of the body against aggressions from the environment: wind, sun rays, microbial and viral attacks, and many others. During the COVID-19 pandemic, skin faced more aggressions than usual: much more frequent washing, use of hydroalcoholic gel, wearing masks and other face coverings, among others. Skin will need help to recover from these aggressions.
The cosmetic virtues of triterpenes Triterpenes are everywhere in nature. They can be found in resins, in tree bark, in flowers and herbs. Most of them are naturally synthesised by plants to improve their adaptogenic functions; they protect the plant against physical stress and external aggressions such as cold, drought, or UV rays.1 Many studies have shown that triterpenes
have an incredibly wide range of diverse biological activities on human health.2
While
they are well known in the pharmaceutical sector, they are less used in cosmetics. Introducing this type of ingredient in cosmetic and personal care products has been shown to bring a wide range of benefits to the end-user.
The anhydrous factor In a context of greater environmental awareness, the push to use less water and less plastic in cosmetic products leaves ever more room for almost anhydrous formulations: shampoo bars, exfoliating bars, moisturising bars etc. Triterpenes then become a very attractive solution as lipophilic molecules, which are an uncommon occurrence in botanical extracts, can be introduced in anhydrous formulations as well as in water-in-oil (w/o) or oil-in-water (o/w) formulations. Not only is this in line with sustainable
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market trends, but this characteristic also makes triterpenes ideal in developing skincare with fast efficacy. This is because it results in faster and more efficient skin penetration: the lipophilic aspect of triterpenes enables them to cross the lipid-rich stratum corneum, the first barrier of the skin. Furthermore, lipophilic molecules are
known to pass into the interstitial liquid of the living layers of epidermis. This intercellular route helps boost a more targeted use of the active principles, as they become concentrated at their point of action faster
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than other penetration routes (transcellular or appendageal routes).3
Care of weakened and damaged skin As the largest organ in the body, skin is the first line of defence against external damage. When the skin barrier is healthy, skin better retains moisture and nutrients. Yet when it is compromised by external aggressors, problems beyond the superficial will start to show; the main indicators are dullness, redness, roughness, and/or persistently dry skin.4 Generally, the signs of lesions gradually
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Epidermal growth bud Figure 1: wound healing progress on injured skin fragment PERSONAL CARE October 2022
www.personalcaremagazine.com
Dermo-epidermal adherant zone Non adherant
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