Table 6.
Selected antioxidants of plant origin, some of their common chemical constituents, and their importance for skin.
| Plant Name | Part Used | Key Chemical Constituents | Activity | References |
| Aloe vera Aloe barbadensis |
leaf | vitamins (A, C, E), minerals, amino acids, enzymes, polysaccharides, saponins, anthraquinones, lignin, salicylic acid palmitic acid, oleic acid, caprylic acid, stearic acid, β-sitosterol | antioxidant activity, prevents UVR-induced skin damage; moisturizing, antipruritic, astringent, soothing and cooling effect; antimicrobial, antifungal, wound healing, and anti-inflammatory activity |
[125,137] |
| Amla Emblica officinalis |
fruit | ascorbic acid, minerals, calcium, iron, amino acids, carotenes; polyphenols, e.g., phyllembin, flavonoids, kaempferol | antioxidant activity, free radical scavenging, UV protection; promotes procollagen production | [138,139,140] |
| Brazil nut Bertholletia excelsa |
seed | fatty acids (75% unsaturated fatty acids, mainly oleic and linoleic acids), phytosterols, phenolic compounds, vit E, selenium | antioxidant properties; protects against free radicals; treatment of dry, flaky, and ageing skin, acne, skin inflammation | [141,142] |
| Chamomile Matricaria recutita |
flower | flavonoids (apigenin, luteolin, patuletin-7-glycosides), coumarins (umbelliferone and herniarin) | antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial activity; soothes irritated skin; treatment of atopic dermatitis | [3,143,144,145] |
| Chokeberry Aronia melanocarpa |
fruit | anthocyanins (cyanidin-3-arabinoside, cyanidin-3-galactoside, cyanidin-3-glucoside, cyanidin-3-xyloside, pelargonidin-3-arabinoside), flavonols (quercetin derivatives, kaempferol), flavan-3-ols (epicatechin), hydroxycinnamic acids (chlorogenic acid, neochlorogenic acid) | antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, beneficial effects on skin, especially in prevention of premature skin ageing and wrinkling | [146,147] |
| Elderberry Sambucus nigra |
flower | flavonoids: quercetin, isoquercetin, kaempferol, myricetin, rutin, nicotiflorin and their glycosides; phenolic acids: caffeic, chlorogenic, p-coumaric, ferulic | antioxidant, astringent, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, capillary stabilizing properties | [148,149,150] |
| European cranberry Vaccinium oxycoccos |
fruit | anthocyanins (cyanidin glycosides, peonidins, delphinidins, malvidins, petunidins); flavonols (quercetin, myricetin, kaempferol), resveratrol | antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, capillary stabilizing, anti-ageing activity | [151] |
| French maritime pine Pinus pinaster |
bark | phenolic compounds e.g., polyphenolic monomers, procyanidins, and phenolic acids (derivatives of benzoic and cinnamic acids) | potent scavenger of free radicals, protects against OxS, improves skin conditions, including chronic venous insufficiency and skin inflammation, hydration, and elasticity (increased synthesis of ECM); wound healing activity | [152,153] |
| Ginger Zingiber officinale |
root | gingerols and shogaol, organic acids (oxalic and tartaric acids); essential oils (major components: camphene, sabinene, p-cineole, α-terpineol, α-curcumene, zingiberene, α-farnesene, β-sesquiphellandrene, neral, geranial) | antioxidant effect nearly equal to that of synthetic antioxidants, including BHA and BHT, prevents free radical generation, reduces OxS; antibacterial and anti-fungal activity | [154,155,156] |
| Ginkgo Ginkgo biloba |
leaf | flavonoids, terpenoids (ginkgolides, bilobalide), proanthocyanids, organic acids, tannins, sitosterols, carotenoids, polysaccharides | antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, smooths and rejuvenates skin, improves skin microcirculation, elasticity and hydration, promotes fibroblast growth, increases the production of collagen and fibronectin; protects against UVR damage | [157,158,159,160] |
| Grapes Vitis vinifera |
fruit | oligomeric proanthocyanidins; phenolic acids: cinnamic acids (coumaric, caffeic, ferulic, chlorogenic, and neochlorogenic acid) and benzoic acids (p-hydroxybenzoic, protocatechuic, vanillic, and gallic acid); flavonoids: flavan-3-ols (catechin, epicatechin, and their polymers), flavanones (quercetin) |
antioxidant activity (stronger than vit C and vit E), facilitation of wound healing, protection of collagen and elastin from degradation, tyrosinase-inhibiting activity | [30,129,161] |
| Green tea Camellia sinensis |
leaf | flavandiols, catechins (especially epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), flavonols, phenolic acids | antioxidant (20 times stronger than vit E); ability to heal UV photo-damage and phototoxicity; stimulates the formation of ceramides and sphingolipids in the skin; treatment of atopic dermatitis; anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and anti-ageing activity | [2,3,30,127,162] |
| Hawthorn Crataegus monogyna |
fruit, flower |
chlorogenic acid, epicatechin, hyperoside, isoquercitrin, protocatechuic acid, quercetin, rutin, ursolic acid | antioxidant and antimicrobial activity, toning action on skin tissue, anti-wrinkle, skin hydration | [163] |
| Hibiscus Hibiscus sabdariffa |
flower | phenolic compounds (including anthocyanins, protocatechuic acid), vit E | antioxidant, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activity, skin care, skin protection, anti-ageing | [141] |
| Lavender Lavandula officinalis |
flower leaf |
essential oil monoterpenoids (including linaloyl-acetate, linalool, 1-terpinen-4-ol), leaves contain rosmarinic acid, tannins, coumarins, triterpenes and phenolic acids | wound healing, antioxidant, antibacterial, and antimicrobial activity | [143,145] |
| Licorice Glycyrrhiza glabra |
root | glycoside glycyrrhizin, glycyrrhetinic acid, flavonoids, isoflavonoids, chalcones | skin whitening, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties; treatment of skin irritations, dermatitis, eczema, acne, sunburn | [30,163,164] |
| Marigold Calendula officinalis |
flower | polyphenols, including rutin and narcissin, esculetin, quercetin-3-O-glucoside | antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal activities; prevents UV irradiation-induced OxS in skin, treatment of wounds, burns, dermatitis | [130,162] |
| Milk thistle Silybum marianum |
fruit | flavonoids-silymarin (silybin, silidianin, and silicristin) | antioxidant, reduction of UV-induced immune suppression, OxS, sunburn cell formation and apoptosis, anti-tumour effect | [67,125] |
| Olive Olea europaea |
leaf, fruit |
phenolic compounds: hydroxytyrosol, tyrosol in fruits, oleuropein, luteolin 7-O-glucoside in leaves | antioxidant, antimicrobial, anticarcinogenic, anti-inflammatory activities, improves skin texture and integrity, moisturizes skin | [144,163,165] |
| Pepper Piper longum |
fruit | volatile oils, alkaloid piperine and piperettine | antioxidant potency in vitro and in vivo; used topically in a cream base to treat sunburn | [138] |
| Pomegranate Punica granatum |
fruit | vit C and K, polyphenols such as ellagitannins, punicalagins, granatin A and B, punicacotein A, B, C, punicafolin, punigluconin, punicalagin, punicalin | protection of human immortalized HaCaT keratinocytes against UVB-induced OxS and markers of photoageing | [131,137] |
| Purple coneflower Echinacea purpurea |
root | polyphenols, alkylamides, polysaccharide | antioxidant activity, protects collagen against free radical damage; anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antimicrobial, antiproliferative effects | [166,167,168] |
| Red clover Trifolium pretense |
flower | isoflavones (equol) | antioxidant, sun-protective cosmetic ingredient; treatment of psoriasis, eczema, acne | [132] |
| Rosemary Rosmarinus officinalis |
leaf | flavonoids (including luteolin, genkwanin, hesperidin, eriocitrin, isorhamnetin, diosmin and their glycosides), phenolic acids (rosmarinic acid, caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, ferulic acid), carnosic acid, carnosol | antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, anti-wrinkle, and firming effects; stimulates circulation | [169,170,171] |
| Safflower Carthamus tinctorius |
seed | flavonoid hydroxysafflor yellow A | antioxidant, anti-ageing, anti-inflammatory activity; inhibits melanogenesis and apoptosis; improves diabetic wound healing | [172,173] |
| Sea buckthorn Hippophaë rhamnoides |
fruit | flavanols and flavonols (isoramnetin, quercetin, myricetin and kaempferol), proanthocyanidins and phenolic acids (m-, o- and p-coumaric, caffeic, ferulic, sinapinic, gallic, ellagic and cinnamic acids) | antioxidant, moisturizing, and revitalizing effects; regulation of sebum secretion (inhibits the action of 5-α reductase type 1, an enzyme active in the sebaceous glands); promotes wound healing and the synthesis and stabilization of collagen | [85,174,175] |
| Soybean Glycine max |
seed | isoflavones (genistein, daidzein) | significantly inhibits oxidative damage; photoprotective, DNA-protective and antiphotocarcinogenic properties; antipigmentary capabilities; boosts hyaluronic acid levels in skin | [133,134,176] |
| Sponge gourd Luffa cylindrica |
seed leaf |
unsaturated fatty acids (stearic and linoleic acids), phenolic compounds glycosides, tannins, flavonoids, saponins |
free radical scavenging properties; inhibits generation of free radicals significant scavenging of DPPH and H2O2 radical |
[138,177,178] [179] |
| St. John’s Wort Hypericum perforatum |
herb | tannins and flavonoids; hyperforin; naphthodianthrone hypericin | anti-inflammatory, anti-tumour and antibacterial properties; anti-oxidative properties, reduces free radical formation in the skin after exposure to UV and IR radiation; treatment of wounds, burns, eczema | [135,180] |
| Tea tree Melaleuca alternifolia |
leaf | EOs, 1, 8-cineole, terpinen-4-ol | antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, broad-spectrum antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal activity, relieves sunburn, treatment of acne, seborrheic dermatitis, warts, burns | [30,67,181] |
| Turmeric Curcuma longa |
rhizome | curcuminoids: curcumin (71.5%), demethoxycurcumin (19.4%), and bisdemethoxycurcumin (9.1%); zingiberene |
antibacterial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory properties, used for prevention, treatment or control of psoriasis and other skin conditions such as acne, rosacea, wounds, burns, eczema, photodamage, premature ageing | [30,144,182,183] |
| Walnut Juglans regia |
leaf | juglone (5-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone) | antioxidant activity, prevents oxidative damage; UV protection properties; self-tanning sunscreen agent | [125,136] |