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Willow
BOTANY
Salix alba L. is a perennial tree, member of the Salicaceae family, which grows up to 25 m.
The bark of the tree is wrinkled and it has straight, flexible branches. The leaves are lanceolate with a short
petiole and have finely serrated edges. They are smooth, lustrous on the front and glaucous on the back
with a very fine pubescence when they are young, just as the branches do.
The flowers are yellow-green and bloom from April to May. Masculine flowers are reduced to two stamens
and a nectar gland while the female flowers come down to a pistil protected by a piece of deciduous scale.
The fruit is a pod which opens when mature into two valves with a large number of hairy seeds.
Original from Euro-Asia, it was widespread throughout North Africa and America. It develops in most areas,
on the banks of streams, rivers and lakes.
Willow extract is produced from the bark and leaves of Salix alba L.
CHEMISTRY
The primary chemical constituents of willow are: polyphenols, flavonoids
and salicylic derivatives. Willow polyphenols are catechin tannins (520%); willow flavonoids (0.2-1.5%) are isoquercitrin glycoside, naringin,
quercetin and isorhamnetin and the chalcone isosalipurposide.
Salicylic derivatives in willow (1.5-11%) are salicin or salicoside (a
glycoside of saligenin), salicortin, tremulacin and salireposide. It also
contains organic acids (salicylic, vanillic, syringic, caffeic, phydroxybenzoic, coumaric and ferulic acids) as well as oligosaccharides
and polysaccharides (pectin, galactan, arabinan).
Other compounds in willow are esters of salicylic acid, salicylic alcohol and salicin acetate all in small
concentrations.
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CENTERCHEM, INC. NORWALK, CT
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TRADITIONAL USES
The febrifugal properties of willow bark have been known since the time of the ancient Greeks. The leaves
of the tree have been much appreciated in traditional medicine.
The parts of the plant used in cosmetics are the leaves and the dry bark of branches of different Salix
species, such as Salix alba, Salix purpurea, Salix daphnoides, Salix fragilis, and others.
Willow has anti-thermal, analgesic, anti-inflammatory and astringent
properties due to its salicin and tannin content. Willow preparations
have been used in feverish illnesses, acute and chronic rheumatism,
and in gout as analgesics.
Willow is applied in Cosmetics because of the cooling, decongestive,
anti-inflammatory properties provided by the salicoside in its
composition. It is incorporated into products for inflammation, itchy skin
where its properties are combined with the astringent effect of the
tannins, and is also used in milks and tonics for removing make up.
Willow extract is widely employed in cosmetics and dermatology due to its moisturizing, keratolytic and
detoxifying properties. It also acts as an astringent, analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial agent
(Council of Europe, 2001).
IN VITRO TEST
Anti-irritant activity
Acute inflammation is a protective host response to pathogens or injury that evokes heat, redness,
swelling, pain. PGE2 is synthesized in substantial amounts at sites of inflammation where it acts as a
potent vasodilator and causes an increase in vascular permeability and edema (Davies, P., 1984).
Moreover PGE2 is a central mediator of febrile response triggered by the inflammatory process and
intradermal PGE2 is hyperalgesic in the peripheral nervous system (Dinarello, CA., 1999).
Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) is an extensively studied prostaglandin owing to its predominance in
inflammation, cancer, atherosclerosis, autoimmune disease, and sepsis. Oxidation of arachidonic acid by
prostaglandin synthases (COX-1 and COX-2) produces prostaglandin H2 (PGH2), which is further
metabolized by PGE synthases into its major product, PGE2.
Due to these facts, the anti-irritant activity of the willow extract was assessed by measuring
cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibition. The amount of prostaglandin (PGE2) in a primary keratinocyte culture
was measured by immunoassay. The culture medium was used as the negative control and
acetylsalicylic acid (AS), at the concentrations of 0.1 mM and 1 mM, was used as the positive control.
% Inhibition of cyclooxygenase
63,96
AS 1mM
49,89
AS 0.1mM
Willow extract
0,1%
43,45
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Figure 1. Results of cyclooxygenase inhibition by Willow extract
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Studying the results, it can be observed that willow extract (0.1%) remarkably reduced the amount of
prostaglandin (PGE2), which indicated remarkable cyclooxygenase inhibition. This effect was
comparable to that of the control acetylsalicylic acid (0.1 mM).
RECOMMENDED DOSE
- Facial tonics and creams: 2-4%
- Greasy hair shampoos: 3-5%
Example: Facial milk
Water
Octyldodecanol
Glyceryl Stearate
Ceteareth-12
WILLOW EXTRACT H.G.
Mineral Oil
Glycerin
Fragrance
Preservative
w/w (%)
q.s. to 100
8.0
6.0
3.5
3.0
3.0
2.0
q.s
q.s
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Committee of Experts on Cosmetic Products. Plants in cosmetics. Plants and plant preparation used as
ingredients for cosmetic products Volume II. Strasbourg: Council of Europe Publishing, 2001: 139-142
(68*1ANT).
Davies, P. et al. Annu. Rev. Immunol. 1984; 2: 335-357
Dinarello, CA. et al. Curr. Biol. 1999; 9: 147-150
Webs:
http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/duke/farmacy2.pl
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