Casearia: the medicinal plant that turned into an active anti-aging agent.
Casearia: From Brazil's biodiverse flora casearia has turned into an active anti-aging agent.
The launch of the new Chronos Line brought with it many discoveries and innovations. Among the novelties, Natura's face care product line has transformed casearia into an active anti-aging agent. Casearia extract is the principle component on the Anti-aging 60+ Filler and Revitalization Cream label, but for casearia to occupy this prominent place it took different Natura teams a lot of research.
After researching the literature in search of a substance within Brazilian biodiversity that had the potential for cosmetic use, the Chronos Project Team found a single reference to a molecule that would be present in casearia and that could bring benefits to the skin. "This information was in only one article and we were not certain if it was the same species we knew or whether that effect would repeat itself, but we decided to take a gamble and start the investigation," recalls Kelen Fabiola, a researcher in Cosmetic Technology.
Before testing casearia on the skin we needed to have access to the plant. Therefore, the Bioagriculture team contacted a community of producers located in the southern part of the State of São Paulo. "We paid them a visit and identified that some of them already had casearia growing on their land. We did an inventory of the species in order to know the volume of leaves available, and then we sent samples so that the Ingredients Team at Natura could get work." says Carolina.
A substance full of synergy
The Cosmetic Technologies Team and the Ingredients Team were put in charge of confirming the cosmetic potential of casearia. But the task proved to be more complicated than the teams had anticipated. "We were focused on isolating the molecule that would bring this benefit to skin, we did a screening study on the plant leaf to try to locate it, but we could not find the molecule that had an elastic effect on the skin," recalls Cintia Ferrari, Scientific Manager Of Green Ingredients Technology.
Even without being able to isolate the molecule, the teams decided continue the research by developing the extract from the casearia leaf to try confirm the occurrence of some benefit in its application."There was not one single molecule, but we did realize that the combination of the components within the leaf had a high potential for biological activity. It was the synergy of the molecules present in the extract that gave the expected effect, "celebrated Cintia.
The tests proved that the combination of the components within the casearia extract, benefit skin elasticity. "The extract helps to protect the elastic fibers present in our skin from sun exposure. It also intensifies the production of elastin and hyaluronic acid, a molecule that contributes greatly to fill the volume of the skin. The wrinkles are softened without the need to inject anything, because the effect occurs naturally," summarizes Kelen Fabiola.
Even with these confirmations and good news, the teams still had a lot of work ahead of them, the project was far from over. It was necessary to carry out various safety tests and also to confirm that the casearia would have the same effect year-round. "The plant suffers climatic influences that can alter its composition. We monitor whether the substance has the same effects during different seasons," explains Carolina. Tests over a year showed no significant changes.
With everything tested and approved, the product went to the factory and all that rested was gratitude from the team to the farmers involved in the project. "In all projects involving biodiversity, farmers are key. They are the ones that properly handle the plants, guaranteeing the necessary leaf volume and quality of the extract. We just have to thank them", concluded Carolina.
Casearia is not the only biodiverse substance present in the new Chronos formula. Check out our blog, you can also read about the entire developmental process of jatobá extract and follow the work of the other research areas involved in this process.
Learn more about :
Development of the new Chronos Line.
Computational Biology and 3D tissue tests enhance anti-aging treatments.
Jatobá extract: The transformation of a native seed of the Cerrado into an active anti-ageing ingredient.
Learn how :
Pharmaceutical formulation area created and developed the new Chronos Line.
Versão Português