Tulip extract
Tulips are considered messengers of spring. They belong to the lily family and enrich countless gardens. With their lush flowers and colourfulness, they are among the most beautiful and popular flowers of all. However, few tulip lovers know that they contain a substance that can be extremely interesting for cosmetic use. That is why we are taking a closer look at tulip extract from the plants today.
The most important facts about tulip extract
One of the main components of tulip extract is tulipanin, an anthocyanin. Chemically speaking, it is the 3-O-rutinoside of delphinidin. Even though the name immediately brings to mind the spring flowers, tulipanine is not only found in tulips. We also find the substance in the Peruvian lily (Alstroemeria), barberry, Hymenocallis (a genus of the amaryllis family), blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum), the banana variety Musa acuminata and in some other plants.
Before we discuss the effects of tulip extract, we will first deal with the term anthocyanin. It can be traced back to the ancient Greek word ‘anthos’ for ‘flower’ and refers to water-soluble vacuolar pigments. Depending on the pH value, these appear red, violet or blue. In 1835, Ludwig Clamor Marquart, a German pharmacist from Osnabrück, was the first to give the name anthocyanin to a chemical compound that gives various flowers their blue colour. Today we know that anthocyanins belong to a superordinate class of molecules, more specifically to the flavonoids, which are synthesised via the phenylpropanoid pathway. They can be found in virtually all plant parts: from leaves to stems, flowers, roots and fruits. They are odourless and have a moderate astringent effect. In the European Union, anthocyanins are officially approved as food and beverage colourants (E 163).
What is the function of anthocyanins in plants?
We have already mentioned that the anthocyanin tulipanin is one of the main components of tulip extract. It is not found in plants without reason, because Mother Nature has something in mind here, so to speak. For example, some anthocyanins are able to protect plants from extreme temperatures. An interesting example is tomato plants. Here, anthocyanins fight reactive oxygen species, which leads to a lower rate of cell death in the leaves and protects the plants from cold stress. However, since tulipanin, which is found in tulip extract, is primarily responsible for the striking colouring of many plants, it attracts many animal pollinators in nature, which in turn contribute to the spread of the respective species. A clever strategy that ensures the survival of plants! Incidentally, the same colouring in ripe fruit ensures that the seeds are distributed, which in turn attracts herbivorous animals.
What makes tulip extract interesting for cosmetic products?
In the context of in-vitro studies, scientists have already been able to prove that anthocyanins such as tulipanine, which is found in tulip extract, have antioxidant properties. However, there is as yet no evidence that consuming anthocyanin-rich foods has an antioxidant effect on humans. Nevertheless, tulip extract is very suitable for use in cosmetic formulations. Researchers assume that the extract has several positive effects on skin care, including in particular the proliferation of immune cells and the induction of collagen. What is more, tulip extract actually has a significant antioxidant effect on the skin.
It is even assumed to have a measurable positive effect on aged skin (sources: https://www.cfmot.de/die-tulpe-pflanze-des-monats-april/ and https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32613704/#:~:text=Finally%2C%20the%20clinical%20study%20highlighted,nasolabial%20wrinkles%20were%20also%20observed) Finally, the clinical study highlighted that nasolabial wrinkles were also observed, as a clinical study impressively emphasised the potential anti-ageing properties of tulip extract. For example, a significant reduction in the depth and length of nasolabial folds and an improvement in skin elasticity were observed. The clinical study, which involved female volunteers of a more mature age, included a 28-day application of cosmetic products containing tulip extract.
Interestingly, it has also been reported that Tulipa gesneriana (which also includes the garden tulip we know) has an antibiotic effect that is particularly concentrated in the area of the ovaries. This makes tulip extract particularly suitable for intimate care products. Tulip extract is also suitable for the care of mature and stressed skin.
Tulips extract or tulipanine
INCI: Tulipa Gesneriana Flower Extract
CAS number: 15674-58-5
Alternative names: Delphinidin-3-rutinosid, 3´,4´,5,5´,7-Pentahydroxy-3-[?- L -rhamnopyranosyl-(1->6)-?- D -glucopyranosyloxy]flavylium,
molecular formula: C27H31O16+
molecular weight: 611.5 g/mol
effects: antioxidant, antibiotic
applications: for anti-aging care and for intimate care products
Tulip extract: an ideal candidate for modern skin care products
The effect of tulip extract on the skin has already been proven in clinical studies. It has very good anti-aging properties and is therefore suitable for high-quality creams and serums that are explicitly aimed at more mature skin. It can also be used in intimate care products. Would you like more information on this topic? The Cosmacon experts will be happy to help!