Cool Running -
Chilling Out With Anti-Inflammatory Herbs
by Diana L. Howard Ph.D.
Vice President Technical Development
The International Dermal Institute
Published in Les Nouvelles Esthétiques August 2004

Inflammation is one of the leading client complaints heard by professional skin therapists today. Everything from gritty city inflammatory air to facial waxing, from irritating cosmetic ingredients (lanolin, artificial colors, artificial fragrances) to the many-headed modern monster we call stress can trigger the range of symptoms collectively known as inflammation. Environmental sensitization, which is the skin’s response to a myriad of manmade irritants (cigarette smoke, carpet outgassing, cleaning products, solvents and fumes from innumerable toxic substances frequently present in the workplace and home), is an increasingly common condition, causing allergy-like reactions in the skin. Because of the omnipresence of these toxic triggers, environmentally sensitized skin may be very difficult to treat conclusively.

Many of the most effective antidotes to red, itchy skin have their humble origins in the garden—oats immediately come to mind, with a clinical colloidal oatmeal mask being the current interpretation of a soothing skin treatment that is literally centuries old. Three other familiar plants with ancient healing histories—chamomile, comfrey and licorice—persist today as a few of the most effective and safe ingredients for topically addressing skin inflammation that results from a variety of causes.

St. John’s wort is an effective partner with chamomile when used to calm mild to moderate (non-infected) acne lesions.

Chamomile

Many of us associate chamomile, a member of the daisy family, with a grandmotherly cup of tea to “calm the nerves” or to ease a gastro­intestinal complaint. The Egyptians called chamomile “the plant’s physician,” believing that its presence in a garden kept surrounding plants healthy. In German, chamomile is often called alles zutraut, meaning that it can do any-thing—and indeed, over the centuries, chamomile teas and baths and warm abdomi­nal compresses have been recommended as an analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-neuralgic, a digestive, and disinfectant, to name just a few of its uses. Today, the range of conditions that are treated with chamomile include PMS, ane­mia, arthritis and asthma, colic, insect bites, conjunctivitis, eczema, flatulence, insomnia, menopause and razor burn! Documentation of most of these treatments is anecdotal, but it is undeniable that chamomile brings with it a heavy-hitting history.

Two forms of chamomile are widely used t o day, German (Matricaria recutita) and Roman (Anthemis nobile). Chamomile oil is a deep-blue or bluish-green liquid that turns green and, finally, brown when exposed to light and air. The oil contains alpha-bisabolol, bis­abolol oxides, matricin and azulene. The latter is responsible for its deep-blue color, while the   bisabolol and its derivatives contribute to the anti-inflammatory and anti-itch properties.

Other active compounds that contribute to chamomile’s effectiveness include the flavonoids, a class of water-soluble plant pig­ments. While they are not considered vital nutrients, several of the flavonoids are believed to help strengthen capillaries and other con­nective tissue, while others have demonstrated antioxidant and anti-inflammatory action on the skin. Flavonoids such as apigenin, luteolin and quercetin may be responsible for chamomile’s long history of use as an anti­inflammatory. One double-blind study found that topical applications of chamomile were 60 percent as effective as a 0.25 percent hydrocor­tisone cream without the negative side effects of hydrocortisone. The soothing, wound-heal-ing properties of chamomile also explain its popularity as a salve for bed-sores among elderly hospital patients. In many traditional cultures, as well as in contemporary alternative usage (e.g., health food stores), chamomile is used to treat gum disease and canker sores.

Modern use of chamomile began in the 1920s when a German firm produced topical chamomile cream for a wide variety of skin disorders including skin inflammation caused by radiation therapy and contact dermatitis such as poison ivy. The flowers of the chamomile plant yield the pale yellow essen­tial oil, which is the active ingredient in many topical skin products, as well as tablets, teas and other internal applications.

One of the most effective methods of using chamomile to soothe sensitive, delicate skin is in serum form, combined with other anti­inflammatory botanicals such as red raspberry, calendula and cornflower. In combination, these extracts, each with its own rich, tradition­al history, quickly help to reduce skin irritation, including acne and razor burn. St. John’s wort is also an effective partner with chamomile when used to calm mild to moderate (non­infected) acne lesions, and aloe and chamomile used in tandem are an ancient duo, which simultaneously calm and hydrate the skin.

Comfrey

Comfrey (Symphytum officinale), an herba­ceous perennial plant, has been used by herbal healers for centuries. Used both inter­nally and externally, some people even swear by chewing the comfrey leaves! Conservative

The benefits of incorporating comfrey or allantoin into a cosmetic formulation are many: it is used to decrease skin sensitivity, help soothe skin redness and help restore suppleness to skin.

contemporary research cautions against inter­nal use of comfrey; the FDA has withdrawn comfrey root from the marketplace because of its high alkaloid content, which can be toxic. One of the primary active ingredients in comfre y is allantoin, which has been demonstrated to promote new cell growth and repair tissue damage when applied topi­cally to the skin. In ancient times, as unsavory as it sounds, physicians observed that wounds infested with blowfly maggots healed faster than those that were not similarly infested. A recent and appropriately grisly illustration of this was the maggot-aided healing of Russell Crowe’s wounds in the film Gladiator. We now know that the fly larvae not only con­sume the necrotized tissue damaged by the injury itself, but that they also excrete allan­toin, which helps generate healthy tissue and speed wound closure.

Colloquially, comfrey has been called “knit­bone,” and poultices made from crushed com­frey leaves are included in the earliest recorded herbal healing records as a soothing agent for wounds and burns. During World War I, comfrey was used to treat serious battle injuries. Hard-core comfrey devotees still claim that the topical application of comfrey   poultices speeds the healing of broken bones and eases the pain of ankle sprains.

As with chamomile, there is some controver­sy surrounding how far the beneficial effects of comfrey actually reach. There are reports that allantoin helps soften skin by promoting the skin’s ability to bind water molecules in the intercellular matrix. Still others claim that allantoin actually dissolves the intercellular “cement” that holds the cornified cells together. For this reason, comfrey is used widely in skin care products. Because of this keratolytic (soft­ening) effect, comfrey preparations are specifi­cally effective in breaking down horny accumu­lations, such as deep, hard calluses embedded within the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. Comfrey root as a salve and ointment is particularly well-documented as a cell prolifer­ant and epithelization (skin growth) stimulant, used for conditions ranging from slow-healing leg ulcers (ulcus cruris) to treating and prevent­ing common diaper rash. Similar formulas are also effective in preventing and treating chap­ping and chafing of all kinds, as well as in “counter-irritants” that soothe skin that becomes inflamed in response to detergents, soaps, cosmetics, chemical residues and envi­ronmental factors. In many cases, comfrey is also reported to dramatically reduce discomfort associated with these skin conditions.

Today, comfrey or allantoin is used in a w ide ar r ay of skin care products, from cleansers, to masks and moisturizers. The benefits of incorporating comfrey or allantoin into a cosmetic formulation are many: it is used to decrease skin sensitivity, help soothe skin redness and help restore suppleness to skin. It is often used in combination with antioxidant vitamins, algae extract and other calming botanicals such as licorice and bur­dock. Allantoin, ideally in combination with components such as bisabolol, panthenol and witch hazel, is also useful in products such as oil-controlling moisturizers for oily and acne-prone skin, where simultaneous calming and nourishment of the skin are desired.

Licorice

Licorice is a popular botanical ingredient with a long and rich history. A candy-store favorite, the flavor associated with licorice actually is anise, which confectioners tradi­tionally combine with licorice. The genus Glycyrrhiza contains about 20 species, covering the Americas, Australia, Asia and Europe. Today, there is controversy surrounding the consumption of licorice in large amounts as a medicinal herb, but since licorice can­dies contain little if any of the actual licorice essence, candy lovers are probably in no danger.

Recent studies have shown that licorice extract, rich in antioxidant glabradine fractions, inhibits melanin biosynthesis as well as scavenges free radicals when used as a topical ingredient.

Licorice root has been chewed, stewed and brewed by humans both as medicine or simply for its ear thy, extremely sweet flavor for at least a thousand years, possi­bly more. King Edward I of England placed a tax on the import of the popular root in 1305 to finance the repair of London Bridge; Napoleon’s licorice-chewing habit sup­posedly is what turned his teeth black. Extremely popular in centuries of Chinese herbal formulations, licorice is used there today as an antacid, as well as in many other applications. Some licorice aficionados even make the claim that licorice stimulates adrenal activity and is help­ful in restoring and maintaining mental acuity. Licorice salve is also marketed as treatment for herpes lesions and is an ingredient in many hair-loss products.

Licorice and its chemical components have been inves­tigated for many uses as a topical skin care ingredient. Some of the earlier work has demonstrated that gly­cyrrhetinic acid and glycyrrhizin (primary components in licorice) are even more effective than topical cortisone in treating eczema in children. These compounds were shown to inhibit the anti-inflammatory response of skin reddening and itching triggered by the arachidonic acid cascade. Glycyrrhizinic acid has been shown to reduce edema or swelling of tissues and have anti-viral activity. Clinical studies have shown that topical application of licorice components, including the acids, can help reduce the healing time and pain of both oral and genital herpes lesions. More recent studies have shown that licorice extract, rich in antioxidant glabradine fractions, inhibits melanin biosynthesis as well as scavenges free radicals when used as a topical ingredient. For this reason, glycyrrhiza glabra and glycyrrhetinic acid are sought out as ingredients in skin care products, especially those dealing with hyperpigmentation issues.

Licorice, when combined with Szechwan pepper, lavender and cucumber, has been shown to ease the solar sting and inhibit the formation of sun damage-triggered dark spots. Likewise, the new breed of hydroquinone-free skin brighteners, intended to reduce hyperpigmenta­tion without irritation, employ licorice along with other   botanical brightening agents such as bearberry, rice, kiwi and mulberry (this is a particularly effective combination when left on the skin overnight). For environmentally sensitized skin, licorice is effective when suspended in liquid form, ideally in combination with Canadian wil­low herb, raspberry and cucumber, and misted lightly over the face to reduce irritation and stress, and to pro­tect skin from further environmental assault. When com­bined with other classic calming agents such as allantoin and oatmeal, licorice becomes a soothing component in non-soap (syn-det) cleansing bars (vs. traditional bar soaps, which are highly alkaline and often perfumed with irritating synthetics). When teamed with concentrated vitamins, comfrey and burdock, licorice helps desensitize irritation and reduces redness in the form of a “recovery” mask for stressed-out skin. The applications for licorice as a topical anti-inflammatory are nearly as numerous as the skin conditions that are treated with it, supporting at least the external portion of centuries of folkways and naturopathic uses.

The future of herbs

In terms of their use for skin therapists, do botanicals have a place among the new pentapeptides and other state-of-the-art discoveries being crafted in the lab? Absolutely. So often, people want to draw a distinction between a botanical or “natural” source and a “chemical” source. But the truth is, everything is chemical. The essence of a flower petal is chemical, and so the distinc­tion does not serve us any longer.

Botanicals and herbs are powerful. Some are potentially dangerous, particularly if ingested. It is naïve to think that everything that emanates from a plant source is benevo­lent, and somehow gentler than a manmade source. The good news is that we are now uncovering the scientific properties of petals, leaves, barks, roots, seeds, fruits and pollens, and what they represent in terms of enhancing human health. Without a doubt, as science replaces cher­ished home remedies and recipes, a few of granny’s cures will fall by the wayside as no more than quaint folk prac­tice. However, we have only begun to understand the potential of herbs and plants to heal, giving us more rea­son than ever to protect Earth’s botanical resources. Our very survival depends on it. 

Diana Howard, Ph.D., is the vice president of technical development for Dermalogica and The International Dermal Institute and has a Ph.D. in biochemistry from UCLA. Howard has worked in research and development, and marketing for Redken, Zotos and La Costa Spa Products. Call her at 1-(800) 611-SKIN or visit www.dermalogica.com/professional.

The use of this document is governed by our terms of use.

close window