Skin is the largest organ of the human body and is, above all, the one that acts as a daily shield. Subjected to daily assault, it requires protection.
To meet this need, Seppic has explored the potential of coriander seed oil. Thanks to its composition and anti-inflammatory properties, this active nutraceutical ingredient appears to protect both the health and beauty of skin while improving its resilience.
Supporting consumer well-being with skin protection
Well-being is a holistic combination of body and mind, which is why consumers are now seeking multifactorial solutions that manage their mood and take care of their appearance. Wellness generally begins with the skin — our primary interface with the external world.
A heightened focus on skin health has translated into protection from solar radiation, pollution and beyond. Recent research shows that pollution is for 19% of US consumers, 36% of Europeans and 37% of Asians, a major cause of skin damage.1
Mintel also reported that 89% of UK consumers say that skin cancer concerns are promoting sunscreen use. Younger generations are also looking for solutions, with 39% of Generation Z consumers in the US saying that they buy more products with skin protection benefits.2
Faced with these daily assailants, skin’s protective role diminishes with time, which can lead to numerous clinical symptoms such as itching, stinging, burning sensations or even atopic dermatitis and sensitive skin syndrome.
The beauty of the skin is also impacted in the long-term, which can lead to premature ageing, hyperpigmentation (age-related dark spots), wrinkles and dryness. In an era when prevention prevails before cure, there’s an obvious need to develop targeted solutions to protect consumers’ skin and keep it healthy.
Understanding the vicious circle of skin aggression
The collective stimuli that, during a lifetime, can modify or induce skin disorders is defined as the skin exposome and encompasses the following:
- environmental factors such as air pollution, climate, UV radiation, etc.
- endogenous factors such as barrier breaches, atopic predisposition, hormones, sensory nervous system, etc.
- lifestyle issues such as cosmetic misuse, diet, alcohol, tobacco, lack of sleep, stress, etc.3,4
When skin undergoes these onslaughts and is not sufficiently protected, the permeability of the stratum corneum (outermost layer of the epidermis) increases owing to an alteration of the constituents of the lipid bilayer.
Once the skin barrier is altered, keratinocytes (cells that make up 90% of the epidermis) are even more exposed to daily abuse.5 Skin homeostasis (the steady state of the skin barrier) can thus be disrupted, which can lead to multiple mechanisms that induce skin damage and discomfort.6
Pollution and/or UV rays can increase skin inflammation by promoting the release of proinflammatory mediators by keratinocytes. Repeated assults can also generate oxidative stress — an overproduction of reactive oxygen species — triggering even more inflammatory phenomena.7
Neurosensory dysfunction is also involved in altered skin, supposedly because cutaneous nerve endings are insufficiently protected by the altered epidermal barrier.
Stress-activated nerve fibres release various neuropeptides and proinflammatory mediators, which hyperactivate the nerve fibres themselves and amplify the keratinocyte response. This creates an endless loop that contributes to a state of skin fragility and discomfort.8
Coriander seed oil: multifunctional skin protection from within
With the rise of holistic wellness, nutricosmetics offer powerful solutions for internally enhanced beauty protection. Seppic, a manufacturer of branded nutraceuticals of natural origin for the nutricosmetics field, has developed a coriander seed oil that’s specifically designed for skin protection from the inside.
The use of coriander (Coriandrum sativum) is not new: this plant is known for its health benefits and was a major component of traditional medicine in ancient Egypt, Greece and the Roman Empire.
Coriander has been used around the world in a variety of conditions for its recognised anti-inflammatory properties, including gastrointestinal discomfort, antimicrobial properties and even respiratory and urinary disorders.9
Building on this knowledge, Seppic’s Research and Innovation team investigated the benefits of coriander with an in vitro study as well as two randomised double-blind placebo-controlled trials.
The company’s coriander seed oil has a standardised fatty acid profile representing a 100% lipid composition. It’s a highly concentrated source of petroselinic acid (60–75%), an unusual omega-12 fatty acid known for its anti-inflammatory properties, linoleic acid (12–19%), phytosterols and tocols.
An initial clinical study was published in Food & Nutrition Research and represented a pilot evaluation of the efficacy of this ingredient in 60 healthy women (aged 18–65) with reactive skin. Participants took a daily dose of coriander seed oil (200 mg) for 56 days.10
In 2022, a confirmatory randomised clinical trial demonstrated significant protection and soothing results in just 2 weeks. This study involved a larger panel of 80 women (aged 18–65) with reactive skin.
Participants also took a daily 200 mg dose of coriander seed oil for 56 days. The active ingredient showed a protective effect against sunlight (UVA and UVB).
When the skin was exposed to UV rays, a significant 12% reduction in skin erythema was observed after 56 days of supplementation, whereas the erythema index increased with time by 13% in the placebo group.
Furthermore, in a self-assessment questionnaire completed at the end of the study, 80% of participants felt that their skin was less reactive to sun exposure. For 92.5% of them, their skin was less reactive overall to external factors.
Coriander seed oil has also shown beneficial skin comfort effects. It helps to reduce the intensity and duration of unpleasant sensations caused by chemical stress, such as itching and tingling, providing a soothing effect.
It significantly reduced the peak intensity of a stinging sensation (compared with baseline) by 20% and 62% after 28 and 56 days of supplementation, respectively. The duration of the stinging sensation was reduced by 41% after 28 days and by 88% after 56 days.
Overall, coriander seed oil supplementation gradually reduced the effects of chemical stressor (pollution) induced itching with time (90% less than the placebo after 14 days).
At the end of the clinical study, 80% of the participants felt better in their daily lives and 92.5% expressed an overall improvement in skin relief after consuming coriander seed oil.
A unique mechanism of action
To better understand its benefits on skin UV protection and comfort, Seppic conducted in vitro studies.11 The results showed three main mechanisms of action, which are at the origin of its protective effects:
- anti-inflammatory action: following UV exposure, it helps to reduce the blood concentration of TNF-ɑ, a cytokine that plays a central role in activating inflammatory mediators; it also protects keratinocytes from the action of NK-ⲕB, which plays an important role in skin inflammation
- neuro-soothing action: it allows the regulation of the cutaneous neuronal receptor, TRPA1, which can be triggered by daily environmental aggression
- acupuncture-like action: it helps to decrease the excessive release of emotional stress markers by acting like acupuncture on keratinocytes, thus promoting well-being.
As a result, the skin is soothed, more resilient and less prone to inflammation, redness, pain and itching.
An original process, an ecological ingredient
In a constant effort to evolve with today’s environmental concerns, Seppic aims to provide consumers with ingredients that are as close to nature as possible.
Built on this philosophy, Seppic has developed a consumer friendly and environmentally compatible ingredient that’s traceable from the coriander seed to the final product.
The benefits of this oil are derived from an innovative and ecofriendly extrusion process that’s solvent-free. The final product is an allergen- and GMO-free 100% natural coriander seed oil. This active ingredient is also Halal certified and suitable for vegans.
A versatile ingredient for multiple product concepts
This active ingredient is available as an oil and can be integrated into galenics such as softgels. It can also be formulated into more playful and trendy formats including liquids or gummies.
Thanks to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, Seppic’s coriander seed oil can be incorporated into a wide range of formulations and product concepts (antipollution, sun protection, skin relief and well-being).
A cosmetic grade coriander seed oil is also available for topical applications. The two active ingredients combine to make an excellent beauty-from-within duo for skin comfort, protection and well-being.
Conclusion
Faced with changing lifestyles and ever-increasing exposure to pollution, skin protection has become a major concern for many people. They’re increasingly aware of skin’s role as a daily shield and that taking care of it is essential.
It’s now possible to fight against the harmful effects of the sun, pollution and stress by adopting beauty-from-within routines. Supported by strong scientific evidence with both clinical and in vitro studies, Seppic’s coriander seed oil appears to be an innovative solution for enhanced and protected skin.
References
- https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119476009.ch24.
- https://store.mintel.com/report/the-future-of-suncare.
- https://doi.org/10.1111/jdv.16614.
- https://doi.org/10.1111/jdv.17432.
- https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2021.772516.
- https://doi.org/10.1111/jocd.16155.
- https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/718725.
- https://doi.org/10.1111/exd.13991
- https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27010209.
- https://doi.org/10.29219/fnr.v66.7730.
- https://doi.org/10.1051/ocl/2020043.