This spring, more than a million people are expected to visit Washington, DC, to see the brilliant display of blossoming cherry trees. Approximately 3700 cherry trees grow in three main park locations, with the most prominent display along the edges of the Tidal Basin in West Potomac Park. Two cherry trees growing on the northern bank of the Tidal Basin were planted in 1912 in a ceremony to commemorate the arrival of 3000 cherry trees from Japan, "a gift of friendship to the People of the United States from the People of Japan."
In Japan, not only are cherry trees valued for their fragrance and color during the blooming season, but their blossoms are also used to add flavor and color to food and beverages, most notably cherry blossom tea. The tea, known in Japan as Sakura-cha, is prepared with cherry blossoms that have been immersed in salt water and stored in plum vinegar. The leftover plum vinegar is then used as a flavoring and coloring agent in food production.
A recent study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry suggests that "plum vinegar extract of cherry blossom" is a rich source of caffeic acid (CAS Registry Number® 331-39-5) and other phenolic antioxidants. Based on their findings, the authors suggest that the addition of plum vinegar extract of cherry blossom to food may impart health benefits by strengthening the body's ability to protect against oxidative damage caused by reactive oxygen species.
You can use SciFinder® or STN® to search the CAS databases for additional information about cherry blossoms, caffeic acid, and other naturally-occurring antioxidants. If your organization is enabled to use the web version of SciFinder, you can click the links in this article to directly access details of the substances and references.
References
National Park Service. http://www.nps.gov/ (accessed March 31, 2009).
Matsuura, R.; Moriyama, H.; Takeda, N.; Yamamoto, K.; Morita, Y.; Shimamura, T.; Ukeda, H. Determination of Antioxidant Activity and Characterization of Antioxidant Phenolics in the Plum Vinegar Extract of Cherry Blossom (Prunus Iannesiana). J. Agric. Food Chem. 2008, 56, 544-549.
Article originally posted at www.cas.org
Cherry blossom flowers are familiar to the Japanese, and some species of the flowers soaked in salty vinegar are used as processed foods. Sakura-cha (salted cherry blossom tea) is a Japanese tea that is traditionally served at celebrations such as wedding ceremonies. The production of Sakura-cha includes the immersion of cherry blossom flowers in Japanese plum vinegar, and through this process, the byproduct (plum vinegar extract of cherry blossom) is obtained. The experiment demonstrated that plum vinegar extract of cherry blossom had antioxidant activity. The plum vinegar extract of cherry blossom had a greater superoxide anion scavenging activity compared with red wine, which is a well-known strong antioxidant. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis showed that cyanidin-3-glucoside, cyanidin-3-rutinoside, and caffeic acid were the major components in the phenolic extract prepared from plum vinegar extract of cherry blossom, and they possessed superoxide anion scavenging activity.
Skin aging due to oxidative stress can cause a rusty coloured appearance. The probable cause for this is glycation stress related aging of skin due to the accumulation of Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs). Recent reports have shown that AGEs formed in the dermis cause skin yellowing. In addition to the effects of exposure to excessive ultra violet radiation in sunlight, AGEs have been found to accumulate in the epidermis. ultimately reducing skin elasticity, causing dullness and a yellowish discoloration. IN addition to the inhibition of melanin production, anti-glycation activity is considered to be an important anti-aging approach for the maintenance of healthy skin texture. Extracts prepared from cherry blossom (Prunus lannesiana) flowers (CBE) have been shown to suppress AGE production and AGE-induced fibroblast apoptosis (programmed cell death of tissue building cells). In this way Cherry blossom flower extracts may be effective against age related skin damage.
A placebo-controlled randomized single-blind parallel group comparative study found that foods containing lingonberry extract and cherry blossom extract, in the form of chewable tablets containing citric acid and calcium had significant anti-glycation activity. The product was also shown to be safe for human consumption. These results suggest that a food item containing lingonberry extract, cherry blossom extract, citric acid and calcium may mitigate glycation stress and suppress the accumulation of AGEs in the skin.
References
Matsuura R; Moriyama H; Takeda N; Yamamoto K; Morita Y; Shimamura T; Ukeda H. Determination of antioxidant activity and characterization of antioxidant phenolics in the plum vinegar extract of cherry blossom (Prunus lannesiana). J Agric Food Chem. 2008 Jan 23, 56(2):544-549. Epub 2007 Dec 20.
Shimoda H; Nakamura S; Morioka M; Tanaka J; Matsuda H; Yoshikawa M. Effect of Cinnamoyl and Flavonol Glucosides Derived from Cherry Blossom Flowers on the Production of Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs) and AGE-induced Fibroblast Apoptosis. Phytother Res. 2011 Feb 10. doi: 10.1002/ptr.3423.
Yoshikazu Yonei; Masayuki Yagi; Mari Ogura; Haruhi Sugimura. Anti-Glycation Activity and Safety of Foods Containing Lingonberry Extract and Cherry Blossom Extract and Chewable Tablets Containing Citric Acid and Calcium −A Placebo-Controlled Randomized Single-Blind Parallel Group Comparative Study. Anti-Aging Medicine 10(2):21-35, 2013.
Yook HS, Kim KH, Park JE, Shin HJ. Antioxidative and antiviral properties of flowering cherry fruits (Prunus serrulata L. var. spontanea). Am J Chin Med. 2010;38(5):937-48.
Article originally posted at www.heimat-ltd.com
Cherry blossoms are known as Sakura flowers in Japan and are considered a highly revered cultural symbol that reflects beauty and the season of spring, revealing the rebirth that happens as flowers bloom from the death of winter, and makes for a very apropos name of a botanical extract with anti-aging skin benefits. Sakura extract has potent bioactive compounds with beneficial effects on the skin, including anti-glycation, stimulation of fibroblast collagen production, moisturizing, whitening and other beautifying and anti-aging benefits.
The most important compounds with bioactive effects include caffeoyl glucose (1-caffeoyl-O-β-D-glucopyranoside) and quercetin glucoside (quercetin-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside). Sakura extract is an ingestible-cosmeceutical, or inside-out, beauty supplement ingredient and a topical hair care cosmetic ingredient. Glycation skin damage Glycation is the process by which excess sugars in the blood or in physiological fluids react with the internal proteins, including the skin, to form abnormal, toxic, inflammatory pigments known as AGEs (advanced glycation end products) and is also known as the Maillard reaction products.
In addition, AGEs which are formed by the reaction of sugars with skin proteins such as collagen and elastin contribute to the progression of age-related diseases and diabetes (Dyer, 1993). Glycation of collagen and elastin in skin causes accumulation of AGEs, which results in intracellular damage from protein breakdown as the body tries to eliminate these toxic and abnormal substances.
The accumulation of AGEs induces skin damage through the cross-linking of collagen fibers, which increases stiffness of the collagen network and eventually causes death of the skin fibroblasts. As collagen is damaged and skin becomes wrinkled and dull, the signs of aging progress much faster as a result of glycation and AGES formation. “Anti-glycation” is an important approach in preventing aging while promoting healthy, youthful skin.
Anti-glycation effects of Sakura
Sakura extract has been found to reduce AGEs production and loss of skin fibroblast cells by carboxylmethyl lysine (CML)-collagen induced apoptosis in studies by the Oryza Oil and Fat Co (Shimoda,2011). In one of the studies, the bioactive components of Sakura extract and crude Sakura extract itself were added to a buffer solution containing D-glucose and bovine serum albumin at 60 °C and left to stand for 2 days. Crude Sakura extract at a low concentration of only 100μg/ mL was able to significantly inhibit the production of AGEs. The major bioactive component, caffeoyl glucose, significantly inhibited the production of AGEs at an even lower concentration of 10μg/mL.The flavonoid glycosides components present in the extract had the strongest inhibitory potency.
Inhibition of fibroblast apoptosis
Accumulation of AGEs in skin triggers skin damage and fibroblast cell death (Alikhani, 2005). The effect of crude Sakura extract and its bioactive components was also tested on fibroblast programmed cell death (apoptosis) due to the accumulation of glycated-collagen byproduct known as carboxylmethyl lysine (CML)-collagen. Sakura extract and some of its isolated bioactive constituents, including caffeoyl glucose and quercetin glucoside, decreased caspase activity, which shows that apoptosis is suppressed.
Anti-inflammatory effect
An anti-inflammatory effect of Sakura extract on nitric oxide (NO) production from RAW264 cells was shown in an experiment. The Sakura extract from a concentration range of 10 to 100 μg/ mL suppressed NO production induced by the pro-inflammatory lipopolysaccharide. Caffeoyl glucose, a component of Sakura extract, also suppressed NO production at a concentration range of 1 to 100 μg/mL (Hitoe, 2011).
Anti-aging clinical study
A double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study of Sakura extract was used to evaluate the effect on skin appearance and beauty as related to aging. Twenty Japanese women between the ages of 30 and 60 with skin conditions participated. Subjects were given either 150 mg/day of Sakura extract or a placebo made with dextrin (150 mg/ day) for 8 weeks, which was ingested after every meal to help control the effect of the glucose from the meal on aging parameters.
The results of the study found that Sakura extract caused a reduction of skin AGEs, suppressed loss of skin elasticity, reduced pigmentation and reddish areas, suppressed increase in pore area, reduced the dryness of skin, and improved skin smoothness. Skin AGEs decreased approximately 7% in 8 weeks with Sakura extract as compared with placebo, which decreased AGEs by only 3%. Normally, AGEs are reported to increase 1.5- to 2.5-fold during the aging timespan between 20 and 80 years old (Lutgers, 2006). Subjects with more than 2-fold AGEs had a decrease of 8%, while subjects with less than a factor of 2 AGEs showed no changes. Sakura extract was found to decrease skin AGEs in subjects with high AGEs value. In addition, the formulation containing Sakura extract has been reported to improve various skin troubles (Yonei, 2013).
Skin elasticity
Elasticity in the placebo group decreased by approximately 13%, but with Sakura extract, the reduction was only 6%. The effect was without significance, though Sakura extract was found to suppress reduction of skin elasticity caused by seasonal changes.
Pore size
Evaluating the change in pores, no significant change was observed in the Sakura extract group. However, with the placebo group, there was a 20% increase in pores area, while Sakura extract was found to suppress increase in pores area.
Damaged hair
A hair care benefit of Sakura extract was determined by treating hair with 2% surfactant solution and washing with running water, followed by treatment with 1% ammonia solution and 3% H2O2 for 40 minutes at 30 °C. The procedure was repeated 3 times to prepare the damaged hair. The damaged hair was soaked in 1% Sakura extract solution for 10 minutes at 40°C and then washed and dried with both a towel and a dryer. The procedure was repeated 10 times and the appearance of hairs was compared. Hair feel was improved with Sakura extract by its ability to suppress increase in roughness of hair surface based on less damage of the cuticle. The extract also had a significant effect on hair moisture retention measured by secondary evaporating water loss.
Cosmetic safety and acute toxicity (LD50) tests
Mice given Sakura extract group at a dose of 2,000 mg/kg under a fasting condition and observed for 14 days did not show fatality, abnormalities in weight gain compared with control group, or abnormalities in organs upon autopsy. Cosmetic safety tests all passed for mutagenicity (Ames test), skin irritation test, alternative method (EpiSkin method), eye irritation test, patch test, and repeated insult patch test (RIPT).
References
Alikhani Z. et al., Advanced glycation end products enhance expression of pro-apoptotic genes and stimulate fibroblast apoptosis through cytoplasmic and mitochondrial pathways. J Biol Chem. 2005; 280: 12087–95. •
Dyer D.G. et al., Accumulation of maillard reaction products in skin collagen in diabetes and aging.
J Clin. Invest. 1993; 91: 2463–69. •
Hitoe S. Inhibitory effects of cherry blossom extract and its constituents on nitric oxide production from macrophages. Unpublished report, Oryza Oil & Fat Chemical Co. Ltd. April 26, 2011 •
Lutgers H.L. et al., Skin autofluorescence as a noninvasive marker of vascular damage in patients with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care. 2006; 29: 2654–59. •
Shimoda H. et al., Effect of cinnamoyl and flavonol glucosides derived from cherry blossom glowers on the production of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and AGE-induced fibroblast apoptosis. Phytotherapy Res. 2011; 25: 1328-35. •
Yonei et al., Anti-glycation activity and safety of foods containing lingonberry extract and cherry blossom extract and chewable tablets containing citric acid and calcium.−A placebo-controlled randomized single-blind parallel group comparative study. Anti-aging Med. 2006; 10: 21-36. Significant decreases in skin moisture were observed in both groups (see Figure 1). The decrease in moisture in the Sakura extract group was 13%, while placebo showed a larger value of 16%. This test was performed from October to December, a dry season. The decrease in skin moisture seems is affects by air humidity. However, the decrease in the skin moisture of the Sakura extract group was less than placebo which shows a moisture retention benefit.
Article orginally posted at maypro.com