Plant extracts are products formed by taking plants as raw materials and going through a physicochemical extraction and separation process to obtain and concentrate one or more active ingredients in plants in a targeted manner without changing the structure of the active ingredients. Plant extracts have a variety of benefits, covering a variety of fields such as medical, cosmetic, food, animal feeding, etc., specifically including the following aspects:
1. Medical field
Anti-inflammatory effect: plant extracts contain a variety of active ingredients, such as flavonoids, saponins, etc. These substances have the effect of inhibiting the release of inflammatory mediators, and play an anti-inflammatory role by reducing the infiltration of inflammatory cells and expression of inflammatory factors, which can be used to treat or alleviate the symptoms of skin redness, swelling and so on.
Antioxidant effect: Polyphenolic compounds in plant extracts are able to scavenge free radicals and neutralize harmful substances produced by oxidation reactions, thus achieving antioxidant effects. For example, grape seed extract is a new type of highly effective natural antioxidant substance extracted from grape seeds that cannot be synthesized in the human body, and is one of the strongest antioxidant and free radical scavenging substances found in nature.
Anti-aging effect: Many plant extracts, such as Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides, Polygonum multiflorum polysaccharides, Ginkgo biloba flavonoids, etc., can improve the antioxidant activity within the cells, thus achieving the effect of anti-aging.
Enhancement of immunity: Some natural plant extracts have the effect of stimulating the body’s immune system response, which can improve the body’s defense against diseases and reduce the risk of infection. For example, wolfberry extract can nourish the liver and tonify the kidney, benefit the essence and brighten the eyes, and has the effect of enhancing immunity, anti-fatigue and liver protection.
2. Beauty field
Whitening effect: Some plant extracts have the effect of inhibiting the activity of tyrosinase, which is one of the key enzymes for melanin synthesis, and thus can have a certain whitening effect. For example, plant extracts such as astragalus, vitamin C and tretinoin can reduce skin discoloration and freckles.
Moisturizing effect: Plant extracts have a good moisturizing effect, which can increase the water content of the skin and reduce the production of dry skin and wrinkles. For example, plant extracts such as seaweed, olive oil and hyaluronic acid can improve the skin’s moisturizing ability.
Anti-allergic effects: Plant extracts can also reduce inflammatory skin reactions caused by allergies and have anti-allergic effects. For example, plant extracts such as honeysuckle, tea tree essential oil and glycyrrhizic acid can reduce skin allergic reactions.
Sunscreen: Some plant extracts have good absorption of ultraviolet rays and can provide sun protection. For example, Silybum marianum extract and Scutellaria baicalensis extract not only have the effect of sun protection, but also have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.
3. Food field
Plant extracts can be used as food additives to design food formulas with different nutritional and health care functions according to the different needs of different groups and physiological conditions, as well as the principles of nutritional diet and physiological function regulation. For example, the antioxidant effect of rosemary extract is very ideal, which is mainly applied to animal and plant fats and fat-rich foods, especially in vegetable oils.
4. Animal feeding field
Improve growth performance: Plant extracts can be used as natural growth promoters to improve the growth performance of animals (e.g. pigs, poultry, etc.).
Maintaining intestinal health: Plant extracts can improve the palatability of feed and increase the feed intake of animals, as well as regulate intestinal flora with direct bacteriostatic effect, but will not produce resistance like antibiotics. In addition, it can reduce the number of flora, and accordingly reduce the toxic, harmful and irritating exhaust gas such as ammonia produced by bacteria metabolizing in the intestinal tract.