Development of natural cosmeceuticals: harnessing Asia's biodiversity

Abstract

Asia is a region rich in plant sources that can be harnessed for efficacious cosmeceutical products. With the increase in consumer demands for cosmeceutical products that are natural, safe, efficacious and ethical, it is befitting that research work related to cosmetics conducted on the plants from this region be on the rise. Five plants, Garcinia mangostana, Ficus deltoidea, Labisia pumila, Andrographis paniculata and Centella asiatica, are reviewed here in terms of their possible uses in cosmetics. These plants have been found to possess properties that render them suitable for incorporation in cosmeceutical products that target depigmentation and/or anti-aging. However, the synergistic effects of the five unique plants and their possible routes of delivery (whether topical, oral or a combination of topical and oral) on skin protection and regeneration have yet to be fully explored