Betula Alba Bark Extract
Every child knows the white bark of the birch tree. The striking coloration is the most distinctive identifying feature of the deciduous tree that is so widespread in our region. However, only a few people know that the bark contains some very valuable ingredients, first and foremost the Betula Alba Bark Extract (betulin) with a content of about 80 percent and betulinic acid with a content of about three percent. Birch bark was already used as a natural remedy in the Middle Ages, but of course there was no detailed knowledge of its composition at that time.
Betulin gives birch bark its characteristic white color and protects the tree from pest infestation, extreme temperatures and excessive sunlight. The substance was discovered in 1788 by the German-Russian chemist and researcher Johann Tobias Lowitz. It is usually extracted together with betulinic acid, erythrodiol, lupeol and oleanolic acid as a dry extract from the white birch cork.
Meanwhile, several scientific studies have demonstrated the anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and regenerative properties of Betula Alba Bark Extract. Thanks to these properties, the substance is very suitable for use in cosmetics. It is also absolutely safe for birch pollen allergy sufferers, because the allergy-causing substances are found exclusively in the blossom and not in the bark. Of course, Betula Alba Bark Extract has already been tested for safety pharmacologically and toxicologically according to international criteria. According to this, the substance has no carcinogenic or mutagenic properties and is neither toxic nor sensitizing.
The effect of betula alba bark extract
The natural substance betulin has the ability to promote the regeneration of the epidermis and increase the number of inflammatory substances necessary for wound healing. In addition, Betula Alba Bark Extract activates important proteins that boost the healing process. The substance is able to relieve bothersome itching and fight germs such as bacteria. As soon as Betula Alba Bark Extract comes into contact with the epidermis, the mineral calcium is provided, stimulating the formation of new skin cells. At the same time, this mechanism contributes to the formation of a barrier against too intense sunlight and skin-damaging substances. People suffering from actinic keratosis (skin damaged by sunlight) thus benefit particularly from betulin-containing products, as the positive effect on cell renewal usually provides them with significant relief. Furthermore, the substance also protects against moisture loss, so it is not only suitable for dry skin, but also for people with skin diseases such as neurodermatitis and psoriasis.
Betula Alba Bark Extract has also been used in children with the rare hereditary disease epidermolysis bullosa. Here, an initial series of observations showed that there is a reduction in wound area after only a short time.
A microbiologically stable formulation can be achieved without the addition of preservatives thanks to its antimicrobial properties.
The possible uses of betulin
The low fat solubility and insolubility in water prevented the use of the substance in the past. However, it is now possible to combine it with water and oil to form a stable emulsion. The dry triterpene extract is suspended in oil, whereupon a spreadable gel is formed from a concentration of around eight percent, which can absorb more than 60 percent water. Tests showed that W/O emulsions formed in this way do not break even after storage for three years. Betula Alba Bark Extract thus acts simultaneously as an active ingredient and stabilizer, so that a classic emulsifier is no longer needed at all. This ultimately prevents surfactant emulsifiers from causing additional moisture loss in already dry skin by disrupting the epidermal barrier function.
Betula Alba Bark Extract has therefore been used as an active ingredient in skin care products for some time. Since no preservatives are required, corresponding products can use only few ingredients; as a rule, the three components Betula Alba Bark Extract, oil (for example jojoba oil) and water are sufficient.
However, scientists found out that the positive effect of the substance is dose-dependent. For example, the higher the betulin content in a product, the faster wound healing is initiated. This is especially true for the first half of the wound healing process. The ability of immune cells to move is enhanced by high doses, which accelerates wound cleansing. This shortens the inflammation phase. Betula Alba Bark Extract is particularly suitable for ointments, creams and lotions. Areas of application are mainly superficial wounds, eczema, sunburn and bedsores.
Fact Sheet Betulin
INCI: Betula Alba Bark Extract
CAS number: 473-98-3
Description: white, odorless solid
Definition: it is a pentacyclic triterpene.
Solubility: almost insoluble in water
We like to work with these betulin-containing active ingredients:
| Trade Name | Company | INCI | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phytexcell Birch | Crodarom | Butylene Glycol , Betula Alba Bark Extract | |
| Protectol | Greentech | Dipropylene Glycol , Betula Alba Bark Extract , Scrophularia Nodosa Extract | |
| Hydro-Gain | Lipoid Kosmetik AG | Glycerin , Water , Canola Oil , Hydrogenated Lecithin , Opuntia Ficus-Indica Seed Oil , Betula Alba Bark Extract , Citric Acid | |
| Phytohair Complex P | Crodarom | Propylene Glycol , Aqua , Alcohol , Betula Alba Bark Extract , Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract , Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract , Urtica Dioica (Nettle) Leaf Extract | |
| TEGO Natural Betula | Evonik – Personal Care | Betulin | |
| Birch Glycolic Extract | Greentech | Propylene Glycol , Aqua , Betula Alba Leaf Extract |
Betulinic acid and cancer
As various researches at the Ulm University Hospital have shown, betulinic acid, which is also contained in birch bark, is said to be able to destroy various cancer cells. These are said to include mainly melanoma cells, cells from malignant brain tumors and neuroblastoma cells. It is said that betulinic acid induces apoptosis, or programmed cell death, in the cells. Studies also showed that the substance does have no effect on normal healthy cells.
Fact Sheet Betulinic Acid
INCI: Betulinic acid
CAS number 472-15-1
Description: colorless crystals
Betula Alba Bark Extract, a highly effective natural substance
Whether for dry skin, itching, sunburn or eczema, Betula Alba Bark Extract is a highly recommended ingredient for sophisticated skin care products and cosmetics with its regenerative, wound healing, anti-itching, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antioxidant effects. The substance is very well tolerated and poses no problem even for birch pollen allergy sufferers. We at Cosmacon are the right contact if you want to offer your target group high-quality cosmetics with the valuable extract from birch bark.
Sources:
Enhancement of the Antioxidant and Skin Permeation Properties of Betulin and Its Derivatives.; Günther A, Makuch E, Nowak A, Duchnik W, Kucharski Ł, Pełech R, Klimowicz A.Molecules. 2021 Jun 5;26(11):3435.
Parameter Optimization and Potential Bioactivity Evaluation of a Betulin Extract from White Birch Bark.; Chen H, Xiao H, Pang J.Plants (Basel). 2020 Mar 23;9(3):392
Betula alba Bark Extract and Empetrum nigrum Fruit Juice, a Natural Alternative to Niacinamide for Skin Barrier Benefits.; Smiljanic S, Messaraa C, Lafon-Kolb V, Hrapovic N, Amini N, Osterlund C, Visdal-Johnsen L. Int J Mol Sci. 2022 Oct 19;23(20):12507.
Evaluation of Antioxidative Mechanisms In Vitro and Triterpenes Composition of Extracts from Silver Birch (Betula pendula Roth) and Black Birch (Betula obscuraKotula) Barks by FT-IR and HPLC-PDA.; Ostapiuk A, Kurach Ł, Strzemski M, Kurzepa J, Hordyjewska A.Molecules. 2021 Jul 30;26(15):4633.