Broccoli
Broccoli is a vegetable plant related to cauliflower and belongs to the cruciferous family. Originally the plant comes from Asia Minor. Italy was the first European country where it gained some notoriety. Today, the main cultivation areas are mainly in the western Mediterranean countries. Broccoli is rich in valuable ingredients and is considered to be extremely healthy. The vegetable should be an integral part of every menu, but not everyone likes the intense cabbage-like flavor. Broccoli extract is a valuable alternative from a nutritional, medical, and cosmetic point of view. It is said to have miraculous powers … and this is not even wrong!
Why broccoli is so valuable
Broccoli is very rich in minerals and fiber. Among other things, it contains magnesium, calcium, manganese, iron, phosphorus, selenium, and zinc. So, in principle, the vegetable is good for our bones, cardiovascular system, and cholesterol levels. The vitamin content is also extremely high. Vitamin C is particularly worth mentioning here: if you eat just 100 grams of broccoli, you cover 150 percent of your daily vitamin C requirement. The vitamin is a natural antioxidant that strengthens our immune system. Vitamin A, which is contained in broccoli, also has an antioxidant effect because, among other things, it supports the regeneration of the skin. Other ingredients include vitamin K, B vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, and glucoraphanin, which is considered a secret weapon for beauty. Glucoraphanin is the precursor of the mustard oil sulforaphane, a secondary plant compound found primarily in broccoli. The power substance was first used in cancer prophylaxis and now even in cancer therapy. Sulforaphane is a very powerful antioxidant that activates the body’s own detoxification enzymes in the liver: the so-called phase II enzymes. They in turn ensure that antioxidant defense mechanisms of the body are stimulated. In the meantime, the substance has been shown to be quite successful in many studies as well as in various aggressive types of cancer. That is why broccoli extract now plays a not inconsiderable role in cancer therapy. In addition, the sulforaphane contained in broccoli extract is said to be helpful against the bacterium Helicobacter Pylori, which is considered to be the cause of stomach ulcers (and stomach cancer). In some cases, the effect is said to be even better than when conventional antibiotics are administered.
Arthritis and osteoarthritis, as well as respiratory diseases such as asthma, hay fever and COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) are other indications for which sulforaphane is used. However, for therapeutic purposes, consumption of broccoli is not sufficient, so broccoli extract is usually recommended.
Brassica Oleracea Italica Seed Extract in cosmetics
Broccoli extract can not only make a valuable contribution to health, it also supports beauty and improves the appearance of the skin. The valuable ingredients it contains form an unbeatable complex when it comes to maintaining the skin’s tone and elasticity and protecting it from premature aging. Brassica Oleracea Italica Seed Extract stimulates the production of collagen and helps protect skin cells. Moreover, it has already been proven that broccoli extract is able to soothe sunburn. After applying an appropriate preparation, broccoli extract penetrates into the top layers of the skin, where it soothes irritated and reddened skin. Responsible for this effect is again the substance sulforaphane with its anti-inflammatory and regenerating properties.
Last but not least, Brassica Oleracea Italica Seed Extract is also a real power complex for beautiful healthy hair. It strengthens hair roots, moisturizes hair and scalp, makes hair shiny and stimulates growth.
Fact Sheet: Broccoli extract
INCI: Brassica Oleracea Italica (Broccoli) Seed Extract and Brassica Oleracea Italica Seed Oil
CAS number: 223749-36-8 (extract) and 68956-68-3 (oil)
Main ingredients: Sulforaphane, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin E
Fact Sheet: Sulforaphane
CAS number: 4478-93-7
Description: slightly yellowish liquid
Boiling point: 130 to 135 degrees Celsius
Solubility: almost insoluble in water
Read more about this in our blog post “sulforaphane”.
We like to work with the following broccoli containing active ingredients:
| Trade Name | Company Name | INCI | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broccoli Oil | Laboratoires Prod'Hyg | Brassica Oleracea Italica (Broccoli) Seed Oil | |
| Broccoli Extract | The Garden of Naturalsolution Co., Ltd. (former Natural Solution Co.,Ltd.) | Brassica Oleracea Italica (Broccoli) Extract | |
| Broccoli Oil - BCE1062 | Biocosmethic | Brassica Oleracea Italica (Broccoli) Seed Oil | |
| Broccoli Seed Oil | Botanic Innovations | Brassica Oleracea Italica (Broccoli) Seed Oil | |
| Organic Broccoli Oil - BCE1584 | Biocosmethic | Brassica Oleracea Italica (Broccoli) Seed Oil | |
| Broccoli Seed Oil, Organic CPV Cosmetics | SanaBio GmbH | Brassica Oleracea Italica (Broccoli) Seed Oil | |
| BioDtox | BioSpectrum, Inc. | Propanediol, Bioflavonoids, Brassica Oleracea Italica (Broccoli) Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract | |
| BABA-GN2.0 | BST Inc. | Brassica Oleracea Italica (Broccoli) Extract, Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Extract, Ananas Sativus (Pineapple) Fruit Extract | |
| GREENOXIA-3 | DKSH | Cichorium Intybus (Chicory) Leaf Extract, Brassica Oleracea Italica (Broccoli) Extract, Apium Graveolens (Celery) Extract | |
| WFEC2.0 | BST Inc. | Lactobacillus/Wasabia Japonica Root Ferment Extract, Brassica Oleracea Italica (Broccoli) Extract, Glycerin, Water | |
| Eyelight BH | Sharon Laboratories Ltd | Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Helichrysum Angustifolium Flower Extract, Brassica Oleracea Italica (Broccoli) Sprout Extract | |
| Sprout GF Complex | ACTIVON CO., LTD. | Water, Propanediol, Brassica Campestris (Rapeseed) Sprout Extract, Brassica Oleracea Italica (Broccoli) Sprout Extract, Brassica Oleracea Gemmifera (Brussels Sprouts) Extract, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Sprout Extract | |
| BGC-FP2.0 | BST Inc. | Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Dextrin, Yeast Ferment Extract, Allium Sativum (Garlic) Bulb Extract, Brassica Oleracea Italica (Broccoli) Extract, Ananas Sativus (Pineapple) Fruit Extract, Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Extract |
Broccoli extract as an ingredient for high quality cosmetics
Brassica Oleracea Italica Seed Extract is a completely natural secret weapon for high-quality hair and facial care products. With its many valuable ingredients, it has multiple benefits, with special emphasis on the mustard oil sulforaphane. Feel free to inquire if you would like to use broccoli oil or Brassica Oleracea Italica Seed Extract in your formulations.
Sources:
Plants as Biofactories: Postharvest Stress-Induced Accumulation of Phenolic Compounds and Glucosinolates in Broccoli Subjected to Wounding Stress and Exogenous Phytohormones.; Front Plant Sci. 2016 Feb 10;7:45.
Revalorization of Broccoli By-Products for Cosmetic Uses Using Supercritical Fluid Extraction.; Antioxidants (Basel). 2020 Nov 27;9(12):1195.
Antioxidant and antiproliferative activities of solvent fractions of broccoli (Brassica oleracea L.) sprout.: Kim, J.S., Cuong, D.M., Bae, Y.B. et al. Appl Biol Chem 65, 34 (2022).
Microwave-Assisted Extraction of Phenolic Compounds from Broccoli (Brassica oleracea) Stems, Leaves, and Florets: Optimization, Characterization, and Comparison with Maceration Extraction.; Rodríguez García SL, Raghavan V. Recent Progress in Nutrition 2022;2(2):011