Spilanthol is the next big thing in the skincare market. With the skincare world changing so fast and people shifting to plant-based products instead of animal-based, having a skincare range can be tricky.
Though spilanthol is new and not many brands use it, it looks quite a promising ingredient, especially for skin care.
Spilanthes is a plant traditionally used to treat toothache, gum care, throat complaints, soreness, and stomatitis.
Let’s explore the benefits of spilanthol for skin and other health benefits in this article.
What is Spilanthol?
Spilanthol is a herbal, plant-based ingredient extracted from flower heads of Acmella Oleracea. It is a yellow and red color spherical flower and is popularly known as a paracress. The herbal ingredient origin is South America and has been used in traditional medicine for decades. It is used for treating asthma, toothaches, headaches, and joint swelling because of local anesthetic and anti-inflammatory effects.
Pancress extracts are applied to the skin externally via serum or day cream. It works beautifully as an anti-aging effect. You have to use the cream twice a day for the best results.
Spilanthol is a cosmetic product readily available in the market.
Benefits of Spilanthol for the Skin
Spilanthol contains antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects and thus has many health benefits for the body and skin.
Let us have a look at some of the benefits that it offers:
1. Fights Skin Aging
Spilanthol contains antioxidants that help with anti-aging. It works wonderfully on the skin when combined with other ingredients like ginger and Gotu kola.
It decreases the collagen level and gives you younger-looking skin.
Spilanothol is also power-packed with anti-inflammatory effects on the skin.
2. Has Antimicrobial Properties
Spilanothol contains antimicrobial properties. It may help in protecting and fighting against infections. It may help keep the body and skin healthy.
3. Reduces Inflammation
Spilanthol contains anti-inflammatory properties that help in reducing inflammation. According to research, spilanthol can obstruct macrophage activation.
4. Full of Antioxidant Properties
Paracress is packed with antioxidant properties that can help reduce oxidative stress and thus protects against any damage caused [1].
5. Helps with Wound Healing
Spilanthol can help in the healing of wounds. It increases the deposition level of collagen in wounds.
And its anesthetic properties help treat skin wounds, pressure sore, and other infected surgical wounds.
6. Increases Water Intake in the Body
According to research, Spilanthes extract can help increase the body’s water intake. It also works as a diuretic and helps with the excretion of urine/salt leading to good healthy skin.
7. Helps with Lung Function
Spilanthes can improve lung function. It fights against fungi that cause TB (tuberculosis), coughs, and sore throats.
It can help reduce inflammation in the lungs and boost the antioxidant level.
8. Improves your Oral Health
Spilanthol extracts improve your oral health. It protects the microbiome in the mouth caused by fungi and bacteria. And it can also help with oral yeast and reduce oral pain.
9. Can help Protect the Brain
Studies show that Spilanthes contain beta-caryophyllene that has neuroprotective properties and protects the brain from oxidative stress.
10. Protects Your Gut
Spilanthol extracts can help fight against gut ulcers. It reduces oxidative stress and inflammation and accelerates the healing of ulcers.
11. Fights Pain
Spilanthes extracts have powerful anesthetic properties that can help fight pain in the body. It can produce numbness and tingling sensation in the mouth, tongue, and lips.
12. Helps with Metabolic Diseases
Studies show that Spilanthes can help with parasite-induced metabolic disease. It can restore lipid levels, reduce plasma levels and improve good cholesterol.
13. Helps with Diabetes
According to a study, Spilanthol extracts may help in protecting against hyperglycemia (high blood sugar levels) and can be useful as an antidiabetic. It can help normalize blood sugar levels and diabetes markers like AST, ALT, MDA, and creatinine.
14. Fights Cancer
Research suggests that Spilathene can have anti-cancer properties and help with breast, skin, colon, and cervical cancer. It also helps to decrease DNA damage and mutation caused by the consumption of PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) i.e. inhaling chemicals from burning oil, coal, wood, tobacco, or garbage.
15. Improves your Sex Life
According to research, it can enhance libido and improve sex life. Spilanthens may also influence the reproductive cycle.
Possible Side Effects and Risks of Spilanthol
Spilanthol is a cosmetic product, not a medicine substance. It is available as a herbal cosmetic product in stores. You can easily buy it as an over-the-counter product.
According to research, there are no side effects on the skin. However, you should follow the instructions on the pack suggested by the manufacturer.
Bottomline: Spilanthol Benefits and Risks on Skin
Spilanthol is a product extracted from the plant called acmella oleracea. Paracress and spilanthes are some of the other names for the plant.
It is used as a bioactive ingredient for skincare. It is also popular in the food industry as the flowers and leaves of the plant are used as a spice for cooking.
Spilanthes is available in cream or gel, which can be applied on the skin. It may also be effective for anti-aging. The cosmetic product is available over the counter and safe according to the safety standards.
Disclaimer: This article is only a guide. It does not substitute the advice given by your own healthcare professional. Before making any health-related decision, consult your healthcare professional.
Editorial References and Fact Checking
- De, B., & Goswami, T. K. (2021). Spilanthol (affinin). A Centum of Valuable Plant Bioactives, 733-743. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-822923-1.00030-3
- National Center for Biotechnology Information (2022). PubChem Compound Summary for CID 5353001, Spilanthol. Retrieved November 4, 2022 from https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Spilanthol.
- Hernández I, Márquez L, Martínez I, Dieguez R, Delporte C, Prieto S, Molina-Torres J, Garrido G. Anti-inflammatory effects of ethanolic extract and alkamides-derived from Heliopsis longipes roots. J Ethnopharmacol. 2009 Jul 30;124(3):649-52. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2009.04.060. Epub 2009 May 9. PMID: 19439170.
- Akter, S., Rahman, M., Azad, M.A., Mohiuddin, M., Mamun, A.A., Sarker, J., Islam, M., & Sarwar, M.S. (2015). Antidiabetic and Thrombolytic Effects of Ethanolic Extract of Spilanthes paniculata Leaves. Journal of Plant Sciences, 2, 13.
- Pacheco Soares C, Lemos VR, da Silva AG, Campoy RM, da Silva CA, Menegon RF, Rojahn I, Joaquim WM. Effect of Spilanthes acmella hydroethanolic extract activity on tumor cell actin cytoskeleton. Cell Biol Int. 2014 Jan;38(1):131-5. doi: 10.1002/cbin.10180. PMID: 24038906.
- Nomura EC, Rodrigues MR, da Silva CF, Hamm LA, Nascimento AM, de Souza LM, Cipriani TR, Baggio CH, Werner MF. Antinociceptive effects of ethanolic extract from the flowers of Acmella oleracea (L.) R.K. Jansen in mice. J Ethnopharmacol. 2013 Nov 25;150(2):583-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2013.09.007. Epub 2013 Sep 16. PMID: 24051025.
- Kamatenesi-Mugisha M, Oryem-Origa H. Medicinal plants used to induce labour during childbirth in western Uganda. J Ethnopharmacol. 2007 Jan 3;109(1):1-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2006.06.011. Epub 2006 Jul 5. PMID: 16901666
