The Art of NATURE, The Art of SCIENCE
Common names | Black walnut
Scientific name | Juglans nigra
Used part | Shell
Known active compounds | juglone, phenolic acids, flavonoids, catechins
Potential benefits in cosmetics | anti-oxidant, anti-microbial
Product name | Black Walnut Shell-ANB
Plant Story
Juglans nigra, black walnut, is a commonly grown nut crop native to eastern North America. Black walnut, particularly its shell, has been used as an “old time” remedy for the treatment of dermatotic conditions such as ringworm and yeast infections due to its anti-microbial activity.
The primary use of black walnut in herbal medicine is for the treatment of dermatotic fungal infections and juglone is believed to be the major bioactive compound. Juglone was found to possess anti-fungal activity against Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Microsporum gypseum compared to anti-fungal standards such as zinc undecylenate, triacetin, and liriodenine methiodide. Additionally, juglone also showed anti-fungal activity against Candida albicans, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Cryptococcus neoformans, Aspergillus flavus, and A. fumigatus. It has been reported that juglone content is higher in the shell compared to the leaves and roots.