Scientific name  |  Helianthus annuus
Used part  |  Flower
Known active compounds  |  helianthosides, furanoheliangolide derivatives

Potential benefits in cosmetics  | anti-inflammatory, anti-photoaging 

Product name  |  Sunflower-ANB

 

 

Plant Story

Sunflower (Helianthus annuus), native to North America, is widely cultivated in many countries of both tropical and temperate, and used in food and medicine. It is an annual herbaceous plant growing up to 4 meters in height with large yellow flowers which can produce several hundred seeds. Medicinally, they used its seeds, flowers, roots, and leaves to treat various inflammatory symptoms. The infusion or the decoction of flower was used for chest pains and pulmonary troubles, roots for rheumatism, and wounds, and the leaves for fevers and swellings. In many countries, it is mainly cultivated for its seeds to make edible oil. The flower petals are made into tea and can be consumed.

 

Scientific studies have reported therapeutic activities of sunflower. It was demonstrated that the ethanol extract of H. annuus flower significantly blocked UVB-induced ROS and MMP production. It also inhibited UVB-induced VEGF and inflammatory cytokines. Phytochemical studies isolated several triterpene glycosides, named helianthosides from petals, and they exhibited anti-inflammatory activity.