Plumeria Rubra flower/leaf/stem water is the aqueous solution of flowers, leaves and stems of the endemic deciduous shrub Plumeria Rubra L. belonging to the Apocynaceae family, native to Central America, Mexico, Venezuela and Colombia and also cultivated in tropical and subtropical countries. 

It is known by the names Frangipani and Lal Champa. In addition to being an ornamental plant with aromatic five-petalled flowers in intense and vivid red and white or yellow and white, it has been used for decades by traditional medical science. 

The name defines the structure of the molecule:

• Plumeria Rubra is a species of the genus Plumeria, known for its particularly fragrant flowers. It is commonly known as Frangipani rosso.
• flower/leaf/stem are the parts of the Plumeria Rubra plant used to obtain the extract. Each part may contain different compounds and contribute to the overall properties of the extract.
• water indicates that water is used as a solvent to extract beneficial compounds from plant material. Parts of the plant are typically immersed in water and the resulting liquid is used in various cosmetic formulations.

The synthesis process takes place in several stages:

• Collection: The flowers, leaves and stems of the Plumeria Rubra plant are collected.
• Extraction: The collected parts of the plant are then immersed in water. Water acts as a solvent, extracting the interesting compounds from the plant material.
• Filtration: The mixture is filtered to remove any solid plant material, leaving a liquid extract.
• Concentration: If necessary, the extract can be concentrated to increase the potency of the compounds.
• Storage: In the last stage the extract is preserved to maintain its durability through various methods, including the addition of natural or synthetic preservatives, or through processes such as pasteurization.

The extract appears in the form of a brown-coloured powder.

What it is used for and where

Medicial

Plumeria Rubra has a phytochemical composition that includes flavonoids, phytosterols, alkaloids, coumarins, terpenoids and in particular:  α-allamcidin, α-amyrin, β-allamcidin, β-amyrin acetate, β-sitosterol, 13-O-p-cumaroylplumieride, 15-demethylplumieride, 2,4,6-trimethoxyaniline, 2,5-dimethoxy-p-benzoquinone, 3-O-caffeylquinic acid, allamandine, allamcine, arjunolic acid, benzyl salicylate, betulinic acid, citric acid, fulvoplumierin, gaertneroside, isoplumericin, kaempferol, kaempferol-3-rutinoside, kaempferol-3-O-glucoside, liriodendra, lupeol, lupeol acetate, lupeol carboxylic acid maslinic acid, methyl salicylate, naphthalene, narcissin, nerolidol, oleanolic acid, oleic acid, P-(E)-coumaric acid, plumericidine, plumericin, plumerinine, plumerubroside, plumieride, plumieride-E-p-cumarate quercetin 3-O -α-L-arabinopyranoside, quercitrin, quercetin, quinic acid, rubradoid, rubrajaleelol, rubranonoside, rutin, scopoletin, stigmasterol, stigmast-7-enol, sweroside, taraxasteryl acetate and ursolic acid (1).

In traditional medical practice, the decoction made from the bark was used for the treatment of asthma, diarrhoea and emesis. 

Plumeria rubra extract from the bark has antipyretic (2), vasorelaxant, anticoagulant and antioxidant (3) activities.

Cosmetics

The phytochemical composition of Plumeria Rubra flower/leaf/stem water contains saponins, glycoside compounds that have amphiphilic properties and can reduce surface tension. Saponins function as surfactants with emulsifying and foam-stabilising properties.

Skin conditioning agent - Miscellaneous.  This ingredient has the task of modifying and improving the condition of the skin when it is damaged or dry, reducing flaking and restoring its elasticity.

For more in-depth information:

Plumeria rubra studies

References_____________________________________________________________________

(1) Bihani T. Plumeria rubra L.- A review on its ethnopharmacological, morphological, phytochemical, pharmacological and toxicological studies. J Ethnopharmacol. 2021 Jan 10;264:113291. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2020.113291. 

(2) Khan I.A., Aziz A., Raza M.A., Saleem M., Bashir S., Alvi A. Study pertaining to the hypothermic activity of Plumeria rubra, Linn. in prostaglandin 1 and typhoid vaccine-induced pyrexia models in rabbits. West Indian Med. J. 2015;12:1. doi: 10.7727/wimj.2015.172. 

(3) Khan IA, Hussain M, Syed SK, Saadullah M, Alqahtani AM, Alqahtani T, Aldahish AA, Asiri S, Zeng LH. Pharmacological Justification for the Medicinal Use of Plumeria rubra Linn. in Cardiovascular Disorders. Molecules. 2021 Dec 31;27(1):251. doi: 10.3390/molecules27010251.