Olax dissitiflora root oil is the oil obtained from Olax dissitiflora Oliver, called Mussiro in Mozambique, a medicinal plant, belonging to the Holocaceae family, native to Tanzania and South Africa, Madagascar and neighbouring African countries, which has been used in traditional medical science for centuries for the treatment of skin blemishes, acne, pimples and wounds.

The name defines the structure of the molecule:

• "Olax dissitiflora" is the scientific name of a plant species of the Olacaceae family, commonly spread in some regions of Africa and Asia.
• "Root" refers to the part of the plant from which the oil is extracted. 
• "oil" refers to the lipid-rich liquid obtained from plant material.

The synthesis process takes place in several stages. The extraction process usually involves several phases:

• Harvest. Olax dissitiflora plants are harvested and the roots are separated from the rest of the plant.
• Drying. The roots are usually dried to reduce their moisture content, which can improve the efficiency of the oil extraction process.
• Extraction. The dried roots undergo an extraction process to obtain the oil. Extraction can take place by different methods, such as steam distillation or solvent extraction.
• Purification. The extracted oil is purified to eliminate unwanted components, leaving the desired Olax root oil dissitiflora.

It appears as a colourless to yellowish oily liquid:

What it is used for and where

Medical

The phytochemical composition of Olax dissitiflora includes flavonoids, saponins, terpenes, and alkaloids that give the root oil anti-inflammatory properties

Cosmetics

• Tonic. This product is used to treat the hair when the scalp is clean or after shampooing. It stimulates hair growth, revitalises the scalp for healthy hair growth and reduces hair loss. It provides a feeling of well-being on skin and hair.

A long-chain fatty acid, ximeninic acid or santalbic acid (acetylenic fatty acid), has been shown in clinical studies (1) to improve capillary resistance, skin microcirculation and vascular tone in the eye area leading to an improvement in facial ageing. It is used in hair-strengthening products. In the Official Journal of the European Union Olax dissitiflora root oil is classified as 'Tonic' (2)

Other uses

Insect repellent (3). Some compounds (ximeninic acid or santalbic acid, hexocarpic acid and octadec-9,11-diynoic acid) were discovered in the bark of Olax dissitiflora, which were evaluated against mosquito larvae and showed larvicidal activity (4).

CAS    90082-16-9

EC Number     290-103-9

Olax dissitiflora studies

References_____________________________________________________________________

(1) Sparavigna, A., Tenconi, B., De Ponti, I., & Guglielmini, G. (2014). Evaluation of the activity and tolerability of a cosmetic treatment for the periocular area on the aging face: controlled clinical and instrumental evaluation vs. placebo. Cosmetics, 1(2), 105-116.

(2) 83321ac2-043c-4689-f2e7-e83f420d5f74 (iss.it) 

(3) Mavundza, E. J., Maharaj, R., Chukwujekwu, J. C., Finnie, J. F., & Van Staden, J. (2013). Larvicidal activity against Anopheles arabiensis of 10 South African plants that are traditionally used as mosquito repellents. South African Journal of Botany, 88, 86-89.

(4) Mavundza, E. J., Chukwujekwu, J. C., Maharaj, R., Finnie, J. F., Van Heerden, F. R., & Van Staden, J. (2016). Identification of compounds in Olax dissitiflora with larvacidal effect against Anopheles arabiensis. South African Journal of Botany, 102, 1-3.