Shea oil is derived from an African plant, Vitellaria paradoxa or Butyrospermum Parkii belonging to the Sapotaceae family.

Butyrospermum Parkii and Vitellaria paradoxa are two names that refer to the same species of tree, commonly known as the shea tree. The confusion often arises due to different naming conventions and classifications, but here's a breakdown to clarify:

Scientific Names

• Vitellaria paradoxa: This is the most widely accepted scientific name for the shea tree.
• Butyrospermum Parkii: This name is considered a synonym and is sometimes used in older literature or alternative sources.

Taxonomy

• Both names refer to the same species in the genus Vitellaria. The name Vitellaria paradoxa is the more modern and preferred classification in botanical taxonomy.

It is used in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, baked goods, biodiesel and other fields.

It is mainly made up of fatty acids (1).

• 28-56% Stearic acid
• 34-61% Oleic acid
• Gallic acid

The trees that provide a higher content of these fatty acids are those from West Africa rather than from East Africa.

Cosmetics

Opacifying agent. It is useful into formulations that may be translucent or transparent to make them opaque and less permeable to light.

Skin conditioning agent. It is the mainstay of topical skin treatment as it has the function of restoring, increasing or improving skin tolerance to external factors, including melanocyte tolerance. The most important function of the conditioning agent is to prevent skin dehydration, but the subject is rather complex and involves emollients and humectants that can be added in the formulation.

Skin conditioning agent - Emollient. Emollients have the characteristic of enhancing the skin barrier through a source of exogenous lipids that adhere to the skin, improving barrier properties by filling gaps in intercorneocyte clusters to improve hydration while protecting against inflammation. In practice, they have the ability to create a barrier that prevents transepidermal water loss.  Emollients are described as degreasing or refreshing additives that improve the lipid content of the upper layers of the skin by preventing degreasing and drying of the skin. The problem with emollients is that many have a strong lipophilic character and are identified as occlusive ingredients; they are oily and fatty materials that remain on the skin surface and reduce transepidermal water loss. In cosmetics, emollients and moisturisers are often considered synonymous with humectants and occlusives.

Medicine.

It is used in traditional medicine for the treatment of various diseases, including inflammation and fever. This is an ethyl acetate capable of exerting an anti-inflammatory and anti-rheumatoid action (2).

Two derivatives, glucosylcucurbic acid and methyl glucosylcucurbate, were recently isolated from the shea kernel. These and their derivatives of cucurbic acid and cucurbate methyl, were evaluated for their melanogenesis-inhibiting cancer properties (3).

For more information:

Shea butter studies

References_______________________________________________________________________

(1) Akihisa T, Kojima N, Katoh N, Ichimura Y, Suzuki H, Fukatsu M, Maranz S, Masters ET. Triterpene alcohol and fatty acid composition of shea nuts from seven African countries. J Oleo Sci. 2010;59(7):351-60. doi: 10.5650/jos.59.351.

(2) Eyong KO, Foyet HS, Baïrys G, Ngosong Folefoc G, Acha Asongalem E, Lagojda A, Lamshöft M. A new ursane triterpenoic acid and other potential anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic constituents from EtOAc extracts of Vitellaria paradoxa stem bark. J Ethnopharmacol. 2015 Nov 4;174:277-86. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2015.08.014. 

(3) Zhang J, Kurita M, Ebina K, Ukiya M, Tokuda H, Yasukawa K, Masters ET, Shimizu N, Akihisa M, Feng F, Akihisa T. Melanogenesis-inhibitory activity and cancer chemopreventive effect of glucosylcucurbic acid from shea (Vitellaria paradoxa) kernels. Chem Biodivers. 2015 Apr;12(4):547-58. doi: 10.1002/cbdv.201400424.

______________________

Zhang J, Kurita M, Shinozaki T, Ukiya M, Yasukawa K, Shimizu N, Tokuda H, Masters ET, Akihisa M, Akihisa T. Triterpene glycosides and other polar constituents of shea (Vitellaria paradoxa) kernels and their bioactivities. Phytochemistry. 2014 Dec;108:157-70. doi: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2014.09.017.