Escin is a natural compound extracted from the seeds of Aesculus hippocastanum, commonly known as horse chestnut. This compound is valued for its beneficial properties, making it popular in various applications, particularly in the fields of cosmetics and personal care.

Chemical Composition and Structure

Escin is a mixture of saponins, primarily composed of escin Ia, escin Ib, escin IIa, and escin IIb. These saponins have a glycosidic structure, consisting of a triterpenoid aglycone (escigenin) attached to sugar moieties.

Physical Properties

Escin typically appears as a white to off-white powder or as a clear to slightly yellowish liquid when in solution. It is soluble in water and ethanol, making it easily incorporable into various formulations.

Production Process

The production of Escin involves several steps:

Harvesting and Selection: The seeds of Aesculus hippocastanum are harvested and selected for quality.

Cleaning: The harvested seeds are thoroughly cleaned to remove dirt and contaminants.

Extraction: The cleaned seeds undergo an extraction process using solvents such as water, ethanol, or a combination to obtain the escin.

Filtration: The extracted solution is filtered to remove any solid residues and impurities.

Purification: The escin is purified through processes such as chromatography to isolate the desired saponin components.

Drying: The purified escin is dried to produce a fine powder.

Packaging: The final product is packaged under controlled conditions to ensure stability and purity.

Application

• Cosmetics: In the cosmetics industry, escin is valued for its anti-inflammatory, vasoprotective, and skin-soothing properties. It is commonly included in formulations of creams, gels, and serums to improve circulation, reduce swelling, and enhance skin tone.
• Personal Care: This compound is used in various personal care products such as shampoos, conditioners, and body lotions for its soothing and protective properties.
• Medical and Pharmaceutical: Escin is also used in medical and pharmaceutical applications for its anti-inflammatory and venotonic effects, commonly found in topical preparations for treating conditions like varicose veins and hemorrhoids (1).

Environmental and Safety Considerations

Environmental Impact: The production of Escin generally has a moderate environmental impact. Sustainable harvesting practices and the use of eco-friendly extraction methods can help minimize the overall impact.

Safety: Escin is considered safe for topical use in the concentrations typically employed in consumer products. However, it is essential to ensure that the compound is free from contaminants and complies with regulatory standards. Allergic reactions are rare but cannot be excluded.

Cosmetics - INCI Functions

• 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.

Molecular Formula  C₅₅H₈₆O₂₄

Molecular Weight    1131.3 g/mol

CAS     6805-41-0

UNII    RUU8G67GQM

EC Number  229-880-6

Synonyms:

Aescin

Aescusan

Opino

References__________________________________________________________________________

(1) Fazliev S, Tursunov K, Razzokov J, Sharipov A. Escin's Multifaceted Therapeutic Profile in Treatment and Post-Treatment of Various Cancers: A Comprehensive Review. Biomolecules. 2023 Feb 7;13(2):315. doi: 10.3390/biom13020315. 

Abstract. Although modern medicine is advancing at an unprecedented rate, basic challenges in cancer treatment and drug resistance remain. Exploiting natural-product-based drugs is a strategy that has been proven over time to provide diverse and efficient approaches in patient care during treatment and post-treatment periods of various diseases, including cancer. Escin-a plant-derived triterpenoid saponin-is one example of natural products with a broad therapeutic scope. Initially, escin was proven to manifest potent anti-inflammatory and anti-oedematous effects. However, in the last two decades, other novel activities of escin relevant to cancer treatment have been reported. Recent studies demonstrated escin's efficacy in compositions with other approved drugs to accomplish synergy and increased bioavailability to broaden their apoptotic, anti-metastasis, and anti-angiogenetic effects. Here, we comprehensively discuss and present an overview of escin's chemistry and bioavailability, and highlight its biological activities against various cancer types. We conclude the review by presenting possible future directions of research involving escin for medical and pharmaceutical applications as well as for basic research.

Gallelli L. Escin: a review of its anti-edematous, anti-inflammatory, and venotonic properties. Drug Des Devel Ther. 2019 Sep 27;13:3425-3437. doi: 10.2147/DDDT.S207720.