Hippophae Rhamnoides Acid is a mixture of fatty acids derived from Hippophae rhamnoides (sea buckthorn) fruit oil and seed oil. This compound contains a variety of essential fatty acids, including omega-3, omega-6, omega-7, and omega-9, which provide numerous skin benefits, such as deep hydration, cell regeneration, and protection against environmental damage. Due to its nutrient-rich composition, it is widely used in cosmetics to promote skin health, reduce inflammation, and improve skin elasticity.

Chemical Composition and Structure

It consists of a blend of unsaturated fatty acids, including linoleic acid (omega-6), alpha-linolenic acid (omega-3), palmitoleic acid (omega-7), and oleic acid (omega-9). These essential fatty acids are crucial for maintaining the integrity of the skin barrier and protecting the skin from dehydration. The presence of omega-7 fatty acids is particularly unique and offers regenerative benefits for the skin, enhancing its softness and elasticity.

Physical Properties

Hippophae Rhamnoides Acid appears as a viscous oil with a yellow-orange color and a slight characteristic fragrance. It is liposoluble and easily incorporated into oils, creams, and lotions for skincare. Due to its high concentration of fatty acids, it acts as a powerful emollient, improving hydration and skin flexibility.

Production Process

Hippophae Rhamnoides Acid is obtained by extracting the oils from the sea buckthorn fruit and seeds, followed by a purification process to isolate the fatty acid mixture. The extraction method can be mechanical or through supercritical CO₂, which preserves the integrity of the bioactive compounds and ensures a pure, high-quality product.

Applications

• Skincare: Hippophae Rhamnoides Acid is used in creams and serums for its moisturizing and regenerative properties. It is particularly beneficial for dry, mature, or damaged skin, helping to restore lipid balance and improve skin structure.

• Anti-aging Products: With its ability to stimulate cell regeneration and improve skin elasticity, this ingredient is ideal for reducing signs of aging, such as wrinkles and fine lines.

• Repair Products: The acid is widely used in products designed to soothe and repair skin damaged by external factors like sun exposure and pollution.

INCI Functions:

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.

Emulsion stabiliser. Emulsions are thermodynamically unstable. Emulsion stabilisers improve the formation and stability of single and double emulsions. as well as their shelf-life. It should be noted that in the structure-function relationship, the molar mass of the ingredient used plays an important role.

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.

Surfactant - Cleansing agent. Cosmetic products used to cleanse the skin utilise the surface-active action that produces a lowering of the surface tension of the stratum corneum, facilitating the removal of dirt and impurities.

Health and Safety Considerations

Safety in Use
Hippophae Rhamnoides Acid is considered safe for use in cosmetic products. It is well tolerated by the skin and does not generally pose risks of irritation or sensitization. Major regulatory authorities, such as the European Union and the FDA, approve its use in cosmetic formulations.

Allergic Reactions
Allergic reactions to Hippophae Rhamnoides Acid are rare, but it is always advisable to perform a patch test before use, especially on sensitive skin.

Toxicity and Carcinogenicity
It is considered safe and beneficial for skin due to its nourishing and regenerative properties.

Environmental Considerations
Hippophae Rhamnoides Acid is derived from a renewable and sustainable resource. Sea buckthorn plants are often grown organically, and the oil extraction process is environmentally friendly. The product is biodegradable and does not negatively impact the environment.

Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) Studies

From the leaves and berries of the sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) is extracted chloroform and n-hexane, components with intense antibacterial activity (1).

It is a rich source of vitamins C and E, carotenoids, flavonoids, anthocyanins, organic acids, amino acids, sterols, triterpenols and isoprenols (2) with an antioxidant activity.

The berries produce an oil containing carotenoids, palmitic, palmitolic and oleic acid, while the seed oil is composed of linoleic, linolenic and oleic acid as main components (3) .

This oil has traditionally been used to improve blood circulation and for the treatment of dermatological problems including wounds, gastritis, peptic ulcers, uterine erosion and inflammatory disorders of the genital organs (4).

Sea buckthorn has significant cardioprotective activity and a positive effects on the healing of the cardiovascular system, including inhibition of platelet activation (in particular platelet aggregation), reduction of cholesterol concentration, blood pressure and antioxidant action (5).

In this study, a positive evaluation of the topical effects on atopic lesions as it improved the severity of dermatitis by reducing epidermal thickness (6).

The results of this study on the extract of Sea buckthorn, provide a basis for affordable, low side-effect therapy for the treatment of psoriasis (7).

Cosmetics

It produces a regenerating effect on the skin produced by carotenoids, vitamin E and unsaturated fats contained in the pulp and seeds.

Other applications

It is placed in foods, candies, to give a particular taste.

Sea buckthorn studies

References_______________________________________________________________________

(1) Qadir MI, Abbas K, Younus A, Shaikh RS. Report - Antibacterial activity of sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) against methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Pak J Pharm Sci. 2016 Sep;29(5):1711-1713. 

Abstract. Objective of the present study was to investigate the antibacterial activity of Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) berries and leaves against methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) by using the standard disc diffusion method. Chloroform, n-hexane and aqueous extract of the plant parts were used. Doses of 2mg/ml, 4 mg/ml and 6mg/ml were tested against the microorganism, and the zone of inhibition was compared against the standard drug vancomycin. Results indicated that n-hexane and chloroform extracts of berries and n-hexane extract leaves showed significant (p<0.05) antibacterial activity comparable with vancomycin. It was concluded from the study that extracts berries and leaves of Hippophae rhamnoides have antibacterial activity against MRSA.

(2) Yang B, Kallio H. Supercritical CO2-extracted sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) oils as new food ingredients for cardiovascular health. In: Proceedings of Health Ingredients of Europe, Paris; 2002, p. 17–19.

(3) Süleyman, Z., Erdemoğlu, N., Küsmenoğlu, Ş., Gürbüz, İ., Yesilada, E., and Çalış, İ. Fatty acid composition and anti-ulcerogenic activity of Hippophae rhamnoides fruit oil. J Fac Pharm Gazi Univ. 1998; 15: 11–17

(4) Li, T.S.C. and Wang, L.C.H. Physiological components and health effects of ginseng, echinacea and sea buckthorn. in: G. Mazza (Ed.) Functional foods, biochemical and processing aspects. Technomic Publishing Company, Lancaster, PA; 1998: 329–356

Abstract. Background: Increased consumer´s interest in health has driven the development of foods that offer specific beneficial effects. The list of foods and ingredients includes essential and non-essential nutrients, plant and marine components, whole foods, microorganisms, microalgae and technological approaches. Traditionally, health outcomes focussed on the prevention of chronic diseases but health targets have expanded to cover areas such as brain health, inflammation, eye health, women´s health, healthy ageing and beauty. Objective: This review highlights, from a nutritional biochemistry perspective, differential aspects on designing and interpreting human studies to support the health effects of functional foods. Results: Despite the available evidence from in vitro, animal and observational studies, welldesigned human studies are necessary to support the health effects of functional foods. Intervention trials with foods are complex as they imply limitations due to methodological, food-related and host-related factors. The use of responsive, validated and clinically relevant markers becomes essential even though there is a lack of reliable biomarkers of exposure for many bioactives. Furthermore, the effect of modulating factors such as subclinical inflammation, gut microbiota and genetic variability should be taken into account. Multiple indicators may provide a more reliable alternative to assess physiological processes while emerging biomarkers (microRNAs, epigenetic changes) constitute a promising approach. Additionally, the magnitude of the change is critical to support any health effect although interventions may have a limited clinical impact but be epidemiologically relevant. Also, based on the available data, the premise that bioactivescontaining foods are safe may be questionable. Conclusion: An integrated approach including multiple biomarkers, genetic variability, effect of gut microbiota and risk/benefit assessment should be used to support the potential health effects of functional foods.

(5) Olas B. Sea buckthorn as a source of important bioactive compounds in cardiovascular diseases. Food Chem Toxicol. 2016 Nov;97:199-204. doi: 10.1016/j.fct.2016.09.008. Epub 2016 Sep 9. PMID: 27616182.

(6) Hou DD, Di ZH, Qi RQ, Wang HX, Zheng S, Hong YX, Guo H, Chen HD, Gao XH. Sea Buckthorn (Hippophaë rhamnoides L.) Oil Improves Atopic Dermatitis-Like Skin Lesions via Inhibition of NF-κB and STAT1 Activation. Skin Pharmacol Physiol. 2017;30(5):268-276. doi: 10.1159/000479528. Epub 2017 Sep 6. PMID: 28873377.

(7) Boca AN, Ilies RF, Saccomanno J, Pop R, Vesa S, Tataru AD, Buzoianu AD. Sea buckthorn extract in the treatment of psoriasis. Exp Ther Med. 2019 Feb;17(2):1020-1023. doi: 10.3892/etm.2018.6983.

Abstract. Psoriasis is one of the most common chronic dermatological conditions, with a strong impact on patients' quality of life. Currently, psoriasis benefits from conventional therapy with a high rate of adverse effects and an increase in non-compliance and self-medication of patients. As such, there is a need to pinpoint low-adverse effects and accessible remedies for this condition. Our single-blind, placebo-controlled study assessed the effect of sea buckthorn extract on psoriasis lesions in previously untreated patients. Our results showed an improvement in Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) scores and in Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) scores when compared to the baseline values, as well as at the 4- and 8-week time marks for the lesions treated with sea buckthorn extract. By contrast, the measurements for the placebo treated lesions showed no alteration at the 4-week mark, and significant worsening at the end of the trial. These findings provide a solid, optimistic base for the in-depth research of sea buckthorn as an adjuvant or a component in psoriasis care protocols.