Author: Herr Dr. Amoneit
Last saved by: Saritas, Sevim
Company: DSP

Cosmeceutical and Phytopharmaceutical Quality of Topical Applied Sunflower Oil: Brief Review
Mihaela Stoia, Simona Oancea 
“Lucian Blaga” University of Sibiu, Romania 

Topical therapy with natural products may be a simple, low-cost, and effective strategy in managing skin and mucous disorders. Since vegetable oils contain n-6 and n-3 essential fatty acids which are crucial to skin function, supplementation with n-6 fatty acids alleviates symptoms associated with skin sensitivity and inflammatory skin disorders, while supplementation with n-3 fatty acids exerts protection from photodamage and photoaging. This paper aims to summarize the outcomes of in vivo and in vitro studies relating to cosmeceutical and phytopharmaceutical potency of sunflower seed oil. We found sufficient epidemiological evidence to advocate the topical use of this oil for the following reasons: anti-wrinkling and anti-aging properties; antimicrobial activity (especially antifungal) and parasitocidal effect on Giardia duodenalis; reduction of transepidermal water loss and protection against nosocomial infections in preterm very low birthweight infants; reduction of psoriatic parakeratosis, inflammation and infiltration; hot tar burns and wound healing; treatment of atopic dermatitis; clinical improvement in diverse hyperkeratotic skin conditions; 40% reduction in mouse skin papillomas; prevention of pressure ulcers; diminishing the symptoms (typically scaly skin) of patients known to be deficient in essential fatty acids; reducing plaque levels and improving gingival conditions; protective effects in ethanol-induced gastric ulcer. In this respect, we consider it will be of practical interest to develop further clinical trials, as well as to improve oxidative stability of sunflower oil especially with natural antioxidants in order to design more potent and safe phytopharmaceuticals.

Key-words: sunflower oil, cosmeceutical, phytopharmaceutical, healthy skin.

Acknowledgements: This work was supported by a grant of the Romanian National Authority for Scientific Research, CNCS–UEFISCDI, project number PN-II-ID-PCE-2011-3-0474.