Achillea Millefolium extract for Skin and Body

Achillea millefolium or Yarrow is a flowering plant in the Asteraceae family.

• Skin-rejuvenating activity: a study showed that A. millefolium extracts improved the expression profile of various epidermal differentiation markers (cytokeratin 10, transglutaminase-1, and filaggrin) in cultured skin biopsies as well as increased epidermal thickness. In vivo, a 2-month treatment with 2% A. millefolium extract significantly improved the appearance of wrinkles and pores compared to a placebo.

• Antiulcer: a study showed that oral administration of the hydroalcoholic extract of A. millefolium aerial part inhibited ethanol-induced gastric lesions by 35, 56, and 81%, respectively. However, oral treatment of 1 and 10 mg/kg reduced the chronic gastric ulcers induced by acetic acid exposure by 43 and 65%, respectively, and promoted significant regeneration of the gastric mucosa. The antiulcer activity of A. millefolium extract may be either due to inhibition of gastric secretion or an increase in protective factors (such as blood flow) in gastric mucosa.

• Treatment of dyspepsia: the prokinetic effect of A. millefolium extract observed in vivo could provide the pharmacological basis underlying its traditional use in the treatment of dyspepsia.

• Hepatoprotective: the effect of A. millefolium extract on IL1β and iNOS gene expression of pancreatic tissue in the Streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats was investigated. Streptozotocin was injected intraperitoneal (IP) for inducing diabetes in rats. The body weight, IL1β, and iNOS gene expression in STZ-diabetic rats were restored after administration of A. millefolium extract (100 mg/kg/ day). This may be due to the amelioration of IL-1β and iNOS gene overexpression which can have a β-cell protective effect.

• Anticancer/Antitumor activity: the anticancer potential of A. millefolium extract aerial part was assayed on HFFF (normal fibroblast cell line) and six cancerous cell lines viz, human caucasian gastric adenocarcinoma, human breast ductal carcinoma, human colorectal adenocarcinoma, human lung carcinoma, human melanoma cancer, and human liver hepatoma and was found to induce cytotoxicity on cancerous cell lines. The Casticin isolated from A. millefolium extract was studied for antitumor potential through the cell cycle and apoptotic signaling pathways in two MCF-7 sub-lines MN1 and MDD2. Both cell lines were found sensitive to Casticin and induced apoptotic death by acting as a tubulin-binding agent (TBA).

• Role in appetite: A. millefolium extract might help to increase food intake.

• Anti-inflammatory: A. millefolium extract has the ability to combat acute and chronic inflammation and may be a novel source for drug discovery.

• Antiproliferative: Antiproliferative activity of A. millefolium extract alone or combined with bleomycin was investigated on human prostate cancer and human nonmalignant fibroblast cell lines by using MTT assay. Both the cell lines were treated with A. millefolium extract at various concentrations (20, 100, 500, 1000, and 2000 μg/mL). The extract considerably improved cytotoxicity induced by bleomycin in the prostate cancer cell without any significant toxicity on normal cells. It may be due to cytotoxic flavonoids such as casticin and sesquiterpenoids. In-vitro antiproliferative activity of A. millefolium extract was evaluated against five human lung tumor cell lines (adenocarcinomic human alveolar basal epithelial, human lung adenocarcinoma, human lung carcinoma) and compared with that of cisplatin. The results showed that A. millefolium extract exhibited potential antiproliferative activity to adenocarcinomic human alveolar basal epithelial, human lung adenocarcinoma, and human lung carcinoma cells, and the activity was stronger than that of cisplatin.

• Antispasmodic: A. millefolium extract helps to reduce smooth muscle spasms.

• Antioxidant: A. millefolium extract may be used as an easily accessible source of natural antioxidants and also as a possible food supplement or in the pharmaceutical industry.

• Hypotensive, vasodilatory, and bronchodilator activities: A. millefolium extract also exhibits hypotensive, cardiovascular inhibitory, and bronchodilatory effects, thus meaning it can be used in hyperactive cardiovascular and airway disorders, such as hypertension and asthma.

• Other effects: anthelmintic activity, antimicrobial, cyclophosphamide toxicity amelioration activity, choleretic activity, anxiolytic activity, antinociceptive, antispasmodic, analgesic, immunosuppressive, and estrogenic effects.

Achillea Millefolium extract is suitable for all skin types including sensitive skin and skin of colour, but do make sure to conduct a test patch to see if you are allergic to this extract.