Roots: Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract (Knotweed)

Question 1

What is it?

Answer 1

• popular spring vegetable in Asian cultures
• traditional eastern medicine for cough, hepatitis, joint pain, asthma, cancer, hypertension
• source of trans-resveratrol
• also present in grapes, blueberries, peanuts, cocoa powder, wine
• active form as trans-resveratrol (Japanese knotweed predominantly trans-isomer)

Question 2

What are the skin benefits?

Answer 2

• Moisturising properties: subjects who used cosmetic emulsions containing resveratrol showed improvement in functioning of hydro-lipid barrier of skin as well as increased levels of skin hydration
• Anti-aging: powerful antioxidant, enhances cellular regeneration without of retinoids, inhibits formation of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) which are
  collagen-damaging proteins and fats which form in skin as a reaction from exposure to sugars
• By inhibiting formation of AGEs, resveratrol helps to reduce appearance of wrinkles and loss of firmness
• Resveratrol promotes even skin tone by inhibiting tyrosinase, key enzyme that catalyzes melanin production by oxidation