Studies on the cosmetic applications of plant extracts are increasingly appearing in the scientific literature, which is due to the growing popularity of skincare products around the world. In the light of the observed changes, a return to natural treatment and skincare with cosmetics free of harmful substances or toxic preservatives is visible. Currently, tea extracts, due to their rich composition and various biological actions, play an important role among the dietary supplements and cosmetics. This review is intended to collect the reports on the properties of the tea plant, its extracts and preparations in cosmetology: for skin care products and for the treatment of selected dermatological diseases. Particular attention is paid to its antioxidant, anti-hyaluronidase, anti-inflammatory, slimming, hair-strengthening, photoprotective and sealing blood vessels properties.

Numerous species of Allium genus have been used in the traditional medicine based on their vast biological effects, e.g., antimicrobial, digestion stimulant, anti-sclerotic, soothing, antiradical or wound healing properties. In this work, unpolar and polar extracts from two lesser-investigated species of Allium growing in Kazakhstan, Allium galanthum Kar. & Kir. (AG) and A. turkestanicum Regel. (AT), were studied for their composition and biological effects. In the HPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS analyses of water and alcoholic extracts simple organic acids, flavonoids and their glycosides were found to be the best represented group of secondary metabolites. On the other hand, in the GC-MS analysis diethyl ether, extracts were found to be rich sources of straight-chain hydrocarbons and their alcohols, fatty acids and sterols. The antimicrobial activity assessment showed a lower activity of polar extracts, however, the diethyl ether extract from AT bulbs and AG chives showed the strongest activity against Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633, B. cereus ATCC 10876, some species of Staphylococcus (S. aureus ATCC 25923 and S. epidermidis ATCC 12228) and all tested Candida species (Candida albicans ATCC 2091, Candida albicans ATCC 10231, Candida glabrata ATCC 90030, Candida krusei ATCC 14243 and Candida parapsilosis ATCC 22019) with a minimum inhibitory concentration of 0.125–0.5 mg/mL. The highest antiradical capacity exhibited diethyl ether extracts from AG bulbs (IC50 = 19274.78 ± 92.11 mg Trolox eq/g of dried extract) in DPPH assay. In ABTS scavenging assay, the highest value of mg Trolox equivalents, 50.85 ± 2.90 was calculated for diethyl ether extract from AT bulbs. The same extract showed the highest inhibition of mushroom tyrosinase (82.65 ± 1.28% of enzyme activity), whereas AG bulb ether extract was the most efficient murine tyrosinase inhibitor (54% of the enzyme activity). The performed tests confirm possible cosmeceutical applications of these plants.

Ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.) is both a commonly used spice, and an ingredient of various dietary supplements and medications. Its diverse applications result from the range of health benefits that this plant brings thanks to the presence of active compounds (secondary metabolites) in the matrix. Even if several studies underline a stronger pharmacological activity of fresh ginger rhizomes, the unprocessed plant is relatively rarely used. Ginger rhizomes are subjected to thermal processing, such as boiling, blanching, steam drying and others, at different temperature and time settings. Additionally, freeze-drying of the rhizomes is used as the first step in the preparation of raw material. It was proved that the composition of secondary metabolites of the Zingiber officinale rhizome changes upon the influence of temperature. Therefore, the aim of the review was to put together scientific results on the impact of traditional and unconventional methods of heat treatment on ginger rhizomes and to show the compositional differences that they induce in the plant matrix. Variations in the content and the transformation of some compounds into other metabolites will be also discussed, with particular attention paid to two major groups of secondary metabolites present in the plant, namely, phenolics and terpenes.

Ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.) is a spice, medicinal and cosmetic plant that has been known for centuries. It can be used in dried, fresh, marinated or candied form, and is also an essential ingredient in well-known curry blends. Ginger rhizomes are often freeze-dried as the first step in the preparation of the raw material. Many studies have proved that the composition and biological activity of ginger changes due to thermal processing. Therefore, the aim of the review was to summarize the scientific results on the impact of traditional and unconventional methods of the heat treatment of ginger rhizomes and their influence on the antioxidant and other selected biological activities of the plant. The review of the available scientific data is inconclusive, and it is hard to state unequivocally whether the thermal treatment of the raw material increases or decreases biological activity. Based on the presented literature review, it can be concluded that traditional cooking and microwave processing in general decrease the antioxidant activity of the ginger rhizome, whereas frying, autoclaving, blanching or traditional drying in the sun mostly lead to a significant increase in ginger activity. Interesting data were presented in the works describing the freeze-drying process during which the antioxidant potential of ginger increased.

Otyłość jest przewlekłą chorobą wynikającą z zaburzenia równowagi energetycznej organizmu. Szacuje się, iż problem nadmiernej masy ciała aktualnie dotyczy niemal 2 miliardów osób na świcie, spośród których 650 milionów cierpi na otyłość. Nadmierna masa ciała zwiększa ryzyko wystąpienia wielu chorób niezakaźnych, głównie zaburzeń układu sercowo-naczyniowego, nowotworów oraz schorzeń metabolicznych. Dodatkowo otyłość pociąga za sobą konsekwencje ekonomiczne, społeczne oraz psychologiczne. Otyłość jest spowodowana nadmierną podażą energii z pożywieniem w stosunku do wydatków energetycznych ustroju. Przyczyn otyłości upatruje się w determinantach fizjologicznych, genetycznych, behawioralnych i środowiskowych, do których zalicza się coraz powszechniej występujące w otoczeniu hormonalnie czynne związki (ang. endocrine disrupting chemicals, EDC). W odniesieniu do otyłości, zidentyfikowano podklasę środowiskowych EDC (tzw. obesogenów), zakłócających homeostazę organizmu i procesy hormonalne. Do najlepiej poznanych obesogenów, które mogą występować w żywności należą: bisfenol A, polichlorowane bifenyle, ftalany (ftalan benzylu-butylu (BBP), ftalan di-n-butylu (DBP), ftalan di-2-etyloheksylu (DEHP), metale ciężkie (arsen, kadm, ołów, rtęć, nikiel) oraz dioksyny. Dowiedziono, że EDC mogą wpływać na kontrolę apetytu czy zaburzać równowagę energetyczną ustroju w kierunku gromadzenia spożytych kilokalorii (tzw. teoria oszczędnego fenotypu). Uważa się, że obesogeny mogą predysponować jednostki do przyrostu masy ciała, szczególnie w przypadku ich ekspozycji we wczesnym okresie życia. Istnieje coraz więcej dowodów naukowych potwierdzających wpływ hormonalnie czynnych związków ze środowiska na rozwój otyłości. Wśród potencjalnych mechanizmów działania obesogenów najczęściej wymienia się wpływ na proces adipogenezy, oddziaływanie na receptor PPARγ oraz zaburzenia homeostazy pracy tarczycy. Konieczne są dalsze badania naukowe, szczególnie oceniające zależność dawka - odpowiedź w celu opracowania skutecznej polityki zdrowotnej, chroniącej przed szkodliwym działaniem ECD. W artykule przedstawiono aktualne badania kliniczne dotyczące potencjalnego związku między ekspozycją na obesogeny środowiskowe, a ryzykiem rozwoju nadmiernej masy ciała.