Vetiver Essential Oil in Cosmetics: What Is New?

Abstract

Background: Vetiver is a key ingredient for the perfume industry nowadays. However, with the constant and rapid changes of personal tastes, this appeal could vanish and this sector could decline quite quickly. New dissemination paths need to be found to tap this valuable resource. Methods: In this way, its potential use in cosmetics either as an active ingredient per se (with cosmeceutical significance or presenting antimicrobial activity) has hence been explored in vitro. Results: In this contribution, we demonstrated that vetiver essential oil displays no particularly significant and innovative cosmetic potential value in formulations apart from its scent already largely exploited. However, evaluated against twenty bacterial strains and two Candida species using the in vitro microbroth dilution method, vetiver oil demonstrated notably some outstanding activities against Gram-positive strains and against one Candida glabrata strain. Conclusions: Based on these findings, vetiver essential oil appears to be an appropriate aspirant for the development of an antimicrobial agent for medicinal purposes and for the development of a cosmetic ingredient used for its scent and displaying antimicrobial activity as an added value.

Back to the Roots—An Overview of the Chemical Composition and Bioactivity of Selected Root-Essential Oils

“…The potential role of C. zizanioides in traditional medicine for the treatment of various diseases has prompted several phytochemical studies elucidating multi-functional biological activities of its EO [ 134 ]. According to the literature, vetiver EO and its constituents revealed antimicrobial activities against various pathogens, mainly Gram-positive strains, particularly S. aureus , either susceptible (MSSA) or resistant to methicillin (MRSA) [ 108 , 135 , 136 ].…”

“…Regarding the important role claimed of vetiver EO as an ingredient in cosmetics, Burger and co-workers evaluated its preservative potential by assessing bacteriostatic effectivity against 20 bacterial strains. S. aureus (both susceptible and resistant to methicillin), Corynebacterium striatum and two Bacillus strains—with MICs comprised between 500 and 2000 µg/mL—were reported as the most susceptible microbes [ 136 ]. Potent antimycobacterial activity against drug-resistant strains of Mycobacterium smegmatis (MIC = 31.25–62.5 µg/mL) was reported for vetiver EO, its fractions and the isolated compounds 5,10-pentadecadiyn-1-ol, α-curcumene, hydroxy junipene, (+)-cycloisosativene, valencine, and selino 3,7(11)-diene [ 137 ].…”

“…Furthermore, preliminary in vitro studies indicated that vetiver root EO exerted strong activity against the wood rot fungi Gloeophyllum trabeum , Poria placenta , Coniophora puteana , and Coriolus versicolor , thus showing potential in the conservation and protection of softwood [ 123 ]. Regarding its antifungal properties, C. zizanioides oil also exerted moderate inhibitory activity on C. albicans (MICs = 200–800 µg/mL) and strong activity against C. glabrata (MICs = 100–400 µg/mL) [ 136 ]. In agreement with its traditional use as an insect repellent, several publications indicated that vetiver oil and some of its components exerted repelling actions against a variety of insect species.…”

Essential Oils as Natural Sources of Fragrance Compounds for Cosmetics and Cosmeceuticals

“…It is, therefore, vital that systematic cultivation of these plants be introduced in order to conserve biodiversity and protect endangered species [ 29 ]. Sustainable extraction of natural products, making use of innovative technologies, process intensification and agro-based solvents constitute the way out in the development of eco-conceived fragrant ingredients covering every olfactory family without putting biodiversity at risk any further [ 30 ].…”

Chemical Composition, Antioxidant, and Antimicrobial Activities of Vetiveria zizanioides (L.) Nash Essential Oil Extracted by Carbon Dioxide Expanded Ethanol

“…Despite its special aroma, vetiver oil also possesses various biological activities, such as antioxidant [4], antibacterial [5], and anti-inflammatory properties [6], making it beneficial in aromatherapy [7]. In fact, the annual market demand of vetiver oil was estimated at up to 250 tons, worth approximately $200 million per year [8], while the worldwide herbal cultivating area has reached nearly 10,000 hectares [9]. Because of these introductory facts, many researchers have focused on the innovation of extraction techniques to reduces production costs as well as environmental pollution.…”