Prunus Armeniaca Leaf Extract is a product of natural origin derived from the apricot leaves used in various cosmetic and skincare products.

Industrial Production Process

• Leaf Collection - Apricot leaves are harvested either manually or mechanically. Harvesting typically occurs when the leaves are richest in active ingredients, often during specific seasons.
• Extraction - The collected leaves undergo extraction processes to separate beneficial compounds. Extraction methods can include maceration, infusion in water or alcohol, or the use of specific solvents that allow for an extract rich in active ingredients.
• Purification and Concentration - The obtained extract is then purified to remove impurities and concentrated to increase its potency. This process may involve filtration, evaporation, and other concentration methods.
• Quality Control - Before being used in cosmetic formulations, apricot leaf extract undergoes strict quality control to verify the presence of active ingredients, purity, and the absence of contaminants.

What it is for and where

Cosmetics - INCI Functions

Skin conditioning agent. It is the mainstay of topical skin treatment as it has the function of restoring, increasing or improving skin tolerance to external factors, including melanocyte tolerance. The most important function of the conditioning agent is to prevent skin dehydration, but the subject is rather complex and involves emollients and humectants that can be added in the formulation.

CAS    68650-44-2

EC number        272-046-1

Prunus Armeniaca, commonly known as apricot, is a tree from the Rosaceae family. Originating from the northern regions of China, it is used for its sweet and nutritious fruits, as well as for medicinal properties.

Chemical Composition and Properties

Apricot is rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytonutrients. Parts of the plant, including the seeds, are used in traditional medicine to treat various ailments, thanks to their antipyretic, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, emetic, and ophthalmic properties.

Biological Activities

Studies have highlighted the anticancer potential (1) of Prunus Armeniaca, both as a primary remedy in traditional medicine and as a complementary or alternative medicine. Research has identified anticancer mechanisms such as apoptosis, antiproliferation, and cytotoxicity.

Therapeutic Potential

Beyond anticancer properties, Prunus Armeniaca exhibits neuroprotective, cardioprotective, antioxidant, immunostimulatory, antihyperlipidemic, antibacterial, and antifungal effects (2). However, the toxicity of amygdalin, found in apricot kernel seeds, limits its long-term use.

Industrial Applications

Apricot finds applications in the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries. Its extracts are used to enrich foods, beverages, and skincare products.

References_____________________________________________________________________

(1) Kitic D, Miladinovic B, Randjelovic M, Szopa A, Sharifi-Rad J, Calina D, Seidel V. Anticancer Potential and Other Pharmacological Properties of Prunus armeniaca L.: An Updated Overview. Plants (Basel). 2022 Jul 20;11(14):1885. doi: 10.3390/plants11141885. PMID: 35890519; PMCID: PMC9325146.

Abstract. Prunus armeniaca L. (Rosaceae)-syn. Amygdalus armeniaca (L.) Dumort., Armeniaca armeniaca (L.) Huth, Armeniaca vulgaris Lam is commonly known as the apricot tree. The plant is thought to originate from the northern, north-western, and north-eastern provinces of China, although some data show that it may also come from Korea or Japan. The apricot fruit is used medicinally to treat a variety of ailments, including use as an antipyretic, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, emetic, and ophthalmic remedy. The Chinese and Korean pharmacopeias describe the apricot seed as an herbal medicinal product. Various parts of the apricot plant are used worldwide for their anticancer properties, either as a primary remedy in traditional medicine or as a complementary or alternative medicine. The purpose of this review was to provide comprehensive and up-to-date information on ethnobotanical data, bioactive phytochemicals, anticancer potential, pharmacological applications, and toxicology of the genus Prunus armeniaca, thus providing new perspectives on future research directions. Included data were obtained from online databases such as PubMed/Medline, Google Scholar, Science direct, and Wiley Online Library. Multiple anticancer mechanisms have been identified in in vitro and in vivo studies, the most important mechanisms being apoptosis, antiproliferation, and cytotoxicity. The anticancer properties are probably mediated by the contained bioactive compounds, which can activate various anticancer mechanisms and signaling pathways such as tumor suppressor proteins that reduce the proliferation of tumor cells. Other pharmacological properties resulting from the analysis of experimental studies include neuroprotective, cardioprotective, antioxidant, immunostimulatory, antihyperlipidemic, antibacterial, and antifungal effects. In addition, data were provided on the toxicity of amygdalin, a compound found in apricot kernel seeds, which limits the long-term use of complementary/alternative products derived from P. armeniaca. This updated review showed that bioactive compounds derived from P. armeniaca are promising compounds for future research due to their important pharmacological properties, especially anticancer. A detailed analysis of the chemical structure of these compounds and their cytotoxicity should be carried out in future research. In addition, translational pharmacological studies are required for the correct determination of pharmacologically active doses in humans.

(2) Alajil O, Sagar VR, Kaur C, Rudra SG, Sharma RR, Kaushik R, Verma MK, Tomar M, Kumar M, Mekhemar M. Nutritional and Phytochemical Traits of Apricots (Prunus Armeniaca L.) for Application in Nutraceutical and Health Industry. Foods. 2021 Jun 10;10(6):1344. doi: 10.3390/foods10061344. 

Abstract. Apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) is a nutritious fruit, rich in bioactive compounds, known for their health benefits. The present study attempts to evaluate nutritional (sugars, organic acids, minerals) and nutraceutical traits (total phenolics, flavonoids, carotenoids, antioxidant activity) of six commercial apricot genotypes grown in India. Antioxidant activity was determined using three in-vitro assays, namely CUPRAC (cupric reducing antioxidant capacity), FRAP (ferric reducing antioxidant power) and DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl). Significant (p < 0.05) differences were observed in the genotypes concerning nutritional and nutraceutical traits. Sucrose accounted for more than 60% of total sugars in most genotypes, followed by glucose and fructose. Citric acid accounted for more than 50% of the total organic acids present, followed by malic and succinic acids. Apricot is a good source of potassium (1430.07 to 2202.69 mg/100 g dwb) and iron (2.69 to 6.97 mg/100 g dwb) owing to its mineral composition. Total carotenoids content ranged from 0.44 to 3.55 mg/100 g, with β-carotene accounting for 33-84% of the total content. The results strongly suggest that genotypes 'CITH-A-1' and 'CITH-A-2', which have high dry matter and carotenoids content, are well suited for drying. 'Roxana' and 'CITH-A-3' are great for fresh consumption, while 'Shakarpara' and 'Gold Cot' are excellent for juice processing.