Cosmetic potential of Southeast Asian herbs: an overview

Abstract

Herbs and spices have been used in retaining and boosting human beauty since time immemorial. Herbal cosmetic has growing demand in the worldwide market and is an invaluable gift of Mother Nature. In the present review, the focus is on the cosmetic herbs of Southeast Asian countries namely Malaysia, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar [Burma], Thailand, Vietnam, Brunei, East Timor, Indonesia, Philippines and Singapore in highlighting both traditional and scientific knowledge or background of the selected potential herbs. The available literature was searched in the following scientific database such as PubMed, Google Scholar, Science Direct and Springer for publications and patents. In view of traditional uses, herbs like Allium sativum, Aloe vera, Centella asiatica, Curcuma longa, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, Lawsonia inermis and Tamarindus indica L. were classified as need of special mention. Many herbs have been scientifically evaluated for their cosmetic potentials such as anti-aging, anti-acne, melanogenic and anti-tyrosinase activities. The great void remains for a systematic study, thorough review of scientific report that provides a basis for the use of specific herbs due to their efficacy as cosmetics. In addition, two of the Malay herbs; Labisia pumila (Kacip Fatimah) and Ficus deltoidea (Mas cotek), are proposed to be clinically studied for their safety in cosmetic application aspects wherein the need for safety evaluation and fruitful application of herbal cosmetics were emphasized.