Abstract
Calophyllum inophyllum L. (Calophyllaceae), locally called “tamanu” in French Polynesia, is an evergreen pantropical tree growing mostly along the seashores. Its barks, leaves, and fruits are still used in traditional medicine. The oil expressed from the nuts has been also traditionally used. Tamanu oil is topically applied on skins as well as mucous membrane lesions. This oil is especially recommended to heal all kinds of skin ailments. Bioassays and different assessments of Tamanu oil revealed numerous biological activities (antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, wound healing…), so bringing scientific evidence of beneficial effects of this oil on human skin healing. Such biological properties may explain the use of tamanu oil as an active cosmetic ingredient recorded as “Calophyllum inophyllum seed oil” by the INCI (International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients). Most of the bioactive properties of tamanu oil are attributed to oil composition including the presence of resinous compounds in tamanu oil beside common fatty acids, which constitutes a unique characteristic of this healing oil. Actually, resinous part of tamanu oil is known to contain bioactive secondary metabolites mostly constituted by neoflavonoids including pyranocoumarin derivatives. Herein, chemical constituents and biological properties of tamanu oil are presented with a focus of its traditional use inspiring modern valuations related to cosmetic field.
Highlights
Résumé – L’huile de Tamanu et ses propriétés dermatologiques : des usages traditionnels à la cosmétique moderne
Because UV-radiations can induce harmful reactive oxygen species production for ocular system, these results led to suggest that Calophyllum inophyllum oil presents both UVabsorption and antioxidant properties that might contribute to its use as a vehicle in ophthalmic preparations, free of cytotoxicity and associated to an important sun protector factor (18–22)
Tamanu oil neoflavonoid constituents were found to have antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus strain, namely calophyllolide (MIC: 16 mg), inophyllum C (MIC: 10 mg) and inophyllum E (MIC: 13 mg), which activities were shown to be stronger than that of the antibiotic standard oxacillin (30 mg) (Yimdjo et al, 2004). These results suggested the bactericidal effect of tamanu oil constituents
Summary
“Cosmetopoeia” refers to popular uses of plants for traditional cosmetic and body care that have always existed in many countries and cultures over the world, but this concept is still very poorly documented as written reports. The efficiency of tamanu oil has been shown through traditional medicine uses for centuries and by its use on hospitalized patients for significant diminution of scars, so considered in vivo like reported studies (Mariette-Chanson, 2006). These longtime traditional uses of “tamanu oil” led to consider that this oil is one major Polynesian cosmetopoeia product which deserved more scientific investigations to rationalize its uses as a cosmetic ingredient (Ansel et al, 2015). – its physical and chemical characteristics; – its biological activities and properties related to skin treatment for cosmeceutical regards
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