FSS FERULA FOETIDA EXTRACT PF Ferula foetida is a perennial shrub that can grow 5 to 8 feet high, and it has been used throughout history as a culinary and medicinal herb. Native to the Middle East region, it has fine-toothed leaves, with clusters of small white or yellow flowers in umbels and a hollow stem. The leaves and young shoots are cooked as a vegetable while the cabbage-like folded heads are eaten raw as a delicacy. In the summer, stems are cut from four-year-old plants and the root is sliced. Shaded from the sun for five to six weeks, the roots are left so the gum that is secreted and hardens into a resin which is scraped off in lumps then crushed into a powder to produce a spice called asafoetida. The name originates from the Persian ‘aza’ meaning resin and Latin ‘fetida’ meaning smelly. The odor of this plant is offensive and the taste is bitter and acrid. Surprisingly, it is largely used in India and Persia as a condiment. Strict vegetarians in India are forbidden to use onions and garlic in their food, so asafoetida is utilized; it is popular in natural food cuisine as a garlic substitute. Culinary use of asafoetida includes flavoring pickles and sauces (it is an essential ingredient of Worcestershire sauce) and is used extensively in the Middle East to flavor spicy vegetable dishes. When sauteed lightly in oil, it develops a pleasant onion or garlic-like aroma. The pungently flavored gum resin is a source of an essential oil that has medicinal properties and is used in perfumery. Ferula foetida is thought to stimulate the brain, and it also activates the mucous membranes, especially the alimentary tract. It acts mainly on the digestive system by cleansing and strengthening the gastro-intestinal tract. Used as a circulatory stimulant, Ferula foetida lowers blood pressure and thins the blood. In addition, as a result of its expectorant properties, it is used in the treatment of respiratory problems such as asthma, bronchitis, and whooping cough. Other medicinal properties of Ferula foetida include antispasmodic, deobstruent, sedative and tonic. The main active constituent of this plant is resin, which contains elevated levels of ferulic acid esters, complex carbohydrates, and essential oils, which are composed of sulfur compounds and terpenes. FSS Ferula Foetida Extract PF is produced by extracting this resin in water and glycols, and it displays intense tyrosinase inhibition. Tyrosinase is the enzyme accountable for the change from tyrosine to DOPA and then to DOPAquinone, which initiates of the synthesis of melanin. By decreasing tyrosinase activity, we decrease the level of DOPAquinone production and therefore inhibit the onset of melanogenesis. Melanogenesis consists of 3 phases: initiation, synthesis, and expression. The synthesis phase is when the melanocyte actually makes the melanin granules. When mediators bind to receptors on the cellular membrane of the melanocyte, tyrosinase switches to its active form. Initial research led scientists to believe that melanogenesis was solely controlled by this tyrosinase enzyme. Recently it has become more apparent that the process is significantly more complex than initially thought, and thus there are several methods by which melanogenesis can be reduced. However the most common means of minimizing pigmentation continues to be by decreasing the activity of tyrosinase. This can be accomplished by blocking the enzymatic production, inhibiting its activity, or preventing the uptake of tyrosinase by the melanosomes. The over-expression of melanin, also known as hyperpigmentation, is a common concern among many people. Some types of expression are evidenced by freckling, lentigines (sun spots or age spots), or even larger discolored patches of skin known as melasma. Hyperpigmentation can be caused by UV exposure, hormones, or genetic disorders. To avoid or decrease the displeasure of hyperpigmentation, it is important to impede melanogenesis, the process by which melanin is created and transported to the keratinocytes. The reduction of melanogenesis and ultimately the inhibition of melanin synthesis should successfully even out skin tones and encourage skin lightening. • Evening skin tone • Reducing hyperpigmentation FSS10237PF Ethoxydiglycol & Butylene Glycol & Water & Ferula Foetida Root Extract
