Ashitaba: What should you know about this plant?

TheAshitaba is a plant that carries the botanical name Angelica keiskei. In common language, it is referred to as tomorrow's leaf, longevity herb, or Japan's Ashitaba due to its ability to quickly regenerate its harvested foliage. This plant is part of the Apiaceae family, along with the carrot, celery, or parsley. It is recognizable by its dissected green leaves, white flowers, and stems containing a yellow sap. In the 19th century, it was used to treat smallpox.

The rapid growth of Ashibata has shaped its reputation. Indeed, when the leaves are picked in the evening, new ones appear by the next morning. It is due to this characteristic that this plant has become the symbol of longevity in Asian culture.

The extract of this plant is present in the form of brown to green powder. In recent years, Ashitaba has been incorporated into skincare formulations to combat skin aging. Indeed, the active molecules it contains give it interesting properties that allow it to be included in skincare treatments.

Thanks to its composition rich in flavones and chalcones, Ashitaba extract has interesting benefits for our skin.

• Anti-aging: A study conducted in 2019 on yeasts, worms, and flies revealed a compound present in Ashitaba, the 4,4'-dimethoxychalcone (DMC). This flavonoid is believed to stimulate the process of autophagy, an intracellular protective and cellular recycling mechanism that helps eliminate waste, dysfunctional cells, and dead cells to prevent their accumulation.

  This process would help maintain cellular homeostasis, reduce skin hyperpigmentation, and combat premature skin aging. However, autophagy is a process that can become deregulated with advancing age. By promoting it, Ashitaba contributes to the renewal of skin cells. When this phenomenon is sustained, the signs and effects of skin aging are thus delayed.

  Following the external application of DMC, tests on human cells have revealed a slowdown in the senescence process, a physiological process associated with morphological and functional changes in the cell that lead to their aging.

• Antioxidant: Ashitaba also contains antioxidant compounds, notably 2,2'-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS), which have free radical scavenging activities. The antioxidants in Ashitaba thus ensure the protection of skin cells and fight against the signs of skin aging.

• Anti-inflammatory: Studies have suggested that certain chalcones found in the sap extracted from the stems of Ashitaba may possess anti-inflammatory activities. Specifically, its inhibitory activity against protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) was tested, a protein that can be involved in an inflammatory process and is activated by inflammatory factors, such as TNF-α. Thus, Ashitaba extract could potentially soothe inflammations caused by injuries, such aswarts, or skin diseases.

• Antimicrobial: Studies have suggested that certain chalcones found in the stem of Ashitaba could inhibit microbial proliferation. Indeed, an extract from the root of Ashitaba was able to inhibit the growth of Staphylococcus aureus, a Gram-positive bacterium responsible for skin infections. An analysis identified two chalcones with such properties: xanthoangelol and 4-hydroxyderricin.