Babassu Oil
INCI: Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil
Properties: Protective, soothing, cooling, emollient, moisturising
Iodine Value:13-18
Melt Point: 26 c
Appearance: White/Solid at room temp
Introduction
Babassu oil is a tropical oil extracted from the seeds of the babassu palm. The latin name is Attalea speciosa syn Orbignya phalerata Mart from Palmae family. Babassu is an economically important tree, native to the Amazon Rainforest of South America. It is commonly found in North and Northeast regions of Brazil. Babassu is a robust tree with large, elegant leaves and relatively large flowers (up to 1.5 meter long).
The fruits, leaves, mesocarp, endocarp, and roots are used for medicinal purposes. Various studies conclude that babassu oil has anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, anti-microbial, and antioxidant activity (Fábio Ribeiro Araújo et al, 2016). Traditionally, it is also used for the treatment of gastritis, hepatitis, osteoporosis, skin wounds, conjunctivitis, female genital inflammation, and spider bites.
Physical and Chemical Characteristics
Babassu oil is quite similar to coconut oil in terms of chemical composition and as such is a popular substitute in cosmetic formulations. The oil is extracted from the seeds by cold pressing. Babassu seeds contain approximately 60% oil. This oil contains a mixture of vitamins, acids, antioxidants, contains 72% lipids. It also contains plant sterols and phytosterols. It is rich in vitamin E which is a known antioxidant. (Deepak Dhanraj Wasule et al, 2014)
Babassu Oil Fatty Acid Profile
Health Benefits of Internal Use
All of the the fruit - including the enocarp, mesocarp, seeds and oil -is used in Brazilian folk medicine. The fruit is used for pain and rheumatism, constipation, obesity, leukemia, and circulation, The pressed oil is used as an anti fungal and laxative. The mesocarp is used for inflammation, gastritis and leucorrhea. The seed residue or ‘borra’ and oil is used in wound healing. In vivo and tumor cell line studies have highlighted the potential of the fruit as an adjuvant in antitumor treatments and highlight its usefulness in venous dysfunction (Burlando, B.; Cornara, L., 2017).
Cosmetic Uses:
Babassu oil is used by Amazonian riverine communities as a hair and skin moisuriser so that it 'becomes fragrant and beautiful.’(Santos et al 2020)
Various studies have confirmed the traditional therapeutic use of babassu oil as an antibacterial, anti inflammatory, moisturiser and its use in wound healing.
Babassu oil is reported to be non comedogenic (Mohammad Athar and Syed Mahmood Nasir, 2004) this means that, used on its own it will not likely cause skin irritation or blocked pores. Futhermore, is is also expected it to be antibacterial to some degree based on the relatively high levels of lauric acid (Dayrit, F.M., 2015) Due to its similarity in melt point and texture it is a good substitute for coconut oil in products designed for oily skin.
Among saturated fatty acids, lauric acid has been shown to contribute the least to fat accumulation. Lauric acid and monolaurin have demonstrably significant antimicrobial activity against gram positive bacteria and a number of fungi and viruses (ibid).
Babassu’s anti inflammatory activity was evaluated on murine ear oedema by Mysrayn Y. F. A. Reis et al (2017). Pure babassu oil and 12% concentration in acetone inhibited oedema by 58% and 17.5% respectively while the microemulsion inhibited oedema by 66.2%. The researchers concluded that the topical anti inflammatory activity of babassu oil was enhanced by mico-emulsification whereby the inhibition levels were similar to that of pure babassu oil at a much lower concentration (12.25). The authors theorised that microemulsions enhanced skin permeation of the active anti inflammatory compounds found in babassu oil (mainly lauric acid).
Wasule et al (2014) evaluated babassu oil as a moisturiser. Emulsions with varying concentrations (2%-10%) of babassu oil were prepared and given to study participants to use. Their skin was evaluated using a cornometer and the moisturising properties were compared. Emulsions with 2%, 3% and 10% showed increase in moisturisation but over time moisturisation decreased. The optimum level of babassu oil of 7% was found to provide the highest levels of moisturisation and emolliency.
References
Deepak Dhanraj Wasule, Sunita Yogesh Nawandar, Harsahiba Kaur (2014) Evaluation of Babassu oil as skin moisturizer, in World Journal of Pharmaceutical Science, Volume : 2, Issue : 6, Month : June
Burlando, B.; Cornara, L. Revisiting Amazonian Plants for Skin Care and Disease. Cosmetics 2017, 4, 25. https://doi.org/10.3390/cosmetics4030025
Dayrit, F.M. The Properties of Lauric Acid and Their Significance in Coconut Oil. J Am Oil Chem Soc 92, 1–15 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11746-014-2562-7
Reis, Mysrayn & Santos, Simone & Silva, Danielle & Silva, Márcia & Correia, Maria & Navarro, Daniela & Santos, Geanne & Hallwass, Fernando & Bianchi, Otavio & Gomes-Silva, Alexandre & Melo, Janaína & Mattos, Alessandra & Ximenes, Rafael & Machado, Giovanna & Saraiva, Karina. (2017). Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Babassu Oil and Development of a Microemulsion System for Topical Delivery. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2017. 1-14. 10.1155/2017/3647801.
Fábio Ribeiro Araújo, Sol Elizabeth González-Pérez, Maria Aparecida Lopes and Ismael de Jesus Matos Viégas (2016) Acta Botanica Brasilica: “Ethnobotany of babassu palm (Attalea speciosa Mart.) in the Tucurui Lake Protected Areas Mosaic - eastern Amazon.” Journal of Ethnopharmacology Volume 133, Issue 1, 7 January 2011, Pages 1-5
José Alex A. Santos, José Wellinton da Silva, Simone Maria dos Santos, Maria de Fátima Rodrigues, Camila Joyce A. Silva, Márcia Vanusa da Silva, Maria Tereza S. Correia, Julianna F. C. Albuquerque, Cristiane M. L. Melo, Teresinha G. Silva, René D. Martins, Francisco Carlos A. Aguiar Júnior, Rafael M. Ximenes, In Vitro and In Vivo Wound Healing and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Babassu Oil (Attalea speciosa Mart. Ex Spreng., Arecaceae)", Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, vol. 2020, Article ID 8858291, 10 pages, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/8858291