INCI name: ECHINOPS SPHAEROCEPHALUS SEED OIL
Origin
Echinops sphaerocephalus seed oil (ball thistle oil) is a natural, fatty oil obtained from the fruits of the great ball thistle. The great globe thistle is a representative of the very species-rich genus Echinops from the tribus Cynareae of the Asteraceae.
The fruits of the great globe thistle have high contents of fatty oil (38 to 45 %) and crude protein (24 to 34 %). Characteristic of Echinops species is the formation of a quinoline alkaloid (echinorin), which is present in the fruits in contents of 2.0 to 2.3%. The oil is dominated by linoleic acid and is similar to safflower oil in the fatty acid spectrum. Echinops sphaerocephalus seed oil is rich in tocopherol and thus has a high content of free radical scavengers. Also significant is the absence of reactive linolenic acid in the fatty acid spectrum, which, in addition to the high content of tocopherol, has a very favorable effect on the shelf life of the oil and derived products.
Total tocopherol content: 65-100 mg/100 g of which approx. 96 % alpha-tocopherol
Active ingredients
– Palmitic acid 4-5 %
– Stearic acid 2 – 3 %
– Oleic acid 15-20 %
– Linoleic acid 70 – 80 %
– Linolenic acid <0.1 – 0.2 %
Effect
Protection of the cell membrane against free radicals. Prevention of skin damage caused by free radicals.
- Antioxidant
Use
Echinops Sphaerocephalus Seed Oil is suitable as a valuable base oil for cosmetic products due to its high content of linoleic acid.