What is ellagic acid?
What is ellagic acid?
Ellagic acid is an organic substance, a polyphenol dilactone, and a dimerized derivative of gallic acid. It is widely found in various soft fruits, nuts and other plant tissues, such as blackberries, cranberries, blueberries, pomegranates, walnuts, etc., and is a natural polyphenol component. Ellagic acid has a variety of biological functions, including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.
What are the benefits of ellagic acid?
Antioxidant
Ellagic acid has a strong antioxidant effect, which can remove skin free radicals, fight and remove oxygen free radicals and hydroxyl free radicals, and help anti-aging and reduce skin damage.
Anti-inflammatory
Ellagic acid also has a certain anti-inflammatory effect, which can reduce the body's inflammatory response. This has a certain effect in treating diseases such as arthritis and muscle pain.
Moisturizing
The polyols in ellagic acid can absorb moisture and act on the skin. They can be used as moisturizers in skin care products to help the skin retain moisture.
Whitening and spot lightening
Ellagic acid can inhibit tyrosinase activity, thereby blocking the production of melanin, helping to reduce the accumulation of melanin in the skin, and has the effect of whitening and lightening spots.
Promote digestion
Ellagic acid can promote the digestion and absorption of food in the gastrointestinal tract, help improve the efficiency of nutrient absorption, and help regulate the balance of intestinal flora.
Hypoglycemic
Ellagic acid can lower blood sugar levels and has a certain auxiliary therapeutic effect for diabetic patients.
Antibacterial and antiviral
Ellagic acid has a good inhibitory effect on many bacteria and viruses, and can protect the wound from bacterial invasion and prevent infection.
Ellagic acid also has antihypertensive and sedative effects, can promote blood circulation, dilate blood vessels, and help lower blood pressure. It can also promote skin metabolism, accelerate skin cell repair, and help anti-aging.
How does ellagic acid help improve constipation?
Lubricate the intestine
Ellagic acid has a certain lubricity, which can increase the moisture content in the intestine, make the stool softer, and reduce the difficulty of defecation caused by hard and dry stool during constipation. This lubrication helps
Promote the smooth movement of stool in the intestine, thereby improving constipation symptoms.
Promote intestinal peristalsis
Although ellagic acid itself does not directly stimulate intestinal peristalsis, as a component of beneficial substances in the intestine, it can promote intestinal peristalsis function indirectly by regulating intestinal flora and maintaining a healthy intestinal environment. Accelerated intestinal peristalsis helps promote the movement of stool in the intestine and further improve constipation.
Antioxidant effect
Ellagic acid is a powerful antioxidant that can remove free radicals in the body and reduce the damage of oxidative stress to intestinal mucosa and tissues. This antioxidant effect helps to protect intestinal health and maintain normal intestinal function, thereby preventing and improving constipation to a certain extent.
Assist in regulating intestinal flora
The balance of intestinal flora is essential for intestinal health. As one of the beneficial substances in the intestine, ellagic acid can help regulate the balance of intestinal flora, promote the growth of beneficial bacteria, and inhibit the reproduction of harmful bacteria. This regulatory effect helps to improve the intestinal environment, promote the digestion and absorption function of the intestine, and thus relieve constipation symptoms.
Effects of ellagic acid on skin barrier function
Enhance the protective ability of the skin barrier
Natural preservative effect: As a natural substance, ellagic acid has certain preservative properties and can protect the skin barrier from external bacteria or viruses. This helps to reduce inflammation and damage to the skin caused by external stimuli, thereby maintaining skin health.
Antioxidant effect: Ellagic acid can scavenge free radicals and reduce oxidative stress damage to the skin. This antioxidant effect helps to maintain the activity and stability of skin cells, thereby enhancing the protective ability of the skin barrier.
Promote skin repair and regeneration
Promote wound healing: Many studies have pointed out that ellagic acid has the ability to promote wound healing. This is due to its anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and cell regeneration properties, which helps the skin barrier to recover quickly after damage.
Inhibit inflammatory response: Ellagic acid can regulate the body's immune response and reduce the degree of local tissue damage. This has positive significance for alleviating inflammatory responses caused by damaged skin barriers.
Other functions of improving the skin barrier
Whitening and spot lightening: Ellagic acid can inhibit the activity of tyrosinase, block the production of melanin, and accelerate the decomposition of melanin. This helps to brighten the skin tone and lighten spots, thereby improving the overall appearance of the skin.
Anti-aging: Through its antioxidant effect, ellagic acid can reduce the occurrence of signs of aging such as fine lines and wrinkles on the skin, keeping the skin young.
Where is ellagic acid used?
Cosmetics
Ellagic acid has been widely used in the cosmetics industry due to its antioxidant, whitening, astringent and anti-radiation properties. It can be used as an effective whitening ingredient to reduce skin pigmentation caused by ultraviolet rays by inhibiting tyrosinase activity. In addition, ellagic acid can form a protective film to protect the skin from oxidation and darkening. Under the astringent effect, cosmetics containing ellagic acid have good adhesion to the skin, and can shrink pores and reduce wrinkles. Ellagic acid can also promote the regeneration of skin elastic fibers, protect elastin from degradation, reduce skin tissue damage caused by radiation and ultraviolet rays in sunlight, and slow down photoaging.
Food field
The application of ellagic acid in the food field is mainly as a natural antioxidant and colorant. Due to its strong antioxidant properties, ellagic acid can extend the shelf life of food and maintain the color of food. Fruits such as pomegranates, strawberries, grapes, apples, cranberries, blackberries and walnuts are rich in ellagic acid. These fruits are not only nutritious but also bright in color. Ellagic acid plays an important role in maintaining their color.
Medical field
The application of ellagic acid in the medical field mainly includes its antifungal and antibacterial activity. Studies have shown that ellagic acid has a strong inhibitory effect on a variety of fungi, especially Trichophyton rubrum. It can also be used as a drug for the treatment and prevention of fungal infections in the human body, and the development of ellagic acid is more important for the clinical prospects of antifungal drugs. Ellagic acid has a good inhibitory effect on a variety of bacteria and viruses, can protect the wound from bacterial invasion, prevent infection, and inhibit ulcers. At the same time, it has been found that ellagic acid also has antihypertensive and sedative effects.
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