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Copyright @ Pol J Cosmetol
Pol J Cosmetol 2015, 18(4): 270-274pl  Phenolic acids - structure, biological activity and importance in cosmetologyAgata Frątczak, Wiesława Bylka, Elżbieta Studzińska-Sroka Katedra i Zakład Farmakognozji Uniwersytet Medyczny im. Karola Marcinkowskiego w Poznaniu Summary In recent years there has been a growing interest of the cosmetic industry in natural substances which addition to skin care products may favorably influence the appearance of skin, hair, and nails. One of the groups of compounds arousing the cosmetic industry interest are phenolic acids. Phenolic acids are secondary metabolites occurring extremely often in plants. The molecules of these compounds include hydroxy and carboxy groups and are classified as two chemical groups: benzoic acid and cinnamic acid. The interest of cosmetology and dermatology in phenolic acids, results from their multidirectional biological activity. As in vivo and in vitro experiments have indicated, phenolic acids show antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, photoprotective, astringent or antibacterial activity, therefore, they are used in anti-aging, lightening discolorations, and anti-acne formulations. In addition, esters of 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (i.e. parabens) are used as preservatives and are added to cosmetic preparations in order to prolong their durability. The controversy over parabens, caused the trend of limiting their content in cosmetic preparations, although the research has shown that parabens used in appropriate concentrations are safe for health. Key words: phenolic acids, biological activity, skin effect |