Jasmine green tea, a soothing aromatic beverage containing the essence of jasmine flowers, has been enjoyed throughout Asia for centuries. While, as of September 2011, there are no scientific studies on the combination of jasmine and green tea and their effects on skin, there is research on the benefits of each individual substance.
Anti-inflammatory Effects of Green Tea
A review of medical research published in the August 2000 journal "Archives of Dermatology" found that compounds extracted from green tea and tested on mouse skin afforded protection against both chemical carcinogens and ultraviolet radiation. Tests on human skin showed that green tea extracts have both anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic properties. Although the authors cautioned that more clinical studies were needed, they also believed that supplementing skin care products with green tea extracts "may have a profound impact on various skin disorders in the years to come."
Antioxidant Effects of Green Tea
A study published in the July 2010 published in the "Journal of Drugs and Dermatology" examined the ability of green tea polyphenols and caffeine to inhibit the actions of free radicals, which play an important role in photoaging due to their ability to promote both DNA mutations and the production of free radicals. In this research, human cells called fibroblasts that synthesize collagen, were exposed to green tea polyphenols. The results demonstrated that green tea and caffeine inhibited free-radical generation.
Jasmine and Collagen Synthesis
In research conducted by the cosmetic company L'Oreal and published in the August 2010 issue of "Skin Research and Technology," women applied a cream containing no active ingredients on one arm and applied the same cream containing added soy and jasmine on the other arm. After three months, collagen was measured using a high-resolution multiphoton tomograph. An examination of the images showed that the arm on which the soy and jasmine had been applied showed a greater level of collagen synthesis than did the other arm.
Jasmine and Wound Healing
Jasmine's ability to promote collagen production may have beneficial effects on wound healing. In research published in the April-June 2007 issue of the "Indian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology," rats had skin removed and were given either plain water or water containing jasmine extracts. Rats receiving the jasmine showed faster wound healing, with a 65% decrease in wound area. In contrast, rats given water only showed a 54% decrease in wound area.
References
- "Archives of Dermatology"; Green Tea and Skin; S.K.Katiyar, et al.; August 2000
- "Skin Reserch and Technology"; Clinical Study On the Effects Of a Cosmetic Produced On Dermal Extra-cellular Matrix Components Using A High-resolution Multiphoton Tomograph; R. Bazin, et al.; August 2011
- "Journal of Drugs In Dermatology"; Complementary Antioxidnt Function of Caffeine and Green Tea Polyphenols In Normal Human Skin Fibroblasts; J Jagdeo, et al.; July 2011
- "Indian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology"; Influence of Ethanolic Extract of Jasminum grandflorum linn Flower On Wound Healing Activity In Rats; B.S. Nayak, et al.; April-June 2007
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