General Skin Care

Full Spectrum Skin Enhancing Properties for Optimal Skin Health Support Skin Health is the New PhenomenonObsession with a youthful appearance has become commonplace with an ageing population, and sun-damaged skin from modern outdoor lifestyles is becoming a common dermatologic problem. The increasing demand for cosmetic dermatological products raises awareness on the need for naturally safe and effective ingredients with multi-usage potential.

Vitamin E is well-known for its multi-usage benefits for the past decades. It is an antioxidant with healing and reparative properties that can help to prevent skin ageing. Recent studies, however, have found that tocotrienol, a more potent form of vitamin E found in certain plant seeds such as oil palm, exhibit superior antioxidation properties compared to the common form of vitamin E, alpha-tocopherol.

What is Tocotrienol?Tocotrienol, along with tocopherol, is a form of vitamin E. Tocotrienol’s distinct chemical structure confers unique biochemical properties responsible for providing skin health benefits beyond antioxidation. For example, the double bonds in the farnesyl tail of tocotrienols enable it to move easily between lipid membranes. This distinct chemical structure enables the initial rate of cellular uptake in biological systems to be up to 70 times higher than alpha-tocopherol.[1] A study by Podda, et al has shown that tocotrienol is found in high concentrations in murine skin tissue suggesting efficient delivery of antioxidant defenses in the skin.[2]

Natural e3 Palm TocotrienolsDavosLife produces Natural e3, a rich blend of natural tocotrienols extracted using state-of-the-art technology from GMO-free palm fruits fully traceable to its parent company’s plantations (RSPO certified).

Why is antioxidation important to skin?Unlike normal skin ageing, photo-ageing results from constant and prolonged exposure to the sun’s harmful UV rays. UV radiation increases the production of free radicals and reactive oxygen species in different layers of the skin causing cellular damage which hastens the ageing process and increases the risk for skin cancer. A growing body of evidence points to a promising future for tocotrienol in high value cosmetic and skin treatment products designed to protect against the harmful effects of oxidation. Tocotrienols reduce the effects of oxidative stress by directly interacting with antioxidant enzymes.[3]

Tocotrienol Chemical Structure

Oil Palm Fruit (Elaeis guineensis). Photo Courtesy of MPOB

Tocotrienol provides skin health benefits that go beyond its established antioxidation properties.

Sun Protection Excellent antioxidation activity in cells of up to 40 to 60 times higher than tocopherol[4] confer tocotrienol the ability to help protect the skin from ageing and UV-induced damage caused by constant and prolonged sun exposure.

Formulations with tocotrienol exhibited a radical skin factor (RSF) of 4.15. The RSF measures a substance’s ability to reduce free radicals generated in the skin during UV exposure. An RSF of 4.15 suggests that tocotrienol formulations reduce free radical production in the skin resulting from exposure to the sun’s harmful UVA and UVB rays by 76%.[5]

Tocotrienols photo-protective effects are further evaluated in a clinical study conducted in 30 patients with photosensitivity. Results from the study showed that pre-treatment with formulations containing tocotrienols highly protects against photosensitivity with significantly lower incidence of irradiation reactions such as redness, swelling and itchiness compared to untreated areas.[6]

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Reference:1. Saito Y, et al. Ann N Y Acad Sci, 2004. 1031: p. 368-75. 2. Podda M, et al. J Lipid Res, 1996. 37(4): p. 893-901. 3. Khan MS, et al. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci., 2011.15(8): p. 916-30. 4. Serbinova E, et al. Free Radic Biol Med, 1991. 10(5): p. 263-75. 5. DavosLife: Data on File. 6. Pedrelli VF, et al. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol, 2011. 7. Makpol S, et al. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 3(1): p. 35-43. 8. Chin SF, et al. Nutrition, 2008. 24(1): p. 1-10. 9. Armstrong L. Global skin lighteners market booms. 2009 [cited 2012 January 16]; Available from: www.cosmeticdesign.com. 10. Yap WN, et al. Pigment Cell Melanoma Res. 23(5): p. 688-92. 11. Chang PN, et al. Nutr Cancer, 2009. 61(3): p. 357-66.

Anti-AgeingSkin ageing comes with normal ageing and commonly presents as fine wrinkling and laxity of the skin while sun-damaged skin is associated with increased skin pigmentation, discolorations and deep wrinkles. Fibroblasts are cells commonly found in the skin, bones and other tissues in the body. When left unchecked, the effects of oxidative stress can repeatedly induce DNA damage in these cells contributing to the effects of cellular ageing.

Results from pre-clinical studies showed that tocotrienol has the ability to prevent cellular ageing by reversing the effects of oxidative stress in human diploid fibroblasts (HDF). In addition, tocotrienols increased the length of DNA structures called telomeres. Telomeres progressively grow shorter each time a cell divides. In most cells, telomere length is closely associated with cellular ageing: the shorter the telomere, the older the cell.[7] A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study with 64 human subjects aged 37-78 years old showed a significant reduction of DNA damage in their blood samples after 3 months of 160 mg daily dose of tocotrienols. The positive effects continued to the end of the trial at 6 months.[8] Results from these studies show that tocotrienols have the potential for maintaining cellular health.

Skin CancerIn addition to its ability to penetrate the skin’s deepest layers and neutralize the damaging effects of UV-induced free radicals, tocotrienol acts on key proteins within skin melanoma cancer cells to induce melanoma cell death and to help prevent cancer cell growth. This mechanism suggests tocotrienol’s potential role in supporting skin cancer prevention.[11]

Skin HydrationTocotrienol reduces water loss from the skin and strengthens the skin’s barrier function. Either singly or in combination with other ingredients, tocotrienol improves efficacy in skin hydration.[5]

Skin RepairDuring skin repair, fibroblasts move to the wound and close it. Tocotrienol triggers the movement of fibroblasts suggesting tocotrienol’s potential role in skin repair and wound healing.[5]

Skin DepigmentationThe skin-lightening market is predicted to reach $10 billion by the year 2015 with the strongest area of growth predicted in the Asia-Pacific.[9]

As published in the leading Pigment Cell & Melanoma Research, DavosLife research showed tocotrienols’ ability to promote skin depigmentation through inhibition of the key protein tyrosinase in melanin synthesis. In the study, tocotrienols reduce melanin production by 55% through tyrosinase inhibition that is up to 150 times more potent as compared to other skin depigmenting agents.[10]

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Tocotrienol reduced melanin content by 55% at concentrations over 100 times lower than other skin depigmenting agents

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Natural e3 closed wounds twice faster than control after 6 days of topical treatment

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Available Products:

High Purity Palm Tocotrienol Oil Up to 95% (total vitamin E)

Palm Tocotrienol Powder Up to 30% (total vitamin E)

T3BoostTM - Water Soluble TocotrienolUp to 1.5% (total vitamin E)

Tocotrienol Isomersup to 97% (alpha, beta, gamma, delta)

Palm Tocotrienol Analytical Test and Cell Culture Kits

Davos Life Science Pte Ltd3 Biopolis Drive #04-19, Synapse, Singapore 138623Phone: (65) 6773 9021Fax: (65) 6862 9023 email: info@davoslife.comMerging Science with Nature www.davoslife.com

Stable Supply DavosLife produces a 100% natural tocotrienol-rich complex extracted using standards of the highest quality from GMO-free palm fruit fully traceable to the plantations of its parent Company, the Kuala Lumpur Kepong Berhad Group. Natural e3 contains a balanced blend of all tocotrienol isoforms (alpha, beta, delta, gamma) at high concentration levels for maximum health benefits.

Science DrivenDavosLife has established the world’s largest tocotrienol R&D center to spearhead cutting-edge tocotrienol research and innovation in chronic diseases and skin care. It was awarded the 2010 Asia Pacific Excellence in Research Award in the Natural Vitamin E Market by Frost and Sullivan.

Unrivaled Technical SupportOur team of experienced in-house scientists is available to support your technical needs ensuring that you meet the demands of today’s market.

Custom FormulationsWe offer custom formulations for higher potencies to meet your needs.

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