What Powerful Antioxidant is Essential to Skin Health?

We’ve all heard about the power of antioxidants, but do you really know what exactly they do? Well they essentially help protect the body, inside and out, from aging and cell degeneration by inhibiting oxidation and inflammation, and preventing free-radical damage.

The health and skin care community is constantly on the look for new sources of antioxidant molecules and ways to use them. One of the most potent natural antioxidants discovered, according to research conducted in the early ‘90s, is boldine. Even the name sounds powerful.

So what exactly is it and how does it work?

What It Is

Boldine (aka pemus boldus) is an alkaloid found in the Chilean boldo tree. The leaves of the boldo tree have traditionally been used in folk medicine for its cell-protective properties. Today it’s used in a number of medicinal and herbal remedy applications for its anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory and cyto-protective (cell-protective) properties.

It prevents lipid peroxidation, in which free radicals steal electrons from lipids resulting in cell damage (aka aging). Boldine also inhibits intra-cellular oxidants, fights bacteria and enhances the body’s natural “killer cells” when fighting certain cancers and tumors.

This is just a glance at what boldine does for our cells, and keep in mind it does this for all cells including our skin cells.

How It Works

In skin care you will commonly see boldine as “D-boldine.” This is the chirally correct form of the molecule, which means it will interacts more efficiently with the cell. As I said the powerful antioxidant provides all of the afore mentioned benefits to all of our cells…including skin cells.

Because of its anti-inflammatory, UV protection and free-radical scavenging properties, it essentially fights the signs of aging, and prevents collagen breakdown and loss of skin elasticity (saggy skin). Be on the lookout for this all-important defender of the cells in your skin care products.

Find D-boldine in the Complex VI.