TEPHROSIA PURPUREA EXTRACT

Tephrosia purpurea is a native Indian plant, commonly referred to as wild indigo. It has a long history of use in traditional Ayurvedic medicine for various therapeutic purposes. Known as “Sharapunkha” in Sanskrit, it has been called “the enemy of splenic diseases” due to its reputed ability to treat liver and spleen disorders. Tephrosia purpurea is also found in the Himalayas and throughout southern India, thriving in dry, rocky or sandy soils. The plant contains a range of bioactive compounds such as flavonoids, glycosides, alkaloids, and polyphenols. Specific compounds, including quercetin, kaempferol, and rutin, contribute to its medicinal effects. In skincare, these compounds offer anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and detoxifying benefits.

The extract we use in LAST skincare is obtained from the seeds of Tephrosia purpurea to sustainably protect the plant. A specific extraction process is performed to create a concentrate enriched with key sugars like stachyose and ciceritol, as well as three unique polyphenol rutinosides: kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside, quercetin-3-O-rutinoside, patuletin-3-O-rutinoside.

This extract acts as a neuropeptide with the ability to reduce cortisol (the stress hormone) production by up to 70% in just two hours after application. Cortisol in the skin can cause various issues, including redness, inflammation, premature aging, and a tired appearance. The extract is known to help soothe stressed skin, enhance radiance, reduce dark circles, and provide anti-aging benefits, particularly for sensitive skin.

In vitro and in vivo studies have shown excellent results when treating aging, stressed skin. The extract visibly reduces the signs of stress and fatigue after one month of use. Our specific Tephrosia purpurea extract:

• Inhibits cortisol production by up to 70% within 2 hours of application
• Increases beta-endorphin production by up to 163% in 24 hours
• Significantly stimulates the expression of major proteins involved in the cellular stress response in both keratinocytes and fibroblasts: up to 3000% for HMOX1 (the major cellular response to stress) and 200% for NQO1 (the key response to oxidative stress)
• Improves skin luminosity in patients with stressed skin by up to 103% in just 14 days (measured by spectrocolorimeter)
• Reduces skin redness by 2.4 times in 28 days
• Dramatically reduces dark circles and improves overall skin tone, with up to a 99% improvement in ITA angle (skin color) in just 14 days

The extract used in LAST is Ecocert/Cosmos approved and won the Best Ingredient Award at the in-cosmetics Innovation Zone in 2016.