PROPERTIES OF ALLANTOIN
Characteristics of allantoin
Also called 5-ureidohydantoin or glyoxyldiureide, allantoin (C4H6N4O3 is excreted by the allantois as a byproduct of purine catabolism.
The allantois is a sac that appears in the back of the alimentary canal in the embryos of mammals, birds, and reptiles. Allantoin concentrates in this sac during the development in most mammals, except humans and higher apes. It is also a metabolic byproduct of many plants and bacteria.
It is obtained from many plants and from the urine of many animals, specially from cows. However, the most used allantoin is chemically synthesized in order to obtain a safer, non-toxic product used in the cosmetics industry or pharmaceutical products.
Comfrey is the plant which has the highest proportion of this principle. Other plants are rich in this component are horse chestnut, uva ursi or borage.
Properties of allantoin
Allantoin is considered to be very good for your skin because it promotes the removal of the dead skin cells in its upper layers, so it smoothes it and favors skin healing. It also possesses vulnerary, anti ulceric and anti-inflammatory properties
Allantoin: A product to protect your skin.
Allantoin has very beneficial properties for the care and maintenance of healthy skin. Consequently, it is used in the composition of many creams, cosmetic lotions, shampoos, lipsticks, toothpastes or mouthwashes.
Among the main virtues of allantoin we will mention:
- Dandruff: Applied to the hair, it helps eliminate dandruff, so that it becomes part of the formula of many shampoos.
- Sunscreen: It protects the skin from ultraviolet rays of the sun, boosters sun tanning and prevents negative effects of sunrays on the skin, consequently it appears in many sun screams or sunscreens.
- Vulnerary: It helps ulcers or wounds heal, and prevents possible infections. Used in the toothpastes or mouthwashes formulas, it aids to keep your teeth and mouth cleaner and healthier.
- Anti-inflammatory: It reduces swelling from from hitting or spraining, lowering the swollen area by means of reducing edemas, so it appears in many creams or sprays used by athletes. These creams can also be used for the external treatment of inflammation caused by arthritis or to treat inflammation caused by microorganisms in the vagina, such as vaginitis.
- Beauty of the skin: Allantoin boosters upper skin cells removal. By doing this, it makes your skin to appear more smoothly. In this sense, allantoin takes part in the composition of many creams to treat acne, skin spots, wrinkles or skin sagging.
- Itching: It has been proved quite effective in dermatitis treatment as an alternative to topical medicines containing steroids.
More information about medicinal plants.
