endocrine disruptors in natural cosmetics

Initiated by the unserious advertising of a cork oak-cosmetics company, who claimed „free of endocrine disruptors“ of its products, although suberin, a prenylpropanoids-eD, is one of the active ingredients, ICADA had prepared a scientific opinion and made available on request of the European Commission.

In the ICADA report, various endocrine disruptors (“hormones”) in natural cosmetics were defined, some of which had 10.000 fold potential compared to the denigrated parabens. The EU Commission does not mention these eDs and now seems to be in trouble, which may be understandable by the historically based management of Article 15.4 of the KVO (see JRC paper).

In the ICADA report we mentioned following natural eDs included:

1) chemical group isoflavonoids
Genistein, Daidzein (plants, in which compound is found: soy, red clover, chick pea, peanut)
Biochanin A (plants, in which compound is found: red clover, soy, alfalfa, sprouts, peanuts, chickpea)

2) chemical group stilbenoids
resveratol (plants, in which compound is found: grapes, variety of berries, senna/cassia gum)
pinosylvin found in pine tree

3) chemical group flavonoids
kaempherol (plants, in which compound is found: aloe vera, moringa, rosmary, grapes, apple, green tea, cucumber, variety of berries, ginko biloba)
quercetin (plants, in which compound is found: sea buckthorn, apple, variety of berries, citrus fruits, horse chestnut, cork-tree-bark, gingko biloba)
baicalein found in scutellaria baicalensis)
pinocembrin found in propolis
naringenin (plants, in which compound is found: orange, grapefruit; water-mint, hop (humulus lupus/beer)

4) chemical group lignane
prenylpropanoids (plants, in which compound is found: sesame, taiga root, valerian root, linseed, cork oak)

5) chemical group pentacyclic triterpenes
glycyrrhetinic acid found in licorice