Production of Cosmetics from the Aqueous Extract of Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.)

• Autor(a) principal: Fedrigo, Islaine Helena
• Data de Publicação: 2010
• Outros Autores: Borgo, Ana Paula, Baggio, Francieli Ramos, Musial, Diego Castro, Valentini, Sergio Alexandre
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Saúde e Pesquisa (Online)
• Texto Completo: https://periodicos.unicesumar.edu.br/index.php/saudpesq/article/view/1641
• topic: Chenopodium quinoa; Phyto-cosmetic Potential; Saponin.; Chenopodium quinoa; Fitocosmética; Saponina.

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is a worldwide distributed plant, featuring several species, with about 250 scientifically identified. First quinoa strains in the Brazilian savannah showed varying levels of saponin, a substance soluble in water, which occurs in the seed’s episperm. Quinoa has high protein rates and more balance in the distribution of essential amino-acids than grain. In fact, it resembles casein, a milk protein fraction. Another feature of each quinoa seed is its fat contents which are higher than those of cereals, with a composition similar to that of soybeans, a source rich in essential fatty acids, including linoleic and linolenic acids which make up almost 60% of the fruits’ total components. Due to lack of data in the literature on phyto-cosmetic groups in the quinoa fruit and on its toxicological potential, current analysis assesses the presence or absence of these groups and their acute toxicological potential. The species Chenopodium quinoa studied was collected in the botanic gardens of the Faculdade Integrado de Campo Mourão, Campo Mourão PR Brazil. Phytochemical screening revealed saponins, which, according to the literature, forms a group present in the species cultivated in the Andes. Toxicological potential evaluation with regard to Artemia salina microscrutáceos reveals that saponins in quinoa are toxic. Three pharmaceutical dosages were obtained from the aqueous extract, for external use, which proved to be pharmacologically compatible. It has been detected that the aqueous extract of quinoa has a potential phyto-cosmetic potential.