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Researchers in the bioprospecting research group are investigating local medicinal plants as sources of new skin care creams, oral hygiene and hair care products |
Could South Africa's indigenous plants hold the solution to anti-ageing and other skin care problems? This question has become the new research focus for the CSIR's bioprospecting research group and a team of research partners investigating the establishment of a viable South African cosmeceuticals industry based on local indigenous knowledge.
The research consortium was appointed by the Department of Science and Technology through its National Indigenous Knowledge Systems Office (NIKSO) to form part of the foundations of a new national bioprospecting platform that would, among others, ensure that South African knowledge is translated into South African intellectual property and assures the country a share in the billion-dollar cosmeceuticals market.
"Today a new hot topic in the cosmetic industry is 'cosmeceuticals', which is the fastest growing segment of the natural personal care industry," says Dr Vinesh Maharaj, who leads the bioprospecting group. "Cosmeceuticals are cosmetic pharmaceutical hybrids intended to enhance beauty through ingredients that provide additional health-related function or benefit. "The British have developed an anti-perspirant, anti-bacterial product using buchu, which is indigenous to South Africa, while marula oil is also sold overseas as a cosmetic with anti-oxidant properties. In both cases limited benefits are accrued to South Africa. We need to add more value to our biological resources such as developing high quality products that can be marketed locally and internationally rather than merely exporting raw material," he adds.
"In line with the CSIR mandate there are several ways of improving the quality of lives of South Africans, one of which is through the supply chain. Should we successfully commercialise products based on our biodiversity, communities could become part of the supply chain in that they could cultivate and process the plants on behalf of the product manufacturers resulting in the creation of jobs; the community-based manufacturing facility established as a result of the CSIR-developed mosquito repellent candle is an example of that."
Maharaj, who was appointed principal investigator for the consortium, revealed that their research would address oral hygiene, skin care products for mainly hyper-pigmentation and anti-acne and hair care products looking at, for example, management of hair loss. Anti-oxidants - another hot topic in the market - will also be investigated. The consortium has identified more than 100 plants that are used traditionally as cosmeceuticals and following a literature review narrowed the net to about 15-20 plants. "Our research is, however, still at the discovery stage," he says.
Maharaj said the first strategic plans for the project were compiled in 2007 and that the project was now entering the pilot phase. The consortium comprises Tshwane University of Technology, University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), PROMETRA, an international organisation dedicated to the preservation and restoration of African traditional medicine and indigenous science and has also attracted well-known medicinal plant scientist Professor Namrita Lall of the Department of Botany at the University of Pretoria. The UKZN and PROMETRA will conduct toxicology studies while the CSIR will take the lead as well as responsibility for production, chemistry and quality control.
Maharaj said the consortium is in negotiation with a recognised local company to assist with commercialisation of any product that is derived from their research.
Enquiries: CSIR Communication
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