Science
Background:
Buchu is a shrub with a geographic distribution limited to a small strip of about 250km in the Western Cape, South Africa. This herb is therefore unique in its global availability. Western use of Buchu dates back to the 1600s at the time of the formation of the Dutch colony in the Cape, prior to which it had already been extensively used by the Khoisan inhabiting the area for treating ailments including inflammatory conditions. The fat of a lamb's tail was mixed with the buchu leaves and applied to the skin for treating wounds, and other skin conditions. The San believed it provided longevity.
In recent times the use of any purified extract for this shrub has been predominantly in the flavor and fragrance industry: the oil distilled from the aromatic leaves has been exported to the flavor houses to be incorporated into foodstuffs as a natural blackcurrant flavor and the volatiles used by the fragrance industry. Since its use as a food additive dates back to the early 1950s, Buchu Oil enjoys a GRAS (Generally accepted as safe) status as issued by the FDA and EU. Since 1999, research has been undertaken by Michael Stander to identify the bioactive molecules within Buchu Oil and to substantiate its many claimed health benefits scientifically. The release onto the South African market of a Buchu herbal water, and subsequent anecdotal reporting by consumers of its healing powers formed the bases Michael Stander to scientifically research and develop products. Such anecdotes and testimonials included the following: an ability to lower blood pressure in hypertensive patients an ability to control glycaemia in insulin resistant and pre diabetic patients, potent anti-inflammatory, and anti-infective properties, especially with regard to the repairing and prevention of skin disorders namely acne, eczema, burns, and scarring.
Global Nutraceuticals has been the sponsor of most of the extensive scientific research that has been undertaken to establish the pharmacological properties of Buchu Oil. Based on in-vitro data, Global Nutraceuticals has scientifically formulated a defined oil mixture which is currently used for all its nutraceutical products made available in the health sector in South Africa and the United States of America. Current Global Nutraceuticals products in the marketplace include the following: Buku Skin Repair a topical cream containing the oil distillate, veggie capsules with salmon oil recommended for chronic inflammatory conditions capsules mixed with flaxseed oil for use as a natural remedy for urinary tract infections. In addition, Global Nutraceuticals hold a number of patents related to the manufacture of Buchu Oil and its pharmacological / nutraceutical uses.
History on the use of Buchu:
The use of Buchu dates back to the early 1600’s at the time of the formation of the Dutch colony in the Cape. It was extensively used by the Bushmen inhabiting the area for treating any ailment including inflammatory conditions, infectious diseases, including the repairing of skin wounds and abrasions.
The geographic distribution of this shrub and its limitation to only a small strip ranging from Cape Town northward by 250km makes this herb unique in its global availability.
The leaves of this shrub were imported to European countries and finally to the USA and advocated to be a miracle herb used for general wellbeing. It was known in Europe as nobles tea as only the wealthy could afford it. Folk tales from the early 1600’s describe how a whole sheep was bartered for a thimble full of the Buchu leaf with the early dutch settlers to the Cape.
The use of any purified extract for this shrub has been predominantly in the flavor and perfume industry: the oil distilled from the freshly picked leaves has been exported to the leading world flavor houses to be incorporated into foodstuffs as a natural black currant flavor and the volatiles used by the perfume industry as a fixative in perfumes.
Since its use as a food additive dates back to the early 1950’s, Buchu Oil enjoys a GRAS (Generally accepted as safe) status as issued by the FDA and EU.
In vitro testing:
Anti-Inflammatory properties
The in vitro test for the potential anti-inflammatory activity of the various extracts was by co-incubating monocytes derived from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells with endotoxin (LPS) for 8 hours and thereafter
quantifying the release of two inflammatory monokines, namely IL6 and TNF into the culture supernatant. These were quantified by ELISA. The results obtained from a typical experiment is shown in Figure 3:
Figure 3: TNF- measured in the supernatants of monocytes stimulated in the presence or absence of various water fractions of Agosthoma. The results are expressed as % of maximum (no inhibitor included). All fractions were tested at 10% total sample concentrations since no absolute concentrations could be determined.
The histogram representation above clearly shows that both F2 and F3 of the oval leaf Agosthoma display the more potent inhibition of TNF release in vitro when monocytes are stimulated to release this monokine in vitro. Such pro-inflammatory factors are usually detected
in chronic pathological conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and other auto-immune diseases.
During the acute inflammatory response, other cells are usually recruited to sites of tissue damage or infective onslaught. Such cells are the polymorphonuclear cells (granulocytes) which are part of the innate immune response. Their activity can be measured in vitro by measuring the expression of the adhesion molecules CD11b/CD18 heterodimer. When the granulocytes are activated, they upregulate the expression of these membrane bound glycoproteins in order for them to undergo chemotaxis and diapedesis. The increased expression of these molecules can be measured by flow cytometry and increased expression quantified using fluorescent beads. Below in the table is a typical result of the water phase tested in this model:
It is evident that the water phase contains molecules able to inhibit the upregulation of CD11b/CD18 in a model of granulocyte activation measured by flow cytometry. The units of expression correspond to soluble fluorescent units (MESF). The water at 5% testing concentration inhibits this by 20%. It is also interesting that the upregulation of the CD18 on its own is not influenced: this chain of the heterodimer is the common chain of several membrane molecules.
The results above would imply that neutrophils (granulocytes) would be prevented from inducing the initial inflammatory responses in the presence of water-soluble molecules derived from Buchu water
(prevention of the acute inflammatory response)
We tested both the oil distillate as well as the water product in vitro against several Gram positive as well as Gram- bacteria. It had originally been shown that the anti-infective properties of Buchu resided in the water phase only. A small pilot study was undertaken in a commercial chicken houses: battery chicken reared in close proximity in batteries are prone to the development of E coli septicaemia leading to a substantial loss of the animals 3-5 days prior to slaughter. This translates into a huge financial loss for the producers. The houses
whose water supply had been enriched with the Buchu water had significantly less deaths and septicaemia events compared to those houses whose water supply had not been spiked with the product. The in vitro testing of the Buchu products confirmed this observation. Below this is represented graphically (Figure 4):
Figure 4: Antibacterial activity of oval versus round leaf Buchu oil against typical Gram- and Gram+ bacteria.
From the above once again, it is evident that the two species of the buchu display diverse anti-bacterial biologically active molecules.
Anti-viral activity in vitro:
Since South Africa presented with a major HIV pandemic, at the time of testing these diverse fractions in vitro, it was decided to investigate the fractions that could have any activity in vitro against the HI virus since the model was available to us via our academic colleagues. Cell lines susceptible to viral infectivity were used: these cells were transfected in vitro using fixed viral inoculums in order to lead to p24 production in
vitro: p24 is the core protein of the virus and this is released in its soluble form when infected cells are actively producing viral particles. Any inhibitory activity of the extracts would be seen as a reduction of the p24 antigen measured quantitatively by ELISA. The cell line was cultured for 4 and 7 days and these measurements were conducted in the separate supernatants. The aim of measuring the viral p24 in separate 4 day versus 7 day
cultures was to determine whether any effect seen within 4 days could be lost by 7 days implying that long term control of the viral replication would be easily lost.
From the figures alongside, it is clear that although viral replication was inhibited by +/- 40% within 4 days (by both species of Buchu) the effect was more pronounced by 7days of culture: 80% inhibition of the viral production of p24 could be seen.
BUKU COSMECEUTICALS
NATURAL SKINCARE
PROPRIETARY NAME
BUKU
COMPOSITION
Each 50ml jar of Buku contains AGATHOS-ACTIVE ™ AGATHO
MYCIN (Buchu oil extracts),
PHARMACOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION
Natural Product with both Anti-Viral, Anti-bacterial and Anti-inflammatory and pain relief components.
PHARMACOLOGICAL ACTION
It has been scientifically proven that Buku skincare is a natural potent multimodal action formula which prevents acne and breakouts in teenagers and adolescents.
AGATHOS-ACTIVE ™
This BUCHU leaf extract contains Quercetin, a potent anti-inflammatory compound with known activities against the Th 17 cells (inhibition of such cells.) It also contains other molecules which are able to inhibit the migration of inflammatory cells from the circulation to areas of tissue damage. The expression of the CD11/C18 heterodimer on the inflammatory cells such as neutrophils and monocytes are not unregulated when such cells are activated in the presence of the oil extract. Monocytes are the source of inflammatory cytokines such as IL6 and TNF-a. In Vitro research has shown that the secretion of these pro inflammatory factors are inhibited at the generic level. Specifically effective in the use of acute and chronic pain and inflammation.
AGATHO-MYCIN ™
This unique patented Buchu oil leaf extract contains, potent antibacterial compounds with known activities against Harmful bacteria including MRSA. From our scientific research it is clearly evident that Agatho-mycin displays diverse anti -bacterial biological active molecules that are effective against a host of pathogens including S.aureus (gram +) and E.coli (gram -).