a species of flowering plant in the family Elaeagnaceae, native to the cold-temperate regions of Europe and Asia. It is a spiny deciduous shrub. The plant is used in the food and cosmetics industries, in traditional medicine, as animal fodder, in horticulture, and for ecological purposes.
Hippophae rhamnoides is a hardy, deciduous shrub that can grow between 2 and 4 m high (between 7 and 13 ft).[3] It has a rough, brown or black bark and a thick, grayish-green crown. The leaves are alternate, narrow and lanceolate, with silvery-green upper faces. It is dioecious, meaning that the male and female flowers grow on different shrubs. The sex of seedlings can only be determined at the first flowering, which mostly occurs after three years. The male inflorescence is built up of four to six apetalous flowers, while the female inflorescence normally consists of only one apetalous flower and contains one ovary and one ovule. Fertilization occurs solely via wind pollination, so male plants need to be close to female plants to allow for fertilization and fruit production.
The oval or lightly roundish fruits grow in compact grapes varying from pale yellow to dark orange. Individual fruits weigh between 270 and 480 mg and contain high amounts of vitamin C, vitamin E, carotenoids, flavonoids and health-beneficial fatty acids, as well as higher amounts of vitamin B12 than other fruits.
The plants have a very developed and extensive root system, and the roots live in symbiosis with nitrogen-fixing Frankia bacteria. The roots also transform insoluble organic and mineral matters from the soil into more soluble states. Vegetative reproduction of the plants occurs rapidly via root suckers
The genus name Hippophae originates from the Greek words hippo = “horse” and phaos = “to shine” and is due to the ancient Greek use of sea buckthorn leaves as horse fodder to make their coats shine more. The species name rhamnoides means “resembling the Rhamnus“, referring to the buckthorn plant.
***
Medicinal uses
Source: https://www.utep.edu/herbal-safety/herbal-facts/herbal%20facts%20sheet/sea-buckthorn.html
Compilation by Armando Gonzalez Stuart, PhD
Scientific Name:
Hippophae rhamnoides
Botanical Family:
Elaeagnaceae
Other Common Name:
Sha Ji, cu liu guo, sallow thorn, sand thorn, star-bu, ameel. amesh, Tsarap, tapu, taru, chumaa.
Where is it found?
This thorny shrub is native to China, India, and Himalaya.
Parts of the plant used:
Seed, bark, leaves, fruit, and oil.
How is it used?
The fruits are very sour but edible and syrup can be obtained from them for therapeutic purposes. The bark or the fruit paste is applied topically. A bark decoction is taken as tea Quattrocchi, 2012).
What is it used for?
The fruit is very acidic and is valued for its astringent and anti-hemorrhagic (against bleeding) properties. Syrup made from the fruit is taken internally for lung problems, tuberculosis, against coughs and colds. A decoction for the fruit is taken to treat skin eruptions. The fruit paste is applied to wounds to stop bleeding. A concentrated juice decoction is applied on the neck to treat influenza and coughs. A paste made from the bark or fruit is applied to the pelvis or joints against pain. The paste made from the bark is applied topically to treat ulcers and wounds. A bark decoction is ingested to “purify the blood”. The oil extracted from the plant is used topically for skin diseases, eczema, burns and wounds. The fruit juice has shown anticancer effects in laboratory experiments using cells and animals (Li et al., 2015; Quattrocchi, 2012; Tang and Eisenbrand, 2011). The fruit has an appreciable content of vitamin C, more so than various citrus fruits (Mabberley, 2008). One of the plant’s main constituents, known as Isorhamnetin, has powerful antioxidant effects (free radical scavenger) that may also have anticancer effects (Li et al., 2015).
Zhamanbaeva et al (2015) studied the effects of ethanol (alcohol) extract obtained from the leaves of sea buckthorn on the growth and differentiation of human acute myeloid leukemia cells. The results of the study showed that the leaf extract inhibited cancer cell proliferation.
Sea buckthorn berries have been shown to have powerful protective effects on the liver of chickens exposed to the potent natural carcinogens (aflatoxins) produced by certain species of microscopic fungi (Solcan et al., 2013).
Sea buckthorn improves the body’s resistance to infection, as well as treats skin eruptions and irritation. Additionally, the plant’s active antioxidant ingredients are useful for the treatment of heart disease. The oil from the fruit has both cosmetic as well as medicinal uses, since it can relieve cardiac problems such as angina, and also lower blood cholesterol levels (Tang and Eisenbrand, 2011; Li, 2009).
Khare (2009) mentions that In India, the fruit is used to treat diarrhea, to improve digestion, against coughs and to treat hemorrhages. Preparations made from the plant are used to treat gastrointestinal ulcers. Externally poultices made from the plant are used to treat burns, bedsores, and skin complications caused by exposure to X-rays. The fruits (berries) are nutritious since they are a source of various vitamins and other natural compounds, which help people, adapt to cold, long winter conditions. The plant possesses antioxidant activities and the leaves contain flavonoids.
Some of Sea buckthorn’s active ingredients, such as flavones, have been considered as potential ingredients for functional foods due to their beneficial health effects, including treating cardiovascular disease, lowering plasma cholesterol levels, and regulating the immune system’s functions (Wang et al., 2016).
Safety/Precautions:
- There are no known health effects associated with the consumption of this plant.
- Sea buckthorn’s safety during pregnancy and lactation has not been established.
The Top 11 Health Benefits of Sea Buckthorn Oil
Source: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/sea-buckthorn-oil#4.-May-reduce-blood-sugar-levels
Sea buckthorn oil has been used for thousands of years as a natural remedy for various ailments.
It is extracted from the berries, leaves, and seeds of the sea buckthorn plant (Hippophae rhamnoides), which is a small shrub that grows at high altitudes in the northwest Himalayan region. You can apply it to your skin or take it orally (1Trusted Source).
Sometimes referred to as the holy fruit of the Himalayas, it’s a popular remedy in Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicines. It’s said to provide health benefits ranging from more radiant hair and skin to a lower risk of cancer and heart disease.
Here are 11 science-backed benefits of sea buckthorn
Sea buckthorn is rich in various vitamins, minerals, and beneficial plant compounds. It’s naturally full of antioxidants, which help protect your body against aging and illnesses like cancer and heart disease (2Trusted Source).
Its berries are especially rich in vitamins A, C, K, and E. They also contain considerable amounts of iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium, copper, and zinc (2Trusted Source).
In addition, its seeds and leaves are rich in phytosterols, a plant compound with many benefits — including blocking cholesterol from your diet from being absorbed in your body. This is one way in which sea buckthorn oil is though to reduce your risk of heart disease (1Trusted Source, 2Trusted Source, 3Trusted Source).
This oil can be sourced from the sea buckthorn seeds or berries and is considered the most valuable component of the plant (1Trusted Source).
It contains a high proportion of palmitoleic acid, which is also found in the fat of human skin. As such, this oil is thought to speed wound healing and keep your skin healthy (1Trusted Source).
Interestingly, sea buckthorn oil may also be one of the only plant foods known to provide all four omega fatty acids. What’s more, more than half of the fat found in this oil is mono- and polyunsaturated fat, which are two types of healthy fats (1Trusted Source,2Trusted Source).
SUMMARY
Sea buckthorn oil is rich in various vitamins and minerals, as well as antioxidants and other plant compounds that may support your health.
Sea buckthorn oil has been used as a traditional skin treatment for centuries.
It’s rich in unsaturated fat, antioxidants, phytosterols, carotenoids, and vitamins E and K — all of which function together to protect your skin’s integrity and promote its renewal (2Trusted Source).
Sea buckthorn oil is also rich in palmitoleic acid, which is a type of fat naturally found in human skin that can be used to treat burns and promote wound healing (2Trusted Source).
It’s also a good source of linoleic acid (LA), an omega-6 fatty acid that’s the most abundant fatty acid in human skin. Research suggests that LA may reduce acne and psoriasis, as well as protect against dry or scaly skin (4Trusted Source).
In addition to LA, sea buckthorn oil contains other omega-6 fats, such as gamma linolenic acid (GLA), which may help reduce eczema and improve acne (4Trusted Source).
Furthermore, compounds in sea buckthorn oil appear promising in protecting your skin from the damaging effects of UV rays from the sun (5Trusted Source).
Perhaps unsurprisingly, sea buckthorn is commonly added to various pro-aging or wrinkle-reducing products. It’s also a common ingredient in products intended to treat dry, irritated, flaky or itchy skin (6Trusted Source).
That said, few of these purported benefits have been researched in humans. One of the only available studies reported lower psoriasis symptoms after application of a sea buckthorn extract for 4–8 weeks (7Trusted Source).
Therefore, more studies are needed before strong conclusions can be made.
SUMMARY
Sea buckthorn oil may help your skin heal from wounds and burns more quickly. It may also improve acne, eczema, and psoriasis, although more research is needed.
3. May promote heart health
Sea buckthorn oil may benefit heart health in several ways.
For starters, it’s rich in phytosterols, which are plant compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory functions that help protect your body from damage and disease, including heart disease (3Trusted Source).
These compounds also help block the absorption of cholesterol from your diet, which can help prevent LDL (bad) cholesterol from creating blockages in your blood vessels and arteries (3Trusted Source).
Additionally, sea buckthorn oil is a good source of quercetin, an antioxidant that’s directly linked to a lower risk of heart disease (2Trusted Source).
Although one older study further suggests that sea buckthorn oil may help reduce heart disease risk by preventing the formation of blood clots, more recent studies are needed (2Trusted Source).
In a 30-day study, taking 0.15 teaspoons (0.75 mL) of sea buckthorn oil daily helped reduce blood pressure levels in people with high blood pressure. Triglycerides and total and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels also dropped in those who had high cholesterol (8Trusted Source).
However, the effects on people with normal blood pressure and cholesterol levels were less pronounced (8Trusted Source).
One review also determined that sea buckthorn extracts may reduce cholesterol levels in people with poor heart health — but not in healthy participants (9).
SUMMARY
Sea buckthorn oil may aid your heart by reducing blood pressure, improving cholesterol levels, and protecting against blood clots. That said, its effects may be strongest in people with poor heart health.
4. May reduce blood sugar levels
Sea buckthorn oil may help prevent diabetes and support healthy blood sugar.
Animal studies show that it may help reduce blood sugar levels by increasing insulin secretion and insulin sensitivity (4Trusted Source, 10Trusted Source).
Overall, the better your body is able to secrete insulin, and the more sensitive your cells are to it, the lower your risk of type 2 diabetes.
Still, few human studies have examined the blood sugar-lowering effect of sea buckthorn oil directly.
In one of the few recent studies, 38 people with impaired blood sugar regulation — a risk factor for type 2 diabetes — drank 3 ounces (90 mL) of sea buckthorn fruit purée or a placebo for 5 weeks.
Their fasting blood sugar levels were significantly lower after taking the sea buckthorn fruit purée than the placebo. However, the drop in fasting blood sugar levels after 5 weeks was only 0.14 mmol/L, which is considered quite small (11Trusted Source).
Furthermore, this study was quite small. Overall, more comprehensive research is needed.
SUMMARY
Sea buckthorn may help improve insulin secretion, insulin sensitivity, and blood sugar levels, all of which may protect against type 2 diabetes — though more research is needed.
Read more
Videos
Cooking:
Propogation:
Commercial growing:
