Agnieszka Kulawik-Pióro

Carrot (Daucus carota L.) as a source of active substances and its pharmacological and cosmetology potential
2022-11-30

Carrot (Daucus carota L.) as a source of active substances and its pharmacological and cosmetology potential

Daucus carota L. – the carrot is an orange vegetable recognized all over the world, belonging to the Apiaceae family, used in medicine since ancient times. In Poland, wild Daucus carota L. subsp. carota and the cultivated species Daucus carota L. subsp. sativus (Hoffm.) Arcang. var. sativus Hoffm (orange-colored carrot), and Daucus carota L. subsp. sativus (Hoffm.) Arcang. var. atrorubens Alef called black carrot can be distinguished. Carrot roots, leaves, flowers, and seeds are widely used in food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic purposes as they are a source of macro and micronutrients. They contain many valuable phytonutrients such as carotenoids, derivatives of hydroxycinnamic acid, alkaloids, flavonoids, phenols, flavonols, flavones, and terpene compounds. They are used to obtain oil, extracts, macerates, essential oils, as well as pure chemical compounds from the carotenoid group. The aim of this review was to present and summarize the knowledge on the chemical composition of individual parts of carrots and the biological activity of the main raw materials obtained from Daucus carota L. Attention was also paid to their possible applications in cosmetology and safety of use. For this purpose, the botanical-anatomical-ecological characteristics of the species Daucus carota were presented. The chemical composition of carrot roots, leaves, and seeds is discussed. The essential oil was characterized both in terms of its chemical composition and biological activity. The methods of obtaining oil from seeds, its physicochemical properties, and the composition of fatty acids are presented. The whole is closed with a list of carrot cosmetic raw materials available on the market. According to the CosIng database, cosmetic raw materials include extracts, hydrolats, essential oils, juices, cell cultures, protoplasts, and hydrolysates. These raw materials were characterized by their INCI names, type of action, purpose, and type of products in which they are often used.

The variety of raw materials obtained from Daucus carota and their high biological activity caused by the presence of such compounds as carotol, -pinene, -caryophyllene, sabinene, caryophyllene oxide, geranyl acetate gives a wide range of D. carota applications and also make it a popular and valued vegetable for many    industries, including the pharmaceutical, food and cosmetic.

Keywords: essential oil, biological activity, chemical composition, Daucus carota L., carotol.

© Farm Pol, 2022, 78 (9): 536–548