Allantoin in Cosmetics

Allantoin is one of my favorite herb derived cosmetic ingredients. Its chemical name is 5-ureide-hydantoin. It is used in both cosmetics and drug preparations because of its ability to boost wound healing. Studies have found allantoin has wound healing, anti-irritating, hydrating, keratolytic, analgesic, cell proliferative and epithelial stimulating effects.  Its beneficial effect on wound healing seems to primarily be inhibiting the inflammatory response.  Allantoin enhances desquamation of dead upper layers of skin meaning that it promotes exfoliation and thus improves the smoothness of skin.

Allantoin is found in herbs including comfrey, plantain, yam, borage, tea, horse chestnut, uva ursi, and sour cherry stems. It is also found in animals (plants, animals and humans have very similar biochemistry. In fact, at one time blowfly larvae were used to treat severe wounds because of its high content of allantoin.  Comfrey powder was used during WWI to treat wounds.

Allantoin is formed from uric acid which occurs from breakdown of purine.  I love when my current reading takes me back to college biochem classes; ah, yes, purine salvage pathway. Purines include adenine and guanine which make up nucleic acids (DNA and RNA).  The body is very conservative and purines from the breakdown of nucleic acids or foods are typically salvaged to be reused in new nucleotides.  Just in case you are interested in purine metabolic pathways here is a short youtube video I found as a refresher: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIJVb_HXUQk. 

When purines do breakdown (instead of being salvaged) they form uric acid which in most organisms is converted to allantoin by the enzyme uricase. Humans however, do not have this enzyme and so do not make allantoin, or at least not significant amounts. Allantoin will however, accumulate in times of oxidative stress and is a marker for that. Perhaps the fact that humans do not have the uricase enzyme that breaks down uric acid is the reason humans get gout; a disease caused by accumulation of uric acid in the joints.

But back to allantoins role in skin care. Allantoin is a white, odorless powder that is safe and non-allergenic. Its properties make it appropriate for aging skin, acne skin, scars, psoriasis, eczema, diaper rash as well as just dry, chapped skin. Because its an anti-irritant it is also suitable for very sensitive skin. It is typically used at concentrations from 0.1%  to 2% but sometimes higher for pharmaceutical preparations.

How does Colorado Aromatics use allantoin? In three of our balms we use allantoin containing herbs; comfrey in our Joint Jam for its analgesic effect, plantain in our Knuckle Balm for its wound healing effect and comfrey again in our Sole Pleasure foot butter for its softening and keratolytic effect. In our higher end products we use pure allantoin in our Springtide Antiaging Cream for its skin regeneration properties and antiaging properties and in our Oasis Spray Lotion for its anti-irritant properties. We also use it in our body powder to decrease itching and to sooth rashes. Try one of these products at http://www.sagescript.com/products.htm.

Herbal New Years Wish

I will give you this New Years Wish with the language a herbs.

Sage for the wisdom acquired this year that will guide you next year.
Angelica to inspire you.
Lavender for devotion.
Fennel to enter the new year with strength
Thyme for courage to face what the new year brings.
Lemon balm for success.
Coriander for health.
Basil for wealth.
Dill for luck and money in 2012.
Yucca for the opportunities the new year brings.
Hyacinth for happiness, love and protection.
and of course the mighty rose to help you find love and beauty.

Wishing you the best for 2012.

Lavender Coffee

I'm always game to try an interesting herb recipe, especially when it involves lavender. I've

heard talk recently of lavender coffee and even heard there's a coffee shop nearby that makes a lavender mocha, although I've not been there yet. So I wanted to give lavender coffee a try. Since I always have milk in my coffee I went about making my lavender coffee by first infusing milk. I put about a cup of milk in a pan with about a teaspoon of lavender buds and heated that briefly while I made a cup of coffee. For the coffee I used an espresso roast which is my favorite; I made this one extra strong to allow for a good amount of milk. When the coffee was finished I strained the lavender buds from the milk and whisked it a little to froth. I poured the milk into the coffee and added a small amount of cinnamon to the top. Because lavender has a very astringent taste I am always careful not to use too much in a recipe. This came out quite delicious though without the astringency common to lavender. I could easily have used more but it was good with this amount.

Later I will infuse lavender in milk to make some hot chocolate. I know that will be good!

If you are interested in using lavender in drinks here are some other ideas you may have heard of:

Lavender Lemonade

Lavender Earl Grey Tea

Lavender Martini (don't infuse this too long as it will get bitter)

Lavender also goes well with many fruit drinks including peach and raspberry. 

I've never had a lavender pale ale  but I think the flavor of lavender would add a nice floral touch to some good hops. I'd love to try on.

Do you have a favorite lavender drink?

Anti-Inflammatory Herbs

Feverfew

Borage

Our skin experiences damage both from within and from environmental factors which lead to inflammation. the pathways involved in this inflammation may be involved in promoting the signs of aging in skin. Antiaging formulas for the skin should therefor contain ingredients that act as anti-inflammatory agents. Following are some herbs that have anti-inflammatory activities that can be used in skin care products.

Antiinflammatory Herbs Used in Skin Care

Aloe vera (Aloe Barbadensis)
Borage (Borago officinalis)
Calendula (Calendula officinalis)
Chamomile (Matricaria recutita and Chamaelelum nobile)
Comfrey (Symphytum officinale)
Cornflower (Centaurea cyanus)
Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)
Feverfew  (Chrysanthemum parthenium)
Frankincense (Boswellin)
Ginger (Zingiber officinale)
Green Tea (Camellia sinensis)
Holy Basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum)
Hops (Humulus lupulus)
Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
Licorice root (Glycyrrhiza Glabra)
Mint (Mentha spp.)
Pansy (Viola tricolor)
Plantain (Plantago lanceolata)
Red clover (Trifolium pratense)
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
Sage (Salvia officinalis)
Turmeric (Curcuma longa)
White Willow (Salix alba)
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

Balsamic Vinaegrette Salad Dressing

Balsamic Vinaigrette (salad dressing)

½ - ¾ cup balsamic vinegar
3 T Dijon Mustard
2-3 T honey
2-3 cloves, garlic, minced
1 T chives, minced
2-3 teaspoons chopped herbs of choice (thyme, basil, tarragon, etc)
1 cup olive oil

Old Man's Beard

Would you liken to an algae and a fungus? Yes, nerd jokes never grow old. But a lichen is a symbiosis between a fungus and an algae. Lichen grow under conditions where neither the algae or the fungus alone could grow, but together they rely on each other and grow fine. In Colorado we find lichens growing on rocks and rarely find these web-like structures growing in trees. However, in Oregon (where I happen to be at the moment celebrating Thanksgiving) there are many of these hanging clusters on branches which are called Old Man's Beard or more properly 'Usnea'.

Usnea is best known as an immune tonic and anti microbial which is particularly good for lung diseases. It is best used as an alcohol extract or tincture. Many of these properties are due to the content of usnic acid found in this symbiotic organism. Although usnea has been shown to increase bleeding times it can still be used as a wound dressing in an emergency. Its web-like structure makes it useful to help hold a wound together in an emergency and prevent infection.

Fall Garden Prep

Lavender under snow

Winter and accompanying snow came very quickly here with little time to prepare. I was able to pull out most of the tomato plants from the garden and dispose of them. I tend to leave a lot of other plants though as a place for (hopefully) beneficial insects to winter over. However, if you have any plants that look diseased now is the time to get them out of the garden and in the trash. Cutting back overgrown perennials is also a good idea. Here are some things you might want to do before winter gets too far under way.

1.    Plant bulbs. When its fresh in your mind now plant spring bulbs in places that need more color. You can do this up until the time the ground freezes, typically December.

2.    Rake Leaves. Leaves on the ground can cause a lawn to die or become diseased. These leaves make a great addition to the compost pile.

3.    Weed. Its never too late to weed. Getting at these perennial weeds now can stop them from getting  a head start in the spring.

4.    Protect your roses. Once the ground freezes lay some branches around the roses to decrease the freezing and thawing that occurs. I like to cut up branches from the Christmas tree for this purpose.

5.    Water! This is one of the hardest things to remember in the winter. If the ground is frozen you don’t need to water, or if it snows you don’t need to water. But if temperatures are above freezing and there is no precipitation for 2 weeks it’s a good idea to haul out the hoses and water perennials and trees.

6.    Sit in a warm house and look at gardening books to get ideas for what to do differently in spring. Do this while things are still familiar and you can evaluate what works and what didn’t work. One thing we are planning on doing is getting a sprinkler system installed to make the job of watering easier.

7. Cover bare garden areas with compost. Since we have several types of animals here (horses, goats, chickens) I am covering my  garden areas with manure so that it can compost there in place during the winter.

8. Drink lots of herb teas while looking out the windows this winter.

I'm sure I am forgetting something. What have I forgot?

Macaroni and Cheese with Herbs

Besides being everyone's favorite dish, macaroni and cheese is a great dish to liven up with herbs. Some of my favorite herbs to add to mac & cheese are chives, parsley and nettles. Yes, nettles are a great herb to eat alone as a steamed vegetable and contain high amounts of vitamins and minerals. Try crushing a teaspoon of dried nettle into your mac & cheese for the added nutrients. Other herbs to try in your mac & cheese are basil, oregano or thyme.

Here's how I make quick Macaroni and Cheese.

Cook 1 pound of your favorite macaroni noodles or pasta according to instructions, drain.
To the pot add about a cup of mixed grated cheese of your choice; cheddar, jack, swiss, fontina are all good choices. Add about 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise and 1 tablespoon of mustard and stir. You may need to add a few tablespoons of milk to get a good consistency. Add herbs and eat immediately. Enjoy. Do you have a way to liven up your mac & cheese?

Fall Pictures

Summer has been extended this year, its October 19, and we have had only a few very mild frosts, not enough to kill off much. I even have lavender still blooming. Here are some pics around the farm this week.

Take a Break

I live in the most beautiful, scenic state in the nation with the best weather but even that is not enough to get me to take a break. Other small business owners know how hard it can be to get away from the business no matter  how important we know it is. However, the great fall weather and golden aspens called me to the mountains. We drove on Peak to Peak highway near Ward CO to the Brainard Lake area and found a trail to Isabelle Lake and Glacier. It was a relatively easy trail (even for me) and only 2 miles up with 400 ft elevation gain. Once we got to the lake we found the near part was dried up so we walked through the lake and sound some nice sandy beach to enjoy our lunch and sun and relax awhile before the walk back and the scenic drive back. What do you think of the view? I'll probably take another day off next year since this one was so nice! 

Brewers Herbs

Beer is an ancient drink (and food) that I happen to be quite fond of. I especially like beer with lots of floral hops. Hops were not always used in beer though, and may not have been used until the 9th century. Before that, a mixture of herbs referred to as gruit was used to flavor beer. Although I don't brew beer, I do grow hops and other herbs so am interested in what herbs are used in beer. I recently read "The Homebrewer's Garden" by Joe and Dennis Fisher to learn more about herbs in brewing, a very interesting book by the way.

Here are some of the herbs from this book that grow in my gardens.

Anise Hyssop - provides a licorice flavor to beer.
Basil - adds a slightly bitter, spicy flavor.
Bee Balm - often used as a tea, bee  balm provides a bitter, minty flavor.
Borage - gives a spicy, cucumber like flavor to beer. This herb can also be steeped in wine.
Chamomile (Roman) - is said to be one of the 'secret' herbs in Celis White beer. It gives an apple-like flavoring.
Clary Sage - provides a balsamlike aroma to beer.
Coriander - this is a flavoring in one of my favorite beers; Belgian Whites.
Dandelion - yet another use for this common weed. Use the tender spring leaves in your salad and the larger leaves later in the season to bitter your beer.
Elder - the berries are best know for making wine, but they can also be used to flavor beer. The flowers can be used for 'dry hopping' as well.
Oregano - adds a distinctive flavor to beer.

Horehound - this herb can add a warm, menthol flavor. I wonder if horehound beer can be used to control coughs?
Hyssop officinalis - this herb is used in Benedictine and Chartreuse. Using it in beer provides a minty, medicinal scent.
Juniper - commonly used in gin, juniper can contribute this taste to beer as well.
Lavender - oh, the many uses of sweet lavender. I would love to try a pale ale flavored with lavender. Let me know if you know of one.
Lemon Balm - this is used in many liquours and can add a lemon scent/flavor to beer.
Mint - there are many types of  mint, and although I love a mint tea, I don't know how this would be in beer.
Rhubarb - great in a fruit crisp, this is one fruit that would be interesting in beer.
Rose hips - apparently rose hips are used in some beers from Poland and impart a citrus flavor and red color to beer.
Rosemary - before the use of hops in beer, rosemary was quite popular.
Sage - was used in fifteenth century English beer recipes and adds bitterness and camphorlike scent.
Savory, Summer - provide a peppery, oregano-like flavor and aroma.
Spruce - was popular during the American Revolution spruce adds distinct, woods taste that is popular in winter beers.
Sweet Woodruff - this herb is what makes May wine what it is but can also be used to add a mild, sweet aroma to beer.
Thyme - used to give beer a spicy aroma.
Valerian root - is commonly used as a sedative so what better place to use it than beer?
Yarrow - both the leaves and flowers can be used to bitter beer.

I'd love to see more 'herbal' beers so I hope that if you are a brewer this gives you some ideas - and don't hesitate to share with me! I'd love to write reviews!

Cornbread & Vegetarian Black Bean Chili

When the weather starts to chill as it has been the past few days, cornbread and black bean chili becomes my favorite meal. Here's my recipes.

Cornbread
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup low fat milk
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup canola oil
2 - 3 eggs

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl until everything is moist. Pour/spread into a greased 9 inch square pan. Bake at 400 F for 30 minutes or until done. Best when eaten hot from the oven, but great the next day warmed with maple syrup on top. Sometimes I'll add pecans or raspberries to this recipe too.

Vegetarian Black Bean Chili

1/2 large onion chopped
1-2 garlic cloves chopped
1 dried guajillo chili whole
1 cup vegetarian broth
2 cans black beans
1 large can chopped tomatoes
oil for frying

Put a small amount of oil in a soup pot and cook onion, garlic and chili until onion is transparent; 5-10 minutes. Add black beans, broth and tomatoes and cook for 30 minutes or more until flavors meld. Add salt, pepper and hot pepper if needed.
Options: If available I will often add 1/2 cup of chopped winter squash or green pepper as well.

Enjoy and keep warm.