What Are The Health Benefits Of Usnea Acid?
What is Usnea acid powder?
What Is Usnea?
Usnea (Dolichousnea longissima, U. barbata and U. californica) is a species of lichens, which are a combination of fungus and algae that grow together on host trees found all over the world. Usnea species can appear as gray, white, red or black plant bodies that are used to make supplements in herbal medicine.
The genus of trees that these species grow on are members of the plant family called Parmeliaceae. These trees tend to grow in moist, cool climates, such as those in the Pacific Northwest of the U.S.
There are believed to be between 40 and 80 species of usnea, depending on different classification systems that are used in different countries.
Is usnea edible? Yes, but it’s typically not eaten in the plant form.
Instead, usnea is taken internally as a liquid extract or applied topically to the skin or the inside the mouth. It can also be used to make herbal tea.
Other names that usnea goes by include:
beard moss
beard lichen
old man’s beard
woman’s long hair
tree moss
When used medicinally, it’s sometimes listed as sodium usniate, which contains the active ingredient usnic acid. Usnic acid is a phenolic compound with dibenzofuran structure that has been shown to have potential anti-cancer effects.
Because it can take a long time to grow on trees, it’s now also produced in labs to speed up production.
Details:
Name: Usnea acid
Alias: Lichen acid
Chemical formula: C18H16O7
Molecular weight: 344.3154
CAS registration number: 125-46-2
EINECS Login No.: 231-456-0
Appearance: yellow prismatic crystal
Flash point: 219.13 ℃
Boiling point: 594.83 ℃
Density: 1.498g/cm ³
Photo:
1. Character: yellow prismatic crystal (acetone)
2. Melting point (℃): 192-194 (crystallized in ethanol) 201 ～ 204 (crystallized in inert solvent)
3. Polarity:+509.4 ° (c=0.697, chloroform)
4. Solubility: (g/100ml water)<0.01, acetone 0.77, ethyl acetate 0.88, ethanol 0.02, sugar aldehyde 7.32, sugar alcohol 1.21 (25 ℃)
5. Solubility: Easily soluble in chloroform and glacial acetic acid, but hardly soluble in hot alcohol
Property and stability:
This product is a broad-spectrum antibiotic, which has a strong inhibitory effect on most gram-positive bacteria and can also inhibit the growth of tuberculosis bacteria. If combined with a small amount of streptomycin, its inhibition of tuberculosis can be greatly enhanced.
Light to golden yellow needle shaped crystal, easily soluble in chloroform, glacial acetic acid, but hardly soluble in hot alcohol, tasteless, odorless, non-toxic, non corrosive, and non volatile.
Synthesis method:
1. The powdery cladocera and Usnea barbata Wigg. which are epiphytic on the bark of fir (white pine), pine and other coniferous forests, are generally called tree moss. Extract of oak moss and tree moss with benzene or ethanol as solvent. The extract contains a large amount of phenolic acid and phenolic ketone compounds. These compounds have large molecular weight, are nonvolatile, and have no aroma. They do not contribute to the aroma of oak moss and tree moss products. After a series of treatment, lichen acid, one of the above by-products, can be obtained.
2. Dry the lichen and extract it with acetone as solvent. Collect the extract, concentrate it to a small volume, and let it stand still. Usnic acid can be crystallized and separated. After recrystallization, the pure product can be obtained
Purpose:
The preparation containing this product has obvious therapeutic effect on cancer patients. It has certain curative effect against malaria clinically. It has certain curative effect on trauma, burns and skin diseases, cervical inflammation, nipple rupture, prevention of perineal rupture, etc. In addition, it can also be used as the raw material of antibiotic "pyruvium".
It is used to stop bleeding, fight bacteria, diminish inflammation, heal wounds, prevent dental caries, remove dental plaque, enhance human immunity, and has good effect on oral ulceration and vaginitis. It is usually used as an additive in toothpaste and cosmetics.
As a cosmetic auxiliary approved by CTFA, usnic acid is a broad-spectrum antibiotic with a strong inhibitory effect on most gram-positive bacteria, with a concentration of 50 μ g. Ml-1 can completely inhibit the growth of bacteria and is used as a highly effective preservative in cosmetics. It has selective inhibition effect on the main bacteria streptococcus causing oral diseases and caries. Usnic acid has curative effect on many skin diseases such as burn, infection, psoriasis, etc
Storage method:
Room temperature sealed storage
