Abstract
Theobroma cacao (family Sterculiaceae) is subclassified as Criollo, Forastero, and Trinitario, and more commonly known as cocoa. It is originated from the cultural civilizations of Aztec and Mayan. Cocoa finds its uses in a number of applications related to cosmeceuticals, specifically owing to their antioxidant properties managed by its phytocompounds. The essential constituent of cocoa extract includes theobromine (3,7-dihydro-3,7-dimethyl-1H-purine-2,6-dione), which belongs to methylxanthine class of alkaloid molecules, along with caffeine and theophylline. The polyphenols present in cocoa effectively enhance skin health by their active free radical scavenging activities and protect the skin from premature aging. The butter derived from cocoa seeds contains large quantities of essential fatty acids and phytosterols, which may restore the elasticity of the skin and treat infectious dermal disorders like dermatitis and eczema. The cocoa butter also provides a broad-spectrum protection from UV-A and UV-B radiation effects along with endogenous photoprotection owing to its high antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Due to its soft and creamy consistency, cocoa butter works as an excellent stabilizer for emulsions, and thus finds a wide range of applications in the making of moisturizing, soothing, regenerating, and antiaging cosmetic products. The polyphenols present in T. cacao have been further reported to prevent and inhibit the initiation and progression of dermal cancers. By modulating the levels of reactive oxygen species in the cells, it regulates the proliferation, survival, and apoptosis of cancer cells and retards their growth. In this chapter, the cosmeceutical efficiency of T. cacao along with its other dermal therapeutic potentials is focused and analyzed along with its molecular mechanisms.
Keywords
- Theobroma cacao
- Cocoa
- Antiaging
- Antioxidants
- Skin health
- Cosmeceuticals
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsReferences
Ady P (2009) Trends in cocoa production. Bull Oxf Univ Inst Econ Stat 11:389–404. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0084.1949.mp11012003.x
Akram M (2011) Flavonoids and phenolic acids: role and biochemical activity in plants and human. J Med Plants Res 5:32. https://doi.org/10.5897/jmpr11.363
Baharum Z, Akim AM, Hin TY, Hamid RA, Kasran R (2016) Theobroma cacao: review of the extraction, isolation, and bioassay of its potential anti-cancer compounds. Trop Life Sci Res 27(1):21–42
Batista NN, de Andrade DP, Ramos CL, Dias DR, Schwan RF (2016) Antioxidant capacity of cocoa beans and chocolate assessed by FTIR. Food Res Int 90:313–319
Benson H (2005) Transdermal drug delivery: penetration enhancement techniques. Curr Drug Deliv 2:23–33
Biaggioni D, Robertson (2009) Phytochemical characterization and radical scavenging activity. Basic Clin Pharmacol 12:129–149
Boutrel G, Koob F (2004) Phytoconstituents present in stimulants and wakefulness promoting medications. Sleep 27:1181–1194
Campbell R, Young SP (2015) Central nervous system stimulants: basic pharmacology and relevance to anaesthesia and critical care. Anaesth Intens Care Med 16(1):21–25
Chunkto L (2017) Analyzing antioxidants and their effects. Drug Alcohol Depend 1:1–30
Cory H, Passarelli S, Szeto J, Tamez M, Mattei J (2018) The role of polyphenols in human health and food systems: a mini-review. Front Nutr 5:87
Crutchley N, Young SJ (2012) Theobromine: basic pharmacology, screening analysis and antioxidant analysis. Anaesth Intens Care Med 1:64–66
Dang YK, Nguyen HV (2019) Effects of maturity at harvest and fermentation conditions on bioactive compounds of cocoa beans. Plant Foods Hum Nutr 74(1):54–60
David J (2013) Theobromine, past and present–a pharmacological and clinical perspective. J Psychopharmacol 27(6):479–496
Demirkol O, Yiğit G, Cerit I (2018) Functional cocoa and cocoa products. Gida J Food 43:702–715. https://doi.org/10.15237/gida.gd18045
Elwers S, Zambrano A, Rohsius C, Lieberei R (2009) Differences between the content of phenolic compounds in Criollo, Forastero and Trinitario cocoa seed (Theobroma cacao L.). Eur Food Res Technol 229(6):937–948
Gerasimov RM (2000) Antioxidant activity analysis of cacao extract. Eur J Pharmacol 395:129–135
Heinrich U, Neukam K, Tronnier H (2006) Long-term ingestion of high flavanol cocoa provides photoprotection against UV-induced erythema and improves skin condition in women. J Nutr 136:1565–1569. https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/136.6.1565
Holt RR, Lazarus SA, Sullards MC, Zhu QY, Schramm DD, Hammerstone JF, Fraga CG, Schmitz HH, Keen CL (2002) Procyanidin dimer B2 [epicatechin-(4β-8)-epicatechin] in human plasma after the consumption of a flavanol-rich cocoa. Am J Clin Nutr 76:798–804. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/76.4.78
Ilesanmi Adeyeye E (2016) Proximate, mineral and antinutrient compositions of natural cocoa cake, cocoa liquor and alkalized cocoa powders. J Adv Pharm Sci Technol 1:12–28. https://doi.org/10.14302/issn.2328-0182.japst-15-855
Ishaq S, Jafri L (2017) Biomedical importance of cocoa (Theobroma cacao): significance and potential for the maintenance of human health. Matrix Sci Pharma 1:1–5. https://doi.org/10.26480/msp.01.2017.01.05
Jordan PS (1981) Skin disorders and its treatments. Am J Health Syst Pharm 38(1):29–29
Kakhia TI (ed) (2012) Alkaloids and alkaloids plants. Adana University—Industry Joint Research Center, pp 67–90
Kang NJ, Lee KW, Lee DE, Rogozin EA, Bode AM, Lee HJ, Dong Z (2008) Cocoa procyanidins suppress transformation by inhibiting mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase. J Biol Chem 283(30):20664–20673
Katz DL, Doughty K, Ali A (2011) Cocoa and chocolate in human health and disease. Antioxid Redox Signal 15(10):2779–2811
Keen C, Holt R, Oteiza P, Fraga C, Schmitz H (2005) Cocoa antioxidants and cardiovascular health. Am J Clin Nutr 81(1):298S–303S. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/81.1.298s
Kim J, Kim J, Shim J, Lee CY, Lee KW, Lee HJ (2014) Cocoa phytochemicals: recent advances in molecular mechanisms on health. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 54(11):1458–1472
Kosman ME, Klaus RU (2008) Estimation of total flavonoids. Clin Pharmacol Ther 9:288–351
Lamuela-Raventós R, Romero-Pérez A, Andrés-Lacueva C, Tornero A (2005) Review: health effects of cocoa flavonoids. Food Sci Technol Int 11:159–176. https://doi.org/10.1177/1082013205054498
Langer R (2004) Transdermal drug delivery: past progress, current status, and future prospects. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 56:557–558
Lee LW (2015) Coffee fermentation and flavor—An intricate and delicate relationship. Food Chem 185:182–191
Lee KW, Kundu JK, Kim SO (2006) Cocoa polyphenols inhibit Phorbol ester-induced superoxide anion formation in cultured HL-60 cells and expression of cyclooxygenase-2 and activation of NF-κB and MAPKs in mouse skin in vivo. J Nutr 136:1150–1155. https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/136.5.1150
Li M, Wessinger WD, Mcmillan D (2005) Effects Of amphetamine-Cns depressant combinations and of other Cns stimulants in four-choice drug discriminations. J Exp Anal Behav 84:77–97. https://doi.org/10.1901/jeab.2005.09-04
Ludlow H (2014) Chocolate islands: cocoa, slavery, and colonial Africa. Afr Hist Rev 46:89–91. https://doi.org/10.1080/17532523.2014.911443
Manach C, Williamson G, Morand C, Scalbert A, Rémésy C (2005) Bioavailability and bioefficacy of polyphenols in humans. I. Review of 97 bioavailability studies. Am J Clin Nutr 81(1):230S–242S
Martín M, Goya L, Ramos S (2016) Preventive effects of cocoa and cocoa antioxidants in colon cancer. Diseases 4:6. https://doi.org/10.3390/diseases4010006
Martínez-Pinilla E, Oñatibia-Astibia A, Franco R (2015) The relevance of theobromine for the beneficial effects of cocoa consumption. Front Pharmacol 6:30. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2015.00030
Meidrieswida A (2018) Effect of number of cocoa production, world cocoa price, exchange rate, and cocoa export prices on cocoa exports in Indonesia. Jurnal Dinamika Ekonomi Pembangunan 1:82–89. https://doi.org/10.33005/jdep.v1i2.73
Mitchell E, Slettenaar M, Meer NV (2011) Differential contributions of theobromine and caffeine on mood, psychomotor performance and blood pressure. Physiol Behav 104:816–822. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2011.07.027
Momaya A, Fawal M, Estes R (2015) Performance-enhancing substances in sports: a review of the literature. Sports Med 45(4):517–531
Murthy S (2012) Transdermal drug delivery: approaches and significance. Research Reports Trans Drug Deliv 1:11–14
Neukam K, Stahl W, Tronnier H, Sies H, Heinrich U (2006) Consumption of flavanol-rich cocoa acutely increases microcirculation in human skin. Eur J Nutr 46:53–56. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-006-0627-6
Oracz J, Nebesny E, Żyżelewicz D (2014) Effect of roasting conditions on the fat, tocopherol, and phytosterol content and antioxidant capacity of the lipid fraction from cocoa beans of different Theobroma cacao L. cultivars. Eur J Lipid Sci Technol 116(8):1002–1014
Orwa C, Mutua A, Kindt R, Jamnadass R, Anthony S (2009) Agroforestree database: a tree species reference and selection guide version 4.0, vol 37. World Agroforestry Centre ICRAF, Nairobi, pp 90–110
Peláez P, Bardón I, Camasca P (2016) Methylxanthine and catechin content of fresh and fermented cocoa beans, dried cocoa beans, and cocoa liquor. Sci Agro 7:355–365. https://doi.org/10.17268/sci.agropecu.2016.04.01
Petruk G, Del Giudice R, Rigano MM, Monti DM (2018) Antioxidants from plants protect against skin photoaging. Oxidative Med Cell Longev 2018:1454936
Prausnitz M, Mitragotri S, Langer R (2004) Current status and future potential of transdermal drug delivery. Nat Rev Drug Discov 3:115–124
Pujiyanto P (2009) Granules composed of cocoa pod husk enriched with minerals and their effects on growth of coffee and cocoa seedlings. Pelita Perkebunan (A Coffee and Cocoa Research Journal). https://doi.org/10.22302/iccri.jur.pelitaperkebunan.v25i3.112
Rehman K, Zulfakar M (2013) Recent advances in gel technologies for topical and transdermal drug delivery. Drug Dev Ind Pharm 40:433–440
Scapagnini G, Davinelli S, Di Renzo L, De Lorenzo A, Olarte H, Micali G, Cicero A, Gonzalez S (2014) Cocoa bioactive compounds: significance and potential for the maintenance of skin health. Nutrients 6(8):3202–3213. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu6083202
Sies H, Stahl W (2004) Nutritional protection against skin damage from sunlight. Annu Rev Nutr 24:173–200. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.nutr.24.012003.132320
Surdu S, Fitzgerald EF, Bloom MS, Boscoe FP, Carpenter DO, Haase RF, Gurzau E, Rudnai P, Koppova K, Févotte J, Leonardi G (2013) Occupational exposure to ultraviolet radiation and risk of non-melanoma skin cancer in a Multinational European Study. PLoS One 8(4):e62359
Texter KB, Waymach R, Kavanagh PV (2017) Identification of pyrolysis products of the new psychoactive substance 2-amino-1-(4-bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)ethanone hydrochloride (bk-2C-B) and its iodo analogue bk-2C-I. Drug Test Anal 10:229–236. https://doi.org/10.1002/dta.2200
Thompson R, Rodriques K (2006) Taxonomic serial no.: 5054. Theobroma cacao. Interagency Taxonomic Information System, vol. 54, pp 87–87
Tomita K, Tsuchiya H (2015) Caffeine enhancement of the effect of anticancer agents on human sarcoma cells. Jpn J Cancer Res 80:83–88
Vardanyan R, Hruby V (2016) Central nervous system stimulants. In: Synthesis of best-seller drugs. Academic Press, Cambridge, pp 145–153. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-12-411492-0.00008-0
Wahyu Susilo A, Zhang D, Motilal L (2013) Assessing genetic diversity cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) collection resistant to cocoa pod borer using simple sequence repeat markers. Pelita Perkebunan (A Coffee and Cocoa Research Journal). https://doi.org/10.22302/iccri.jur.pelitaperkebunan.v29i1.186
Wallace LJ (2012) Effects of theobromine on subdermal distribution of skin layers. Synapse 66:592–607
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2020 Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Singh, M., Agarwal, S., Agarwal, M., Rachana (2020). Benefits of Theobroma cacao and Its Phytocompounds as Cosmeceuticals. In: Swamy, M. (eds) Plant-derived Bioactives. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-1761-7_21
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-1761-7_21
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore
Print ISBN: 978-981-15-1760-0
Online ISBN: 978-981-15-1761-7
eBook Packages: Biomedical and Life SciencesBiomedical and Life Sciences (R0)