Dragon’s blood used in skin care to fight acne

This ingredient – Dragon’s blood – is a fairly modern addition to Western skin care products, and it offers a host of benefits – including the ability to help fight acne, since it looks after the inflammation, discomfort and appearance of the skin.

Dragon's blood is used in the following of our products Problem Skin Toner Problem Skin Day Gel Problem Skin Night Lotion Problem Skin Spot Treatment Problem Skin Face Mask

On this page

• Cosmetic Benefits of Dragon’s Blood
• History of Dragon’s Blood
• Compounds Found in Dragon’s Blood
• Botany of Dragons Blood

Cosmetic Benefits of Dragon's Blood

There are various well-documented benefits for using Dragon's blood in skin care preparations, and it is for this reason why Dragon's blood has been included as one of the active ingredients of our Problem Skin Range.

It should be kept in mind that a problem, or acne-riddled skin is in a state of inflammation - and to heal the skin a person needs to look at sorting out the inflammation.

The therapeutic properties of Dragon's blood includes the following: anesthetic, anti-allergic, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, anti-dysenteric, antifungal, anti-hemorrhagic (reduce bleeding), anti-leukemia, antioxidant, antiseptic, anti-tumor, antiviral, neurasthenic (reduce nerve pain) and wound healer and also includes analgesic (pain-reliever), anti-cancerous, anti-itch, anti-ulcerous and astringent properties.

From the above it must be clear why this natural "wonder" ingredient has been included in our acne fighting products, as it has wonderfully anti-inflammatory qualities ^{REF 393} and has been proven to stimulate human skin fibroblast ^{REF 392} - which in turns help to heal the skin.

It also has a protective action on the skin ^{REF 391} and coupled to the wonderful anti-bacterial properties ^{REF 390 & 389} makes it a natural to be included in a product to fight acne.

Not withstanding the anti-bacterial effect on the skin, it also exhibits powerful anti-viral properties. ^{REF 387}

Apart from all these very positive qualities, Dragon's blood also has very good anti-oxidant properties ^{REF 388} which also help to protect the DNA in the skin cell, which protects the skin from genetic alteration. ^{REF 386}

It also has a protective effect on the skin as it protects the skin from oxidative free radicals. ^{REF 384}

Another problem experienced by people suffering from problem or acne skin is the discomfort, pain and itching of the skin on a continual basis - and here dragon's blood helps to relieve the pain, itching, swelling and discomfort of the skin. ^{REF 385}

History of Dragon's Blood

This blood red sap harvested from the Croton lechleri tree has a very long history of use in traditional medicine in the Amazonian area.

The Indian and Mestizo population have always used the sap to treat wounds, which accelerates the healing process.

The first written reference to dragon's blood dates back to 1600's, when the Spanish naturalist P. Bernabé Cobo wrote about the curative power of the sap.

The sap was painted on wounds to staunch bleeding, to accelerate healing, and to seal and protect injuries from infection. As the sap dries, it forms a barrier - much like a "second skin."

It is used by indigenous people to externally treat wounds, hemorrhoids and fractures. Internally, it is used for stomach ulcers, as well as a douche for vaginal problems and discharge.

Furthermore, it is used for fevers and inflamed gums, vaginal baths - before and after childbirth, as well as hemorrhaging after childbirth - but most importantly to us - for skin disorders.

Compounds Found in Dragon's Blood

The active ingredient that most people focus on in Dragon's blood is the Taspine contained in the sap. It in actual fact also contains a host of other ingredients, with Taspine actually being one of the minor ingredients. An interesting point to note is that one of the other ingredients, SP-303 is under clinical investigation for its use in herpes lesions and a patent has been filed for this particular compound.

The list of compounds found in dragon's blood is rather impressive and includes the following: alpha-calacorene, alpha-copaene, alpha-pinene, alpha-thujene, beta-caryophyllene, beta-elemene, beta-pinene, betaine, bincatriol, borneol, calamenene, camphene, catechins, cedrucine, crolechinic acid, cuparophenol, D-limonene, daucosterol, dihydrobenzofuran, dimethylcedrusine, dipentene, eugenol, euparophenol, gallocatechin, gamma-terpinene, gamma-terpineol, hardwickiic acid, isoboldine, korberin A & B, lignin, linalool, magnoflorine, methylthymol, myrcene, norisoboldine, p-cymene, proanthocyanidins, procyanidins, resin, tannin, taspine, terpinen-4-ol, and vanillin.

Botany of Dragons Blood

Dragon's blood is the latex (tears) which form when the bark of the Croton lechleri tree (family: Euphorbiaceae) is cut. This dark sap is collected and is then marketed under the name "Dragon's blood".

Croton lechleri is a large tree that grows about 10 - 20 m high and is found in the upper Amazon region of Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia. It is a fairly thin tree with the trunk normally less than 30 cm in diameter. The bark is smooth and mottled colored and the leaves are large, heart-shaped and bright green. Greenish-white flowers are borne on long stalks.

The Peruvian name of this tree is "sangre de grado" literally meaning "blood of the dragon" and in Ecuador it is called "sangre de drago" - which has the same meaning.