Bamboo Silica

Botanical name

Bambusa arundinacea (Retz.) Willd.

Ayurvedic name

Bambusa bambos, Vamsha

Other common names

Hindi – Baans, Malay – Mulla, Sanskrit – Vambhah

What is The History of Bamboo Silica?

Vamsha (bambusa bambos) is one of the most ancient plants ever found in recorded texts. It was first mentioned in the ‘Rigveda’ which is an ancient Sanskrit collection of hymns and makes up one of the four sacred canonical texts of Hinduism known as the Vedas. These texts are over 3000 years old, believed to be compiled between 1000-1500 BC.

Bambusa is a tall tree that is found growing throughout the wet moist parts of India. It also occurs in Sri Lanka, Malaya, Peru, and Myanmar. The leaves of bamboo seem to be the part of the plant triggering the most intensive interest, possibly because the leaves comprise a significant portion of the total biomass of bamboo plants, are easy to harvest and process, and some can even be obtained as waste of bamboo timber industry.

Traditional Ayurvedic medicine has used bambusa for many conditions such as cough, skin diseases, wounds, digestive conditions, nausea, hormonal and gynaecological disorders, fever, ringworm, bleeding gums, painful joints, and as an aphrodisiac. But it wasn’t until the 1990s that biomedical researchers started to show interest in the health benefits of the humble bamboo plant.

RECOGNISED TARGETS AND MECHANISMS OF ACTION

Bambusa bambos is the plant of choice when considering the mineral silica. It contains 10 times the silica content of both stinging nettle and horsetail. It can easily be put through an extraction process to draw out its rich silica content and be added to any formula targeting treatment or support of healthy skin, immunity, and tissue regeneration.

Silicon is the second most abundant element on earth, exceeded only by oxygen and it is the third most abundant trace element in the human body.

Silica acts like a glue and it is found inside collagen, providing strength, flexibility, and resilience to skin and all our connective tissues. Silica also creates bonds between hyaluronic acid, which is the protein molecule that is responsible for the skin’s natural ability to hold water, that is critical for plumping out fine lines and driving repair and cell renewal.

As we grow older, the amount of Silica present in our tissues begins to decrease – partly because it is being used up at a faster rate as skin needs more repair due to accelerated damage, and partly due to a decline in digestive function and poorer food choices containing silica. This decrease in Silica levels can have wide ranging detrimental effects on the body’s organ systems and tissues. Since the skin is our largest organ, we want to be sure we are supplying the body with abundant amounts of this crucial mineral.

SKIN REPAIR ACTIVITY

• Increases tissue levels of hydroxyproline, a key amino acid required for collagen and elastin synthesis.
• Strongly binds to connective tissues and its components (glycosaminoglycans, polysaccharides and mucopolysaccharides).
• Increases skin fibroblast cells.
• Improves the firmness and strength of connective tissues and cartilage, along with skin, nails, and hair.
• Helps to regenerate the skin.
• Helps delay the aging process.
• Strengthens hair follicles providing lustre and suppleness.
• Helps the hair grow stronger and faster.
• Regulates blood circulation and strengthens blood vessels crucial for reducing spider veins.
• Acts as a natural anti-inflammatory that can help with eczema and psoriasis.
• Gives your skin a glow because it is a strong carrier of oxygen, and it increases the transport of both nutrients and oxygen to the skin.
• Significant results seen within 12 weeks, such as a brighten complexion and firmer skin.
• Assists the body to achieve hormonal balance, which in turn helps reverse hair thinning and loss.
• Accelerates the healing of burns, wounds, and scar tissue.

BONE STRENGTH ACTIVITY

• Shows positive effects on bone formation.
• Has a biochemical role and involvement in DNA synthesis of osteoblast and extracellular matrix with structural function as a crosslink between procollagen linkage in collagen production and bone mineralization.
• Shows a significant and positive correlated with cortical bone mineral density in men and pre-menopausal women.
• Influences osteogenic gene expression, with the upregulation of alkaline phosphatase, bone sialoprotein, and collagen type 1 markers.
• Shows strong induction of key markers of osteogenesis.
• Increases bone formation markers in serum, especially PINP (pro-collagen type I N-terminal propeptide)

 

* These statements have not been evaluated by the FD or TGA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

J Nutr Health Aging. Author manuscript; available in PMC 2009 Mar 20. Published in final edited form as: J Nutr Health Aging. 2007 Mar-Apr; 11(2): 99–110. SILICON AND BONE HEALTH. R. Jugadaohsin

July 2019 IJSDR | Volume 4, Issue 7 IJSDR1907024 International Journal of Scientific Development and Research (IJSDR) www.ijsdr.org 138 Bamboo’s Extract for Rejuvenating Skin Harshada Vasave, Deepak Wasule, Rujuta Bobade, P.G student of Department of Cosmetic Technology, Associate Professor, Department of Cosmetic Technology Lady Amritbai Dagaand Smt. Ratnidevi Purohit College for Women, Seminary Hills, Nagpur -440010, INDIA

Phytopharmacological properties of Bambusa arundinacea as a potential medicinal tree: an overview. Author(s): Rathod, J. D.; Pathak, N. L.; Patel, R.G; Jivani, N. P.; Bhatt, N. M.

Author Affiliation: C.U. Shah College of Pharmacy & Research, Wadhvan City - 393 003, Surendranagar, Gujarat, India. Journal article: Journal of Applied Pharmaceutical Science 2011 Vol.1 No.10 pp.27-31 ref.28