# Selected Plants as Sources of Natural and Active Ingredients for Cosmetics of the Future
## 2 _Acmella oleracea_
### Biological Activity of A. oleracea  
The broad spectrum of biological activity of _A. oleracea_ includes anti-inflammatory [12; 14; 15; 16; 17], antioxidative [15], antifungal [14; 15; 16; 17; 23; 24], analgesic [12; 14; 17; 25; 26], and bacteriostatic effects [12; 16; 17; 24; 26]. Due to its documented anti-inflammatory and locally anesthetic properties, extracts from Jambu are used as components in dental care products for pain reduction, such as toothpaste, dental gels, and mouth rinses, as well as medical products for mouth ulcers, abscesses, or other oral cavity lesions caused by mechanical trauma from orthodontic interventions [15; 27; 28; 29; 30].  
The cosmetic industry is interested in the ability of spilanthol to reduce or even inhibit the contraction of subcutaneous facial muscles, which ultimately contributes to smoothing and reducing facial expression wrinkles. Due to this property, cosmetics containing spilanthol are called natural herbal botox, and extracts of _A. oleracea_ (INCI: _Spilanthes acmella extract_) are more frequently appearing in anti-wrinkle and anti-aging skincare products [31; 32; 33; 34; 35; 36; 37; 38].
The use of _BoNT_ carries the risk of side effects such as redness at the injection site, local pain, excessive lowering or raising of the eyebrows in the treatment of forehead wrinkles, drooping of the corner of the mouth or eyelids [41]. Despite possible side effects, high cost, and injectable form of product dosing, the number of people undergoing _BoNT_ treatment continues to grow steadily. A safe alternative to _BoNT_ may be spilanthol. Scientific reports suggest that both jambu extract and pure spilanthol block the subcutaneous muscle contractions, resulting in facial wrinkle smoothing [35; 37]. It is important to note that the action of spilanthol is not solely based on blocking the contractile activity of facial muscles; it also demonstrates nurturing and firming effects by stimulating fibroblasts to produce elastin and collagen (Table 1) [17].  
The majority of anti-wrinkle and anti-aging cosmetic compositions focus on strengthening the dermis or reducing the action of face muscle tissue. Extract from the plant _A. oleracea_ is increasingly being used as a key ingredient in such cosmetics because the spilanthol contained in it suppresses the action of subcutaneous facial muscles. Spilanthol restricts the transmission of nerve impulses by blocking the activity of calcium and sodium-potassium channels present in the cell membrane of neurons. Blocking the exchange of sodium ions through the neuronal cell membrane completely prevents its depolarization, thereby preventing the generation of nerve impulses. The time of action on sensory nerves depends on the dose and site of spilanthol administration. In vitro studies have shown that a 0.6% volume concentration of the extract blocks muscle contractions rapidly, and a concentration of 1.2% maintains this effect for 24 h. A concentration of 2% demonstrated a smoothing effect on wrinkles after 24 h and continued to increase this result over the next 28 days [35; 36; 37; 38].