Lilium tigrinum flower (leaf/stem/extract (inci)

Lilium tigrinum flower/leaf/stem/extract, the extract from above-ground parts of the tiger lily (flowers, stems, leaves) is used in cosmetic formulations.
The extract has a skin-caring and skin-brightening effect.

The bulbs of Lilium lancifolium contain three main types of phenolic acids, i.e. regaloside B, regaloside C and regaloside E, as well as various polysaccharides. polysaccharides. The extracted amounts of regaloside B, regaloside C and regaloside E reached 0.31 ± 0.06 mg g-1, 0.29 ± 0.03 mg g-1 and 3.04 ± 0.38 mg g-1, respectively (Chen L et al. 2021).

The phenolic compounds contribute to the main colors (red, yellow and white) in lily bulbs. The seven phenolic pigment monomers responsible for the color of onions - cyanidin-3-O-rutinoside, isoquercitrin, regaloside B, regaloside C, regaloside H, regaloside A and regaloside D - can be identified by HPLC-MS and NMR analysis. According to the quantification results, lily bulbs with darker and redder colors have higher biomass, better nutrient composition, significantly higher bioactive ingredients and higher antioxidant capacity than the three currently consumed varieties of edible lily bulbs.

The tiger lily (Lilium lancifolium, syn.: Lilium tigrinum) is a species of the lily genus (Lilium) in the Sinomartagon section. It prefers a loamy, but not waterlogged soil. It is often found on grassy slopes between 400 and 2500 m above sea level. The tiger lily is native to Anhui, Gansu, Guangxi, Hebei, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Jilin, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Sichuan, Xinjiang and Zhejiang in the People's Republic of China. It is also cultivated less frequently in Korea and Japan.

It grows to a height of 80 cm to 150 cm and a width of around 25 cm. The bulbs are roundish and reach a diameter of around 4-8 cm. They are covered with white to yellowish-white scales and form stolons. The stem is hard and straight with purple stripes. The leaves are lanceolate, between 3 and 18 cm long and between 0.5 and 3 cm wide. They are also covered with white, woolly hairs.

The plant flowers from July to August with three to six, in cultivation also up to 20, in a panicle of horizontal to nodding flowers. The flowers consist of six strongly recurved 6-10 cm long petals (Turk's cap form). The basic color of the flowers is vermilion with dark purple dots.

The bulbs of the tiger lily are edible, which is why they have been cultivated in China for centuries. The onion is slightly bitter and is reminiscent of parsnips. It is very starchy and is used dried and ground to thicken soups and sauces.

In folk medicine, the onion is used as a diuretic and expectorant. It is also said to have heart-strengthening properties and to strengthen eyesight. A strong tincture made from the flowers is used to induce labor, causing contractions of the uterus.

The onion extract has a melanocyte-inhibiting effect (due to its phenolic ingredients) and leads to skin whitening. Experimental results indicate that the inhibition of melanogenesis by the extract can be attributed to the suppression of melanogenic enzyme activity and the downregulation of tyrosinase, Tyrp1 and Tyrp2 expression (see DCT gene below/ the encoded protein is Tryp2 aka dopachrome tautomerase) (Park S et al. 2023).

Probably the best-known literary description of the tiger lily in German was provided by the writer Ernst Jünger in the second version of his prose collection "Das abenteuerliche Herz" (The Adventurous Heart). The short prose piece The Tiger Lily forms the opening text of the collection and symbolically marks one of the central themes of the collection, the connection between beauty and danger and the proximity of art and death.

1. Chen L et al. (2021) The extraction of phenolic acids and polysaccharides from Lilium lancifolium Thunb. using a deep eutectic solvent. Anal Methods 13:1226-1231.
2. Park S et al. (2023) Anti-Melanogenic Effects of Lilium lancifolium Root Extract via Downregulation of PKA/CREB and MAPK/CREB Signaling Pathways in B16F10 Cells. Plants (Basel) 12:3666.

3. Quan H et al. (2023) Effect of Microwave Treatments Combined with Hot-Air Drying on Phytochemical Profiles and Antioxidant Activities in Lily Bulbs (Lilium lancifolium). Foods 12:2344.