Sea buckthorn

The deciduous sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) is a native plant from the sea buckthorn genus (Hippophae) in the willow family. It can reach a height of 4 to 5 meters. The sea buckthorn has a deep and far-reaching root system, which gives it particular wind resistance. Its wind resistance and salt tolerance make it superior to other woody plants on the coast. The lanceolate leaves of the sea buckthorn are short-stalked and around 4.0 - 8.0 cm long and 0.3 to 0.8 cm wide, with white-silvery hairs on the underside. The flowers of the sea buckthorn are stalked and yellow-green in color, flowering time: April. Depending on the variety, the 0.6 to 0.8 cm large, oval, orange-red to yellow fruits of the sea buckthorn, berries with a nut-like core, are ready to harvest from mid-August to mid-September - October.

HMPC: not processed

ESCOP: not processed

Commission E: not processed

While in Asia the fruits are used for medicinal purposes, in Europe they are mainly used for health care: dietetically as vitamin juice for colds due to their high vitamin content. The fruits are processed into drinks, jellies, baby food and dairy products. The cosmetics industry also uses the oils.

Hippophae rhamnoides extract (INCI)

Hippophae rhamnoides kernel extract (INCI)

Hippophae rhamnoides oil (INCI)

The flesh of sea buckthorn berries has a high vitamin C content (200 - 900 mg per 100 g of flesh); it also contains beta-carotene and tanning agents as well as small amounts of vitamin B12. Sea buckthorn pulp contains between 3-5% oil.

Sea buckthorn oil (seed and fruit oil or mixed) is rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (linoleic acid, linolenic acid, palmitoleic acid) with a high content of carotene derivatives and vitamin C.

The sea buckthorn lives in symbiosis with ray fungi, which supply it with nitrogen and enable it to live in the nutrient-poor sand.

Used cosmetically:

Hippophae rhamnoides extract, the fruit extract

Hippophae rhamnoides oil, the sea buckthorn oil

Hippophae rhamnoides kernel extract, the extract from the kernels of fruits

1. Edraki M et al. (2014) Healing effect of sea buckthorn, olive oil, and their mixture on full-thickness burn wounds. Adv Skin Wound Care 27:317-323.
2. Fatima T et al.(2012) Fatty acid composition of developing sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) berry and the transcriptome of the mature seed. PLoS One 7(4):e34099.
3. Järvinen RL et al. (2011) Effects of oral sea buckthorn oil on tear film fatty acids in individuals with dry eye. Cornea 30:1013-1019.
4. Khan BA et al. (2014) Hippophae rhamnoides oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion improves barrier function in healthy human subjects. Pak J Pharm Sci 27:1919-1922.
5. Sajfrtová M et al. (2010) β-Sitosterol: supercritical carbon dioxide extraction from sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) seeds. Int J Mol Sci 11:1842-1850.
6. https://pflanzen.fnr.de/industriepflanzen/arzneipflanzen/pflanzen-datenbank
7. https://www.awl.ch/heilpflanzen/hippophae_rhamnoides/sanddorn.htm
8. https://heilkraeuter.de/lexikon/sanddorn.htm
9. Ciesarová Z, Murkovic M, Cejpek K, Kreps F, Tobolková B, Koplík R, Belajová E, Kukurová K, Daško Ľ, Panovská Z, Revenco D, Burčová Z. Why is sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) so exceptional? A review. Food Res Int. 2020 Jul;133:109170. doi: 10.1016/j.foodres.2020.109170
10. Gâtlan AM, Gutt G. Sea Buckthorn in Plant Based Diets. An Analytical Approach of Sea Buckthorn Fruits Composition: Nutritional Value, Applications, and Health Benefits. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Aug 26;18(17):8986. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18178986