Extract of the pulp of the prickly pear cladodes (INCI: Opuntia ficus-indica extract)

The prickly pear cactus is a succulent plant of the Cactaceae family, native from Mexico, but widespread in Sicily, where it is grown and from which you collect juicy and very sweet fruits. In the cosmetic industry there are very few products that contain the active ingredients of this plant. It has been shown that the extract of prickly pear increases the resistance of the skin to ultraviolet light, promoting the elimination of the altered proteins, such as the heat shock proteins (HSP), generated inside of the skin cells, subjected to strong stress, such as thermic stress or solar radiation.

In addition, the pulp obtained from cladodes is always used in the Sicilian tradition on the wounds and sores and is an excellent remedy for its anti-inflammatory, restorative and healing properties against wounds and skin ulcers. The remarkable concentration of the polysaccharide fraction, present in the cladodes of prickly pear, consists predominantly of a polymer of galactose, arabinose and other sugars such as for example the opuntiamannan involves the ability to bind the fats and sugars ingested with positive results on glucose and lipid metabolism and metabolic syndrome. Therefore, the extract of the pulp of prickly pear is a successful remedy to counter the imperfections caused by cellulite.