GREENTECH scoops award for its potent anti-dandruff product, DANDRILYS

The company is involved in the EUREKA project that promotes strategic collaboration of industrial R&D

Based on its recent research on the natural active market for dandruff, Frost & Sullivan has presented GREENTECH S.A. with the 2014 European Frost & Sullivan Award for New Product Innovation Leadership for developing DANDRILYS. This potent, plant-based natural product mitigates scalp irritation, reduces dandruff, normalises sebum production and as a result, facilitates the growth of healthy hair.

DANDRILYS is developed from the bark of Ziziphus joazeiro, an evergreen plant native to South America. The leaves and/or the bark of the plant produce abundant foam upon mixing with water. The detergency and foaming properties of DANDRILYS have been proven to be 2.1 times higher than sodium laureth sulfate’s, a surfactant that is commonly used in shampoo and shower products. Therefore, apart from application in anti-dandruff hair shampoo, DANDRILYS can be used for the formulation of shower and facial cleanser products.

The bark extract contains jujubosides, a type of saponin that confers foaming properties and antioxidative protection, with strengthening and revitalising effects on the skin. Additionally, its sugar constituents comprising polysaccharides and oligosaccharides offer moisturising and calming effects, which lower the irritation caused by dandruff.

GREENTECH is the coordinator of the EUREKA project E! 2314 O’SCREEN, which aims to develop a comprehensive database of 30,000 plants with details of their botanical physiology, chemical constituents and potential applications. Based on reversing the screening process traditionally used in drug discovery, the approach begins by identifying key enzymes involved in certain diseases or disorders. Following this, the project team evaluates and identifies the chemical ligands that could bind to the enzyme to modulate the pathogenesis of the pathway. Frost & Sullivan's research shows that by using this reverse approach, substances can be extracted from the detected plant material and be sent to the early stage of R&D.

“GREENTECH’s anti-dandruff promotion strategy is based on the ability of DANDRILYS to cleanse the scalp and hair of impurities and dandruff by preventing sebum production,” said Frost & Sullivan's Industry Manager for Health and Wellness, Sandhya Kamath. “By retarding the production of 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX), it will inhibit the cascading reactions that trigger itchiness and inflammation.”

One of the main catalysts of dandruff is mast cells. These cells cause allergic reactions due to the cross-linking of their surface receptors, FcεRI and IgE. The interaction of mast cells with FcεRI and IgE lead to degranulation and the release of vasoactive peptides - pro-inflammatory mediators that include histamine, cytokines and proteolytic enzymes. DANDRILYS is an ideal antidote to this process as it inhibits the degranulation of mast cells which prevents the subsequent release of histamine, a major mediator that causes itching.

According to the in vitro test by GREENTECH, 2% DANDRILYS reduces 27% histamine production. Furthermore, the in vivo study of DANDRILYS demonstrated that it reduced dandruff quantity by as much as 67% after the first application of the shampoo that contained 2.5% DANDRILYS.

“By leveraging its comprehensive drug discovery database, GREENTECH has successfully developed an extremely efficient anti-dandruff product that is having a huge impact on the hair care segment,” noted Kamath. “Consumers have shown a marked preference for naturally derived products in recent years; therefore, DANDRILYS may offer an additional option of anti-dandruff actives.”

Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents this award to the company that has developed an innovative element in a product by leverage leading-edge technologies. The award recognises the value added features/benefits of the product and the increased return on investment it offers customers, which in turn increases customer acquisition and overall market penetration potential.

Frost & Sullivan's Best Practices Awards recognise companies in a variety of regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analysis and extensive secondary research in order to identify best practices in the industry.