Cocoa butter

Identification

Brand Names

Calmol, Preparation H Reformulated Jun 2013

Generic Name

Cocoa butter

DrugBank Accession Number

DB11086

Background

Cocoa butter is an edible natural fat obtained from the Theobroma cocoa seeds that is predominantly found in dark chocolate ⁴. It is a rich source of monounsaturated and saturated fatty acids ⁷ that mainly contains approximately 33% Oleic Acid, 25% Palmitic Acid, and 33% Stearic acid ¹ but does not contain caffeine or theobromine. Fat cocoa solids, including cocoa butter, have lower phenolic content than non-fat cocoa solids but may contain some polyphenols of different structures of flavonoids with antioxidant properties ⁶.

Cocoa butter is included in chocolate and other food products, and can also be found in over-the-counter skin products such as lotions, creams, and bars intended to maintain skin softness. While cocoa butter has skin moisturizing properties, it was not shown to reduce the likelihood of developing of striae gravidarum, or stretch marks, in a double-blind, randomized clinical trial of women in the first trimester ². Still, it is a common active ingredient for prevention of skin dryness in cosmetic and skincare products. Oftentimes cocoa butter is used in over-the-counter pharmaceutical products and suppositories. The lipid-lowering effects of cocoa butter have been studied and investigated, as fatty acid constituents of cocoa butter are known to exhibit lipid-lowering properties. Dyslipidemia is characterized by elevated levels of plasma triglyceride and very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol due to overproduction of large triglyceride-enriched VLDL cholesterol particles ¹. Cocoa butter has shown to reduce VLDL cholesterol levels in animal studies, suggesting its potential use in lipid disorders.

Type

Biotech

Groups

Approved

Synonyms

Cacao butter
Cacao seed oil, fermented
Oil, cocoa butter
Oil,cocoa butter
Theobroma cacao (cocoa) seed butter
Theobroma cacao oil
Theobroma oil

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Pharmacology

Indication

Indicated for topical use in over-the-counter skin products for the treatment of skin dryness and reduction of striae gravidarum (stretch marks).

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Pharmacodynamics

In a rat study, treatment with 10% cocoa butter has been shown to lower liver cholesterol and triglyceride levels without affecting the serum cholesterol levels ¹. Supplementation of cocoa butter reduced the level of creatinine in vitro, suggesting that cocoa butter may also beneficial to renal function via antioxidant effects ¹.

Mechanism of action

Cocoa butter is comprised of saturated fatty acids that exert a neutral cholesterolemic response in humans ⁵. Stearic acid is one of the major constituent in cocoa butter that is a non-atherogenic type of dietary saturated fat ⁴. Although it is a saturated fatty acid known to elevate plasma lipids and lipoproteins, stearic acid from plant sources differs from animal-derived sources of stearic acid ⁵. Possible explanations for this unique property may include chain length, inefficient absorption, metabolism kinetics, and hepatic desaturation of stearic into oleic acid ⁵. Apart from its lipid-lowering actions, stearic acid may also mediate actions on hemostasis and thrombosis which still remain inconclusive ⁴. In vitro, stearic acid was demonstrated to promote platelet aggregation and factor VII coagulant activity; however in vivo preliminary studies mixed results ⁵.

Cocoa butter may contain flavonoids that elicit antioxidant, anti-platelet, anti-inflammatory effects, as well as possibly increasing HDL, lowering blood pressure, and improving endothelial function ⁴. They inhibit lipid peroxidation, scavenge reactive oxygen species, and attenuate photochemical overproduction of ROS thus minimize UV-induced photodamage and signs of aging on the skin ³.

Absorption

Cocoa butter displays poor bioavailability and low absorption compared to other oils ¹.

Volume of distribution