Jojoba

Scientific Name(S): Simmondsia chinensis (Link) Schneider and S. californica Nutall. Family: Buxaceae

Common Name(S): Jojoba

Jojoba ( Simmodsia chinensis (Link) Schneider) is a perennial woody shrub native to the semiarid regions of southern Arizona, southern California and northwestern Mexico. Jojoba (pronounced ho-HO-ba) is being cultivated to provide a renewable source of a unique high-quality oil.

Native Americans extracted the oil from jojoba seeds to treat sores and wounds centuries ago. Collection and processing of seed from naturally occurring stands in the early 1970s marked the beginning of jojoba domestication. In addition, the ban on the importation of sperm whale products in 1971 led to the discovery that jojoba oil is in many regards superior to sperm oil for applications in the cosmetics and other industries.

Botany: Simmondsia chinensis is a desert shrub indigenous to Arizona, California and Northern Mexico. It grows in a number of deserts worldwide including Israel's Negev Desert. A woody evergreen shrub with thick, leathery, bluish-green leaves and dark brown nutlike fruit. Male and female flowers are borne on separate plants, the number of each being about equal. The plant can withstand extreme daily fluctuations of temperature. It thrives in well-drained, coarse desert soils and coarse mixtures of gravels and clays. The mature plant produces about 5 to 10 pounds of seeds, which range between the coffee bean and peanut in size. It is an important forage plant for desert bighorn sheep and mule deer. While birds and rodents eat the seeds, it is toxic to humans and most animals.

History: Indians and Mexicans have for a long time used jojoba oil as a hair conditioner and restorer, and in medicine, cooking and rituals. In the United States, jojoba is considered a viable cash crop for the southwestern Indians, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs has funded most of the studies in this area.

With the banning of the sale of sperm whale oil in 1973, the cosmetic industry turned to jojoba oil for use in shampoos, moisturizers, sunscreens and conditioners. It has further potential as an industrial lubricant, since it does not break down under high temperature or pressure. A major disadvantage to its use is its relatively high cost.

Uses of Jojoba

Jojoba oil has traditionally been used in cosmetics, medicine and cooking. It appears to alleviate skin irritations and help guard against hair loss.

The oil can be used as an antifoam agent in antibiotics production and as a treatment for skin disorders. Other proposed uses include candles, plasticizers, detergents, fire retardents, transformer oil, and for the leather industry.

Side Effects of Jojoba

Jojoba should not be ingested. Seeds are toxic. One component contributes to myocardial fibrosis. Sensitive individuals may develop contact dermatitis.

Toxicology: The LD-50 of crude jojoba wax is greater than 160 g/kg in mice. In ocular tests, it was only slightly irritating (comparable to olive oil) and its application resulted in less irritation than liquid paraffin. Hypoallergenic sensitivity to the wax has been reported and cases of contact dermatitis have been reported in persons using jojoba oil as shampoo or hair conditioner.

Topical administration of the refined wax to guinea pigs for 20 weeks resulted in no systemic effects; a reversible swelling accompanied by reduced skin flexibility and an increased sensitivity to shaving was observed. Therewere, however, no histological changes in skin tissues. These effects were most likely due to an occlusive-like action created by the wax. This mechanism is inconsistent with data provided by JMC Technologies which indicate that jojoba's effects result from percutaneous absorption and subsequent incorporation into dermal tissue.

Subcutaneous injection of 1 m/kg for 7 weeks in test animals resulted in no systemic effects, although some systemic accumulation was observed.

Jojoba oil is 14% erucic acid, a causative factor in myocardial fibrosis. Although no direct relationship has been established between this compound and jojoba toxicity, jojoba should not be ingested in any form. Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus grow well on jojoba seed meal, metabolizing toxic simmondsin and other toxicants remaining in the meal after removal of the oil. The treated meal is nontoxic to mice, poultry, sheep and cattle.

Summary: A combination of social, economic and political factors have generated increased interest in the use of jojoba oil in cosmetics and industrial lubricants. If its hypocholesterolemic potential is to be realized, long-term studies must be undertaken.