Eos

Arnica cream

Co2 extract

CO2 extraction is an innovative, gentle and environmentally safe technology for the production of lipophilic plant extracts. The method, based on the use of carbon dioxide, separates bioactive materials from plant substances. Since the high pressure process works without the stress of high temperatures and in the absence of oxygen, the extracts obtained are sterile and do not need preservatives; the process also takes place in a closed circuit and does not involve any release into the environment of fumes or residues.

CO2 extraction allows to obtain standardized Arnica extracts with a high concentration of bioactive sesquiterpene lactones (SQLs) excluding the polar components (eg flavonoids) suspected of allergenic effects. The esterified SQLs, in particular elenaline , dihydroelenaline and their acetate esters , are the most active parts and the pharmacological activity of the extract depends on their concentration.
They cannot be obtained by steam distillation; they are also concentrated many more times in the supercritical extract than in a hydroalcoholic extract.
For the extraction of Arnica CO2 only the flower heads of Arnica montana are used thanks to a sustainable collection project.