Few people know the substance xanthohumol well. This fact is surprising because we know the plant from which it can be obtained very well. However, as is often the case, we have a treasure right under our noses that we do not see. So what is xanthohumol, and why are scientists so interested in it?

What exactly is xanthohumol?

To introduce you to xanthohumol, we must first mention its source, which is common hops. This extremely popular plant is a perennial from the hemp family. You have certainly come across it because the natural place of occurrence of hops is Europe. The use of hops is extensive. It has been used as a medicinal plant since ancient times. Hops could also be found as an ingredient in some dishes. Nowadays, this plant is most strongly associated with the production of beer.

The beautiful female flowers of common hops gather in an inflorescence like a cone. Hence, the already mentioned xanthohumol is obtained. Of course, common hops are mainly grown for industrial purposes. However, you can get volatile oil and resin from it. Oils obtained from hops are very popular. Among them, we can distinguish terpenoids. What interests us, however, is the resin. It is from it that prenylated chalcones, including xanthohumol, can be obtained. According to available research, the amount of xanthohumol in the dry matter of cones varies between 0.1-1% (it depends on the variety of hops). For example, Polish hop varieties contain 0.5% to 0.8% of xanthohumol. It can therefore be said that our native hop is one of the best in Europe.

What are the properties of xanthohumol?

You are probably wondering why xanthohumol has become the hero of many recent studies. After all, hops are a very well-known and well-researched plant. The thing is, however, that so far, the most significant attention has been focused on essential oils and bitter acids found in hop cones. This is because they were used in industry, e.g., in brewing, which put research on them in the first place. So what sparked the interest of researchers?

Less research has been conducted on the prenylflavonoids contained in hop cones. However, some of them have started to show promising results. For example, it turned out that chalcones obtained from hops may potentially have anti-cancer properties. Today we can already talk about the whole spectrum of research in this direction. Their results indicate that xanthohumol may one day become a substance helpful in inhibiting and preventing cancer.

Numerous studies that have been conducted have also revealed other properties of xanthohumol. Among them, we should mention a powerful antioxidant effect. Researchers confirm that xanthohumol is sometimes a stronger antioxidant than vitamin E. In addition, xanthohumol also has numerous antiviral, antifungal, and antibacterial properties. The research results allow us to conclude that xanthohumol can become an essential ingredient in cosmetology and in dealing with many diseases.

Why has xanthohumol not become as popular as other substances?

Since xanthohumol is such an incredible substance and all the research points to its widespread use, why is it still not famous? The main reason for this is the price of the raw material. Xanthohumol is very expensive. Its price can be considered prohibitive. One milligram of a substance purchased from a concern can cost up to several dozen euros. It is easy to calculate that a kilogram of xanthohumol can be worth several million Euros. Many companies or research institutes cannot afford to pay such an amount. It should also be remembered that introducing innovations to the market takes work. It requires advanced technologies, own research, and logistics capabilities.

Of course, the research continues – and that's a good thing! You do not often find such a healthy gold mine as xanthohumol. This application will undoubtedly revolutionize the market of supplements and natural cosmetics. This substance will soon be on the tongues of all major manufacturers.