Jojoba

Scientific Name(s): Simmondsia californica Nutall., Simmondsia chinensis (Link) Schneider.
Common Name(s): Jojoba, K-20W Jojoba

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Apr 21, 2022.

Clinical Overview

Use

The toxicity of the constituent simmondsin in jojoba seed meal and some oil components limits the likelihood of clinical applications. Jojoba oil is commonly used in dermatological preparations.

Dosing

There is no clinical evidence to guide dosage of jojoba or its oil; it is primarily used as a vehicle for oxidation-sensitive substances in ointments.

Contraindications

Although absolute contraindications have not been identified, jojoba should not be ingested by humans due to potential toxicity.

Pregnancy/Lactation

Information regarding safety and efficacy in pregnancy and lactation is lacking. Adverse toxicological studies in rodents and birds exist.

Interactions

None well documented.

Adverse Reactions

Case reports of contact dermatitis, confirmed by skin patch tests, exist for jojoba oil.

Toxicology

Constituents of jojoba are toxic. Studies demonstrate hematological toxicity, histological abnormalities, and other adverse effects.

Scientific Family

• Simmondsiaceae

Botany

S. chinensis is a desert shrub indigenous to Arizona, California, and northern Mexico that grows in a number of deserts worldwide. It is a woody, evergreen shrub with thick, leathery, bluish-green leaves and dark brown nut-like fruit. An equal number of male and female flowers are borne on separate plants. The plant can withstand extreme daily fluctuations of temperature and thrives in well-drained, desert soils and coarse mixtures of gravel and clay. The mature plant produces about 5 to 10 pounds of seeds, which range in size between the coffee bean and peanut. It is an important forage plant for desert bighorn sheep and mule deer.1, 2 A synonym is Simmondsia californica Nutall.

History

For a long time, American Indians and Mexicans have used jojoba oil as a hair conditioner/restorer and as a medicine, as well as in 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 the 1970s, the cosmetic industry turned to jojoba oil for use in shampoos, moisturizers, sunscreens, and conditioners. It has further potential as an industrial lubricant because it does not break down under high temperature or pressure. A disadvantage to its use is its relatively high cost.2, 3, 4, 5

Chemistry

Jojoba seeds produce 50% to 55% by weight of a colorless, odorless oil or liquid wax. The wax is almost completely (97%) composed of straight chain monoesters of C-20 and C-22 acids and alcohols with 2 double bonds. The acids have been identified as a mixture of cis-11-eicosenoic (C-20) and cis-13-docosenoic (C-22, erucic) acids. The alcohols have been identified as mixtures of cis-11-eicosenol, cis-13-docosenol, and cis-15-tetracosenol (C-24). Also included are small quantities of sterols (less than 0.5% total of campesterol, stigmasterol, and sitosterol). Jojoba oil is essentially triglyceride free.6, 7, 8

Seed meal, the fraction left after the wax has been extracted, is protein-rich with albumins and globulins. The group of simmondsin compounds (10% to 20%) in this fra...