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Special Issue "The Therapeutic Potential of Cosmeceuticals and Nutraceuticals"

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A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Applied Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2023 | Viewed by 5863

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Special Issue Editor

Dr. Dong Wook Shin

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Guest Editor

College of Biomedical and Health Science, Konkuk University, Chungju 27478, Republic of Korea
Interests: aging; age-related diseases; skin and skin disorders; cosmeceuticals; nutraceuticals; natural plants; polyphenol; fermentation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In our nature, there are various natural products that can be used by human beings. In the process of long history, we have discovered active ingredients derived from natural products and developed them into cosmetics and neutraceuticals, which are healthy functional foods. Among these active ingredients, there were cases where they had more effects as a new medicine. Recently, cosmetics companies are participating in the development of new medicine in addition to health functional foods, and pharmaceutical companies are expanding into health functional foods and cosmetics businesses as cash cows. Their common point is to discover and develop active ingredients from natural products.

Accordingly, this Special Issue on “The Therapeutic Potential of Cosmeceuticals and Nutraceuticals ” is aimed at presenting novel data on natural products that have some positive effects on metabolic diseases or skin diseases from active ingredients, which are used in cosmetics or health functional foods, and also provides an overview of the current knowledge in this field through reviews.

Dr. Dong Wook Shin
Guest Editor

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Keywords

therapeutics
cosmeceuticals
nutraceuticals
natural products
polyphenol & flavonoid
skin aging and disorders
melanogenesis and melanoma
metabolic syndromes

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Selenized Chickpea Sprouts Hydrolysates as a Potential Anti-Aging Ingredient

Sayra N. Serrano-Sandoval

Antonio Jiménez-Rodríguez

Jesús Hernández-Pérez

Rocio Alejandra Chavez-Santoscoy

Daniela Guardado-Félix

and

Marilena Antunes-Ricardo

Molecules 2023, 28(8), 3402; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28083402 - 12 Apr 2023

Viewed by 897

Abstract

Skin aging represents a health and aesthetic problem that could result in infections and skin diseases. Bioactive peptides can potentially be used in skin aging regulation. Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) selenoproteins were obtained from germination with 2 mg Na₂SeO₃/100 g of seeds for 2 days. Alcalase, pepsin, and trypsin were used as hydrolyzers, and a membrane < 10 kDa was used to fractionate the hydrolysate. Se content, antioxidant capacity, elastase and collagen inhibition, functional stability, and preventative capacity were analyzed. Significant increases in Se content were found in germinated chickpea flour and protein related to the control. An increase of 38% in protein was observed in the selenized flour related to the control. A band (600–550 cm⁻¹) observed in the selenized hydrolysates suggested the insertion of Se into the protein. Hydrolysates from pepsin and trypsin had the highest antioxidant potential. Se enhanced the stability of total protein and protein hydrolysates through time and increased their antioxidant capacity. Hydrolysates > 10 kDa had higher elastase and collagenase inhibition than the total protein and hydrolysates < 10 kDa. Protein hydrolysates < 10 kDa 6 h before UVA radiation had the highest inhibition of collagen degradation. Selenized protein hydrolysates showed promising antioxidant effects that could be related to skin anti-aging effects. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Therapeutic Potential of Cosmeceuticals and Nutraceuticals)

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Open AccessArticle

Fermented Aronia melanocarpa Inhibits Melanogenesis through Dual Mechanisms of the PI3K/AKT/GSK-3β and PKA/CREB Pathways

Da Hee Kim

Dong Wook Shin

and

Beong Ou Lim

Molecules 2023, 28(7), 2981; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28072981 - 27 Mar 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 901

Abstract

UV light causes excessive oxidative stress and abnormal melanin synthesis, which results in skin hyperpigmentation disorders such as freckles, sunspots, and age spots. Much research has been carried out to discover natural plants for ameliorating these disorders. Aronia melanocarpa contains various polyphenolic compounds with antioxidative activities, but its effects on melanogenesis have not been fully elucidated. In this study, we investigated the inhibitory effect of fermented Aronia melanocarpa (FA) fermented with Monascus purpureus on melanogenesis and its underlying mechanism in the B16F10 melanoma cell line. Our results indicate that FA inhibited tyrosinase activity and melanogenesis in alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH)-induced B16F10 cells. FA significantly downregulated the PKA/CREB pathway, resulting in decreased protein levels of tyrosinase, TRP-1, and MITF. FA also inhibited the transcription of MITF by increasing the phosphorylation levels of both GSK3β and AKT. Interestingly, we demonstrated that these results were owing to the significant increase in gallic acid, a phenolic compound of Aronia melanocarpa produced after the fermentation of Monascus purpureus. Taken together, our research suggests that Aronia melanocarpa fermented with Monascus purpureus acts as a melanin inhibitor and can be used as a potential cosmetic or therapeutic for improving hyperpigmentation disorders. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Therapeutic Potential of Cosmeceuticals and Nutraceuticals)

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Open AccessArticle

In Vitro Determination of the Skin Anti-Aging Potential of Four-Component Plant-Based Ingredient

and

Molecules 2022, 27(22), 8101; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27228101 - 21 Nov 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2628

Abstract

The beauty industry is actively searching for solutions to prevent skin aging. Some of the crucial elements protecting cells from the aging process are telomere shortening, telomerase expression, cell senescence, and homeostasis of the redox system. Modification of these factors using natural antioxidants is an appealing way to support healthy skin aging. Therefore, in this study, we sought to investigate the antiaging efficacy of a specific combination of four botanical extracts (pomegranate, sweet orange, Cistanche and Centella asiatica) with proven antioxidant properties. To this end, normal human dermal fibroblasts were used as a cell model and the following studies were performed: cell proliferation was established by means of the MTT assay and the intracellular ROS levels in stress-induced premature senescence fibroblasts; telomere length measurement was performed under standard cell culture conditions using qPCR and under oxidative stress conditions using a variation of the Q-FISH technique; telomerase activity was examined by means of Q-TRAP; and AGE quantification was completed by means of ELISA assay in UV-irradiated fibroblasts. As a result, the botanical blend significantly reversed the H₂O₂-induced decrease in cell viability and reduced H₂O₂-induced ROS. Additionally, the presence of the botanical ingredient reduced the telomere shortening rate in both stressed and non-stressed replicating fibroblasts, and under oxidative stress conditions, the fibroblasts presented a higher median and 20th percentile telomere length, as well as a lower percentage of short telomeres (<3 Kbp) compared with untreated fibroblasts. Furthermore, the ingredient transiently increased relative telomerase activity after 24 h and prevented the accumulation of UVR-induced glycated species. The results support the potential use of this four-component plant-based ingredient as an antiaging agent. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Therapeutic Potential of Cosmeceuticals and Nutraceuticals)

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Open AccessArticle

DDX3 Upregulates Hydrogen Peroxide-Induced Melanogenesis in Sk-Mel-2 Human Melanoma Cells

and

Molecules 2022, 27(20), 7010; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27207010 - 18 Oct 2022

Viewed by 970

Abstract

DDX3 is a DEAD-box RNA helicase with diverse biological functions through multicellular pathways. The objective of this study was to investigate the role of DDX3 in regulating melanogenesis by the exploring signaling pathways involved. Various concentrations of hydrogen peroxide were used to induce melanogenesis in SK-Mel-2 human melanoma cells. Melanin content assays, tyrosinase activity analysis, and Western blot analysis were performed to determine how DDX3 was involved in melanogenesis. Transient transfection was performed to overexpress or silence DDX3 genes. Immunoprecipitation was performed using an antityrosinase antibody. Based on the results of the cell viability test, melanin content, and activity of tyrosinase, a key melanogenesis enzyme, in SK-Mel-2 human melanoma cells, hydrogen peroxide at 0.1 mM was chosen to induce melanogenesis. Treatment with H₂O₂ notably increased the promoter activity of DDX3. After treatment with hydroperoxide for 4 h, melanin content and tyrosinase activity peaked in DDX3-transfected cells. Overexpression of DDX3 increased melanin content and tyrosinase expression under oxidative stress induced by H₂O₂. DDX3 co-immunoprecipitated with tyrosinase, a melanogenesis enzyme. The interaction between DDX3 and tyrosinase was strongly increased under oxidative stress. DDX3 could increase melanogenesis under the H₂O₂-treated condition. Thus, targeting DDX3 could be a novel strategy to develop molecular therapy for skin diseases. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Therapeutic Potential of Cosmeceuticals and Nutraceuticals)

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