Natural saclipins in cyanobacteria offer hope of combating skin aging

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Cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae, have existed for billions of years, adapting to a diverse range of environments. Their remarkable ability to photosynthesize and make their own food, as well as their adaptability across a variety of habitats, make them a subject of focus for the research fraternity.

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One such cyanobacterium native to Japan—Aphanothece sacrum, also known as Suizenji-nori—has been extensively studied for its bioactive properties and potential health benefits. Notably, A. sacrum accumulates natural compounds known as saclipins A and B in response to drought stress. These compounds are significant due to their ability to absorb ultraviolet (UV)-A and UV-B rays, making them potential skin-protective agents.

In 2023, Professor Hakuto Kageyama, Dean of the Graduate School of Environmental and Human Sciences at Meijo University, Japan, along with his colleagues, discovered saclipins in A. sacrum. Their research paper highlighted the unique characteristics of saclipins, such as UV-absorbing capacity and anti-aging properties like antioxidative and antiglycative activities.

As Prof. Kageyama says: “This unique characteristic makes saclipins ideal for use in skin application or as an oral supplement. Moreover, this finding inspired me to explore additional activities of saclipins that can be applied in the skincare and cosmetic industry.”

Anti-aging properties

Based on their initial findings, Prof. Kageyama, along with Yoshie Uchida and Masaki Honda from Meijo University and Rungaroon Waditee-Sirisattha, from Chulalongkorn University, Thailand, carried out further study in 2024 to assess the anti-aging properties of the saclipins. This study was made available online on November 1, 2024, and was published in ACS Agricultural Science & Technology.

In this study, the researchers dried and powdered A. sacrum to extract saclipins and tested it for its anti-aging properties. The researchers investigated the chemical properties of saclipins by examining their stability under light and heat conditions. Next, they tested the scavenging activity of singlet oxygen to analyze the antioxidant potential and physiological effect on skin health.

“We examined how saclipins affect skin-related processes such as elastase inhibition and the production of collagen and hyaluronic acid, which contribute to skin firmness and moisture,” explains Prof. Kageyama. In addition, the study also assessed the tyrosinase inhibitory activity of saclipins. Tyrosinase plays a crucial role in melanin production and contributes to skin pigmentation.

Inhibitory activity

Researchers observed that saclipins had strong inhibitory activity against elastase and promoted the production of collagen and hyaluronic acid in human skin fibroblasts. These results indicate that saclipins have the effect of improving skin quality. In addition, saclipins inhibited tyrosinase and suppressed melanin production in mouse B16 melanoma cells, indicating that saclipins have the effect of skin whitening.

The team used both purified saclipins A and B as well as saclipin-containing extracts prepared from dried A. sacrum for evaluation. The results demonstrated that the extracts showed similar activity compared to the fresh ones. Explaining further, Prof. Kageyama adds:“The extracts also had an equal or increased activity than the purified ones, which suggests an easier formulation and cheaper manufacturing, making it a viable option for skincare products.”

Skincare market

As is well known, skin aging is a prevalent concern worldwide and has boosted the global market for skincare products. “The growing demand for endangered A. sacrum and the discovery of saclipins may also encourage its large-scale production, rejuvenating the aquaculture industry, promoting conservation efforts, and preventing its extinction,” adds Prof. Kageyama, while sharing his concluding thoughts.

These findings thus provide valuable insights into the role of saclipins as an anti-aging formula found in the edible cyanobacterium A. sacrum, alongside its other known beneficial activities.