Exploring Mycosporine-like Amino Acid UV-Absorbing Natural Products for a New Generation of Environmentally Friendly Sunscreens

Nedeljka Rosic; Mike Climstein; Glen M Boyle; Duy Thanh Nguyen; Yunjiang Feng

doi:10.3390/md21040253

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Exploring Mycosporine-like Amino Acid UV-Absorbing Natural Products for a New Generation of Environmentally Friendly Sunscreens

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Exploring Mycosporine-like Amino Acid UV-Absorbing Natural Products for a New Generation of Environmentally Friendly Sunscreens

Nedeljka Rosic, Mike Climstein, Glen M Boyle, Duy Thanh Nguyen and Yunjiang Feng

Marine drugs, Vol.21(4), 253

19/04/2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/md21040253

PMID: 37103392

Appears in Recent Faculty of Health Publications

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Abstract

Amino Acids - chemistry

Humans

Skin

Skin Neoplasms - prevention & control

Sunscreening Agents - chemistry

Ultraviolet Rays - adverse effects

mycosporine-like amino acids

antioxidants

ultra-violet-absorbing compounds

sunscreen

bioactivity

bioproduct screening

omics

green technology

Human skin needs additional protection from damaging ultraviolet radiation (UVR: 280-400 nm). Harmful UVR exposure leads to DNA damage and the development of skin cancer. Available sunscreens offer chemical protection from detrimental sun radiation to a certain extent. However, many synthetic sunscreens do not provide sufficient UVR protection due to the lack of photostability of their UV-absorbing active ingredients and/or the lack of ability to prevent the formation of free radicals, inevitably leading to skin damage. In addition, synthetic sunscreens may negatively affect human skin, causing irritation, accelerating skin aging and even resulting in allergic reactions. Beyond the potential negative effect on human health, some synthetic sunscreens have been shown to have a harmful impact on the environment. Consequently, identifying photostable, biodegradable, non-toxic, and renewable natural UV filters is imperative to address human health needs and provide a sustainable environmental solution. In nature, marine, freshwater, and terrestrial organisms are protected from harmful UVR through several important photoprotective mechanisms, including the synthesis of UV-absorbing compounds such as mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs). Beyond MAAs, several other promising, natural UV-absorbing products could be considered for the future development of natural sunscreens. This review investigates the damaging impact of UVR on human health and the necessity of using sunscreens for UV protection, specifically UV-absorbing natural products that are more environmentally friendly than synthetic UV filters. Critical challenges and limitations related to using MAAs in sunscreen formulations are also evaluated. Furthermore, we explain how the genetic diversity of MAA biosynthetic pathways may be linked to their bioactivities and assess MAAs' potential for applications in human health.

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Title: Exploring Mycosporine-like Amino Acid UV-Absorbing Natural Products for a New Generation of Environmentally Friendly Sunscreens
Creators: Nedeljka Rosic - Southern Cross University
Mike Climstein - Southern Cross University
Glen M Boyle - QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute
Duy Thanh Nguyen - Griffith University
Yunjiang Feng - Griffith University
Publication Details: Marine drugs, Vol.21(4), 253
Publisher: MDPI
Identifiers: 991013108313502368
Copyright: © 2023 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Academic Unit: Human Sciences; Faculty of Health
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article

Exploring Mycosporine-like Amino Acid UV-Absorbing Natural Products for a New Generation of Environmentally Friendly Sunscreens

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