MARINE INGREDIENTS
are effective anti-inflammatory agents. Some marine organisms simply float on or spend much of their adult lives just below the surface of the water. If you have ever allowed yourself to slowly float on an air bed or spent a day snorkelling, you will know how hostile this region of the sea can be on a hot summer’s day. Left unprotected, human skin soon becomes inflamed and sun burnt. How do these organisms survive such hostile conditions? Hymeniacidon heliophila also known as the sun sponge is one such organism. It inhabits the inter-tidal waters off the coast of North Carolina. Hymeniacidon heliophila cells are rich in 5-hydoxytryptophan. This molecule has been shown to protect cells from UV damage. Interestingly, 5-hydoxytryptophan can be converted into serotonin in skin (a molecule associated with euphoria). It also, like caffeine, is a vasoconstrictor so, if it is applied to the skin near conspicuous veins, they will soon get smaller and appear less obvious. Extracts of Hymeniacidon heliophila have been shown by the scientists at Active Concepts LLC, to increase collagen synthesis by fibroblasts and to act as an antioxidant. The extract can therefore be useful for a number of cosmetics applications. The sun sponge extract would be useful therefore for anti-ageing products as well as for products designed to rapidly reduce the appearance of spider veins and dark areas under the eyes or perhaps better still, in sun care products.
Jellyfish The 2010 BSB Innovations Award went to Oceanbasis for their jellyfish extract, with 2% marine collagen; it is an excellent moisturiser and forms a protective film on skin.
Crustacea One major marine by-product is chitin. It is the main structural component of the shells of crustaceans. Chitin is difficult to dissolve so products usually use chitosan. Chitosan was first made in 1959, by Rouget who heated chitin with concentrated sodium hydroxide, which removed some of the acetyl groups from the molecular chain, leaving behind complete amino groups. By increasing the temperature or the strength of the sodium hydroxide solution, more acetyl groups could be removed. In this way, a range of chitosan molecules with different properties and applications have been made. Unlike chitin, chitosan dissolves easily organic acids and is a useful cationic polymer. It is sold under trade names such as Marine Biopolymer (MBP) at different grades for use in skin and hair care. Typical grades are as follows: Very High Viscosity, 75%-85% degree of
72 PERSONAL CARE April 2012 Comb jellyfish.
acetylation, High Viscosity, 80%-90% degree of acetylation, Medium Viscosity, >80% degree of acetylation. It is used for its antimicrobial products especially in acne and antidandruff products. It will enhance the viscosity of various formulations. This natural polymer is a good film-former that is also moisturising. Its positive charge allows it to interact easily with biological surfaces such as skin and hair. It is effective in both cationic and non-ionic emulsions. Chitosan will help with hair curl retention. It leaves hair soft, silky and shiny hair and is good for controlling static and dry combing.9
Fish
Fish are rarely caught to make cosmetic ingredients. Fish elastin and collagen (and their hydrolysates) are made as by-products of the huge fishing industry. These materials are extracted from the waste skin and bones. Care is taken by suppliers to only use fish waste from sources certified by recognised regional fisheries management organisation or other organisations dedicated to the sustainable management of fisheries. Unipex Innovations’ MDI complex is a very effective MMP inhibitor and perfect for firming, addressing dark circles and general skin wellbeing and anti-ageing. This glycoaminoglycan is a by-product of essential shark ‘culling’ that takes place of the coast of Canada.9 Fish oils include squalane (often from shark liver) and the much-needed poly unsaturated fatty acids. Remember, alpha- linoleic acid (LNA) is plant-derived therefore a botanical oil, which our bodies then convert into eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docohexaenoic acid (DHA) in order for it to carry out the essential functions. The body requires approximately ten LNA molecules to produce one EPA molecule. This conversion can be difficult or impossible for some older people or those
with weakened immune systems (those ironically, that need it the most) so as, cold water fish oils are excellent sources of both EPA and DHA, which can be used directly, it makes good sense to use fish oils. EPA is converted in tissue to series 3 prostaglandins, which regulate, among other things, inflammatory responses (skin and joint) and immune function, arterial muscle tone, which involves blood pressure regulation. The series 1 and 2 prostaglandins have the exact opposite effect on the body as the series 3. They stimulate inflammation, constrict the arteries and inhibit immune response. That is why a properly balanced ratio of omega-3 (LNA, EPA and DHA) to omega-6 (linoleic acid: LA) is so critical for good health. There is mounting evidence that the lack of omega-3 oils and the excessive amount of omega-6 in the modern western diet lead to degenerative conditions.
Sustainable management Care is taken by suppliers to use marine materials from certified sources by recognised regional organisations. Using coral and soft coral has raised concerns in the industry as it is so easy to damage the marine ecology. Ten thousand pounds of Pseudopterogorgia elisabethae have been harvested from the coast of the Bahamas but researchers expect that this population will recover as Pseudopterogorgia elisabethae re-grows rapidly. With potent active materials that need only be collected from the sea in small amounts, suppliers always look for ways of culturing organisms rather than wild harvesting. Where materials must be harvested in tonne quantities, it is agreed that carrying out sustainable management is paramount. FMC BioPolymers is one company that harvests tonnes of brown seaweed from both warm and cold waters around the world and in return provides economic development in coastal areas. They know sound stewardship is essential for maintaining an enduring supply. They promote sustainable and regulated seaweed harvests. For example, FMC BioPolymers’ Norwegian fleet of trawlers harvests the alginate that grows in great abundance under the icy coastal waters. They adhere to a prescribed sustainable management scheme working with the full cooperation of the Norwegian government. The seaweed grows to maturity in five-year cycles. The beds of brown seaweed off Norway’s coast are divided into more than 400 fields. The crop is carefully harvested by field, to allow re-growth and specially designed rakes pull mature plants off the ocean floor while leaving young plants to repopulate the area. Similar managed harvests take place in Iceland, Morocco
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