Saclipins in A. sacrum Show Potential in Skincare: Study

A 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, say researchers.

In 2023, Professor Hakuto Kageyama, Dean of the Graduate School of Environmental and Human Sciences at Meijo University in Japan, and colleagues discovered saclipins in A. sacrum. The saclipins showed unique characteristics—UV-absorbing capacity and anti-aging properties like antioxidative and antiglycative activities.

Prof. Kageyama, along with Yoshie Uchida and Masaki Honda (Meijo University) and Rungaroon Waditee-Sirisattha (Chulalongkorn University in Thailand), carried out further study this year to assess the anti-aging properties of the saclipins.

In this new 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,” explained 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.

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, say researchers. 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 fresh, the team found.

“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,” noted Kageyam.