ENERGIZING. Sea minerals. V04-05/

Transcription

1 ENERGIZING Sea minerals V04-05/

2 Sea Minerals Sea minerals is an extract composed of a blend of algae, mainly Fucus vesiculosus, and sea salt. COMPOSITION 1. FUCUS Botany Fucus vesiculosus L. Common name fucus. This seaweed belongs to the Fucaceae family. This brownish-green seaweed has a typical thin, branched and coriaceous thallus. Fucus is a member of the brown algae, Phaeophyceae, in which the green color of chlorophyll is masked by brown-colored pigments. The thallus is cm wide and up to 1m long; the woody fronds have thick midribs and are forked at the tips. Reproductive structures occur at the tips of the fronds. Wild fucus is widely spread in the shallow waters of the northeastern Atlantic rocky coasts, mainly in the English Channel, Baltic Sea, North Sea and Britain and also in the eastern coasts of the United States. This seaweed covers large surfaces of certain Atlantic regions known as the Sargasso Sea. V04-05/

3 Chemistry Mucilage Mainly alginic acid (alginate), which accounts for almost 40% total weight and can be found as calcium, magnesium or sodium salts. Alginic acid is a lineal polymer composed of two uronic acids: D-mannuronic and L-guluronic acid, whose monomers are linked by β-(1 4) bonds. These acids form homogeneous poly-m or poly-g blocks, separated by zones in which both alternate (G-M-G-M). Fig.1. Structure of alginic acid. Soluble glucosans Up to 60%. Laminarin and fucoidin (fucoidan). The former compound can be found in two different forms: soluble and non-soluble, both composed of 1-3 linked D-glucose units. Fucoidin is a water-soluble, viscous reserve carbohydrate, composed of l-fucose units with α-1-2 bonds and sulfur esters in C4. Oligoelements and mineral salts Mineral salts (13-23%) including iodine in the form of inorganic salts and bond to proteins and lipids. This plant also contains large proportions of sodium and potassium chloride as well as smaller proportions of chloride, bromine, magnesium, calcium, iron and silicon. Other active principles Carotenoids (β-carotene, zeaxanthin, fucoxanthin, neofucoxanthin, violaxanthin and lutein), vitamin C, vitamins of the B1 and B12 types, phenols (floroglucinol and derivatives), acrylic acid, lipids (β-sitosterol, fucosterol, δ-5-avenasterol), polyphenols, proteins, peptides, amino acids, volatile oil, etc. V04-05/

4 Traditional uses This plant has been used since the ancient times. Plinius named it Quercus marina and used to prescribe it as an analgesic for painful joints. During the XVIII century it was much prized to treat cases of asthma. The species name vesiculosus refers to the typical air vesicles in the thallus of this seaweed. Fucus is often used as a dietary supplement for obesity and endocrinopathy, to treat gastroesophageal reflux, hiatal hernia, gastritis, as an anticoagulant and diuretic agent, in anti-cellulite gels and mesotherapy creams, to relief rheumatic pain, scrofuloderma, and to heal wounds. Sodium alginate is a highly stable colloid, often used as a suspension thickening and stabilizing agent in the pharmaceutical, food and textile industries, as well as to manufacture waxes and lubricants. 2. SEA SALT Botany Sea salt is produced by evaporating sea water in salt-marshes. Chemistry Sea salt has more oligoelements than refined salt. Sea salt is mainly composed of sodium chloride (NaCl.). It also contains water (up to 3%) and 2.5% of other salts (magnesium chloride, calcium chloride, magnesium sulfate, calcium sulfate and sodium sulfate). It also has trace elements. Traditional uses Salt is essential for the body to function properly. V04-05/

5 Salt can be used for more than thirteen thousand applications in different fields; some of the most important ones are: Human diet: Salt plays a major role in human diet and is also largely used for food preservation. Chemical Industry: Salt is essential for the production of glass, soap, plastic, paper, paints, oilcloth, cosmetics, medicines and batteries, chlorine, soda, water-treatment, petrochemistry. In medicine, salt is used as a natural treatment to relieve mouth and throat inflammations and nasal congestion. It is also used in baths as a tonic agent and to relieve bruises. COSMETIC PROPERTIES OF POLYPLANT Restoring activity on skin homeostasis Fucus alginates Low concentrations of monovalent cation alginates and magnesium alginates can be dissolved in water to form viscous colloidal solutions with pseudoplastic behavior. Progressive addition of divalent cations (calcium) results in the formation of an elastic, nonthermo-reversible gel. Glucuronic segments with a folded conformation retain calcium ions by coordination, in co-operation with a parallel chain. Such egg-box like structure is periodically repeated, thus forming a three-dimensional net with organized zones linked by poly-m or poly (M-G) segments. The structure of this polymer is thus, the major factor in the rheological behavior of alginic acid gels; the proportion and the length of the poly-g blocks determine the formation and the strength of gels produced in the presence of calcium. Alginates are much prized in the cosmetic industry because of their filmogenic, soothing and moisturizing properties and because of their ability to yield preparations, which can be easily extended on the skin and have a pleasant feel (Bruneton, J., 2001). V04-05/

6 Fucus and sea salt ions In spite of the scarce information about their distributions and concentrations in the skin, ions are known to participate in processes such as cell proliferation and differentiation, barrier function, skin homeostasis and skin moisturizing. Sodium: This is the most abundant cation in the extracellular fluid. It is the basis of extracellular osmolarity and consequently, of extracellular volume. Calcium: It has been demonstrated that extracellular calcium regulates keratinocyte growth and differentiation. Calcium is involved in processes such as building and repairing lipid membranes in the horny layer and skin desquamation either through its participation in desmosome formation or through its inhibitory effects on proteolytic enzymes in the horny layer. Magnesium: Magnesium is involved in a number of systems related to ATP metabolism and to the synthesis of carbohydrates, lipids, proteins and nucleic acids. It plays an essential role in the homeostasis of a number of organs, particularly during tissue repair processes in wound healing. Probably, it is involved in enzyme activation leading to the transfer of a phosphate from or to ATP, and acts as an enzymatic substrate (Lansdown, A.B.G., 1995). Skin homeostasis mechanisms are the auto-regulatory phenomena that maintain constant composition and properties of the intracellular and extracellular environments in the epidermis. Both water and ionic balance are essential for the homeostasis mechanisms to function properly: Water provides the medium for metabolic processes to take place Ions concentration and distribution in the different skin layers determine the fluid movements between the intracellular and extracellular compartments, the maintenance of membrane electrochemical potential, and the starting or termination of a number of cell processes. Besides improving skin moisturizing, the ions-driven fluid movements between intracellular and the extracellular compartments also improve blood microcirculation, which in turn provides brightness and fresh color to the skin. Therefore, Sea minerals is recommended to formulate cosmetic products aimed at moisturizing the skin and restoring skin brightness and fresh color. V04-05/

7 Anti-inflammatory activity The polysaccharides from fucus aqueous extract showed bioadhesiveness effects in ex-vivo assays using porcine mouth membranes, which were equivalent to those of Calendula officinalis polysaccharides and higher than those of Althaea officinalis, Plantago lanceolata, Tilia cordata and Malva moschata. This finding supports the use of the mucilage properties of hydrocolloidal polysaccharides, such as those extracted from fucus, on irritated or swollen mouth mucosa (Alonso, J., 2004). Some studies have shown that fucoidan is able to inhibit the inflammatory cascade effects, which usually lead to allergy and tissue damage. Therefore, Sea minerals is recommendable to formulate cosmetic products with anti-irritant activity. Anti-aging activity Applications on human cheeks of a gel formulation including 1% fucus aqueous extract (twice daily for five weeks) was found to reduce skin thickness and to improve skin elasticity. These results suggested that the extract possessed anti-aging activities beneficial for aged skin (Fujimura et al., 2002). Fucoidan was found to promote contraction and granulation in fibroblast-populated collagen gels. This result evidenced the epithelizing properties of this seaweed (Alonso, 2004). V04-05/

8 Rupérez et al. (2002) studied the antioxidant capacity of F. vesiculosus. Their results showed that sulfated polysaccharides from this seaweed could be used as natural antioxidants. Therefore, Sea minerals is recommended to formulate cosmetic products with anti-ageing activity. Finally, we would like to mention that the reference publication Plants in cosmetics. Vol. I (Council of Europe, 1994) includes a monograph on the dry hydroalcoholic extract and the glycolic extract of Fucus vesiculosus thallus, where the following cosmetic effects are attributed to them: calming, soothing, emollient up to 1% of the dry extract up to 10% of the glycolic extract in slimming products (bath and shower gel, cream). Body massage cream. other possible effects: stimulating, anti-rheumatism, anti-arthritis, anti-obesity, emollient COSMETIC PROPERTIES Action Active Cosmetic Applications Homeostasis Mucilage (alginates) Ions Moisturizing Tonifying Stimulating Anti-inflammatory Polysaccharides Anti-irritant Anti-ageing Polysaccharides Anti-ageing Epithelizing Antioxidant RECOMMENDED DOSE The recommended dose is between 0.5% and 5.0%. V04-05/

9 BIBLIOGRAPHY Fucus Alonso, J. Tratado de Fitofármacos y Nutracéuticos. Barcelona: Corpus, 2004, p: (633.8 ALO). Benaiges, A. Celulitis. Evolución y tratamiento. Offarm, 2006; 25 (4): Bruneton J. Farmacognosia. Zaragoza: Ed. Acribia, 2001; p: (651*1 BRU). Council of Europe. Plants preparations used as ingredients of cosmetic products. Strasbourg Cedex: Council of Europe Publishing, 1994; p: (61*8 PAT). Fujimura, T. Tsukahara, K., Moriwaki, S., Kitahara, T., Sano, T, Tatema, Y. Treatment of human skin with an extracto f Fucus vesiculosus changes thickness and mechanical properties. J. Cosmet. Sci, 2002; 53 (1-9):1-9 (ref. 5087). Le Tutour, B., Benslimane, F., Gouleau, M.P., Gouygou, J.P., Saldan, B., Quemeneur, F. Antioxidant and prooxidant activities of the brown algae, Laminaria digitata, Hiimanthalia elongate, Fucus vesiculosus, Fucus serratus and Ascophyllum nodosum. Journal of Applied Phycology, 1998; 10: (ref. 5487). Rupérez, P., Ahrazem, O., Leal, A. Potential Antioxidant Capacity of Sulfated Polysaccharides from the Edible Marine Brown Seaweed Fucus vesiculosus. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2002; 50: (ref. 7371). Web sites: [accessed December 2006]. Sea salt Denda M. Skin barrier function as a self-organizing system. Forma 2000; 15: (ref. 5580). V04-05/

10 Denda M, et al. A mixture of magnesium and calcium salts accelerates skin barrier recovery and improves surfactant-induced dry skin IFSCC International Conference Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.: Denda M et al. Negative electric potential induces alteration of ion gradient and lamellar body secretion in the epidermis, and accelerates skin barrier recovery after barrier disruption. J Invest Dermatol 2002; 118:65-75 (ref. 5136). Elias PM, et al. Coordinate regulation of epidermal differentiation and barrier homeostasis. Skin Pharmacol Appl skin Physiol 2001; 14 (suppl 1): Gopinathan K et al. Ionic calcium reservoirs in mammalian epidermis: ultrastructural localization by ioncapture cytochemistry. The Journal of Investigative Dermatology 1985; 84: (ref. 5577). Helm TN, et al. Sports dermatology. Clinics in Dermatology 1998; 16: (ref. 5599). Lansdow A. Physiological and toxicologycal changes in the skin resulting from the action and interaction of metal ions. Critical Reviews in Toxicology 1995; 35(5): (ref. 3227). Lee SH, et al. Calcium and potassium are important regulators of barrier homeostasis in murine epidermis. J Clin. Invest. 1992; 89: (ref. 5581). Mauro T, et al. Keratinocyte K + channels mediate Ca 2+ -induced differentiation. J Invest Dermatol 1997; 108: (ref. 5075). Mauro T, et al. Acute barrier perturbation abolishes the Ca 2+ and K + gradients in murine epidermis: quantitative measurement using PIXE. J invest Dermatol 1998; 111: (ref. 5583). Mordecai P, et al. Sodium/calcium exchange: its physiological implications. Physiological Reviews 1999; 79 (3): (ref. 5723). Warner RR, et al. Electron probe analysis of human skin element concentration profiles. The Journal of Investigative Dermatology 1988; 90 (1):78-85 (ref. 5562). Warner RR. The distribution and function of physiological elements in skin in Dry skin and moisturizers. Chemistry and function. Boca Raton: CRC, 1999; V04-05/

11 Web sites: [accessed December 2006]. V04-05/

12 PROVITAL. S.A. Pol. Ind. Can Salvatella Gorgs Lladó, Barberà del Vallès Barcelona (España) Tel. (+34) V04-05/