Biotechnological Approaches to Producing Natural Antioxidants: Anti-Ageing and Skin Longevity Prospects

Plants are the main source of bioactive compounds that can be used for the formulation of cosmetic products. Plant extracts have numerous proven health benefits, among which are anti-ageing and skin-care properties. However, with the increased demand for plant-derived cosmetic products, there is a crucial prerequisite for establishing alternative approaches to conventional methods to ensure sufficient biomass for sustainable production. Plant tissue culture techniques, such as in vitro root cultures, micropropagation, or callogenesis, offer the possibility to produce considerable amounts of bioactive compounds independent of external factors that may influence their production. This production can also be significantly increased with the implementation of other biotechnological approaches such as elicitation, metabolic engineering, precursor and/or nutrient feeding, immobilization, and permeabilization. This work aimed to evaluate the potential of biotechnological tools for producing bioactive compounds, with a focus on bioactive compounds with anti-ageing properties, which can be used for the development of green-label cosmeceutical products. In addition, some examples demonstrating the use of plant tissue culture techniques to produce high-value bioactive ingredients for cosmeceutical applications are also addressed, showing the importance of these tools and approaches for the sustainable production of plant-derived cosmetic products

Antiproliferative Effects of Withanolides from

Extracts of Withania adpressa Coss. (Solanaceae), a medicinal plant endemic to Moroccan Sahara, were tested for their cytotoxicity towards a panel of cancer cell lines (Hep2, HT29, RD, Vero and MDCK), using the (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) [MTT assay, Sigma-Aldrich]. The bioassay-guided fractionation of this plant extracts results a novel withanolide 14α,15α,17$\beta$,20β-tetrahydroxy-1-oxo-(22R)-witha-2,5,24-trienolide and the already identified withanolides F and J extract, semi-purified fractions and pure compounds exhibits potent cytotoxicity against human cancer cell lines tested, in dose-dependant manner. Morphological features of treated Hep2 cells with the novel withanolide and characteristic DNA fragmentation revealed that the cytotoxicity was due to induction of apoptosis. Taken together, the results suggest that withanolides from W. adpressa Coss. hold potential as antiproliferative agents

Seaweed extracts as promising biostimulants for enhancing lead tolerance and accumulation in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)

Aqueous seaweed extracts are a biological product which have beneficial effects on plant growth as well as improving their resistance to several biotic and abiotic stresses. This work aimed to evaluate the effect of aqueous extracts of three seaweeds Fucus spiralis, Cystoseira ericoides (Phaeophyceae) and Ulva lactuca (Chlorophyceae) harvested from Atlantic coast of Rabat region in Morocco, on lead (Pb) tolerance and accumulation in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) plants. Aqueous extracts were obtained by the combination of 2 extraction processes, ultrasonication and heating. The brown seaweeds F. spiralis and C. ericoides extracts had good antioxidant activity in the DPPH assay. The growth and physiological parameters were compared between Solanum lycopersicum seedlings grown in hydroponic conditions at 0 and 100 μmol Pb with or without 4% seaweed extract. The F. spiralis and C. ericoides extracts significantly increased the aboveground parts and roots biomass compared to control plants treated with Pb alone. In Pb stress conditions, these seaweed extracts enhanced the plant’s tolerance with a reduction of anthocyanin and proline content. F. spiralis extract treatment led to a significant Pb accumulation in aboveground parts of the plant. The effect of U. lactuca extract on tomato plants biomass, anthocyanin and proline was not significant. The study demonstrated that the aqueous extracts of F. spiralis and C. ericoides improved the plant response to heavy metals stress, highlighting the potential use of these seaweeds in phytoremediation processes