Bioactive fucoidan fractions as cosmetic ingredients

In clinical trials, the protective and soothing activity of 0.3% w/v preparations of each of the Maritech products was assessed. Both products were clinically proven to be highly effective at protection and soothing as measured by erythema and transepithelial water loss after solar stimulation. Maritech Reverse was assessed for elasticity and wrinkle depth in older Caucasian women, and demonstrated an increase in elasticity and decrease in wrinkle depth, roughness and redness. Clinical studies on wrinkles and lightening will be discussed.

In vitro tests demonstrate potent antioxidant, antibacterial and anti-ageing properties of these unique extracts. Together, these properties place Maritech Bright and Maritech Reverse as highly effective clinically proven speciality ingredients.

Marine macroalgae or ‘seaweeds’ are recognised in the cosmetic world as ‘spa treatment ingredients’. They contain a variety of extractable polysaccharides, some of which are known commercial food ingredients. These include gelling polysaccharides such as carrageenans (from red macroalgae) and alginates (from brown macroalgae). Fucoidans are a class of non-gelling, sulphated polysaccharides found only in brown macroalgae and echinoderms.^1,2 Their sugar backbone composition, structure and sulphation patterns differ according to their origin and the extraction techniques used. The common feature is a high content of the backbone sugar ‘fucose’. The well known Japanese seaweed ‘wakame’ (Undaria pinnatifida) yields a fucoidan with a high ratio of the sugar ‘galactose’ and is acetylated. The northern hemisphere ‘bladderwrack’ (Fucus vesiculosus) yields a fucoidan with a very high fucose content, which is not acetylated. Both fucoidans are of high molecular weight, highly branched, and heterodisperse.