Marine actives: taking care in way forward

Now there is an additional word: “Preserve”. The sea is not an inexhaustible source of beauty. Highly technical marine ingredients must be harvested in strict compliance with a controlled management programme for natural resources.

Observe: samphire is associated with a scientific discovery
The first aim of the Codif research laboratories is to observe the sophisticated adaptive systems developed by algae or coastal plants to survive in specific conditions. This first observational stage often generates new perspectives for cosmetic applications as with samphire and the discovery of Aquaporin 8 in the epidermis. Samphire is a perennial coastal plant that has developed extraordinary adaptive capacities linked to the presence of water and ammonium ion transporters known as gamma-TIP (Tonoplast Intrinsic Protein) which play a fundamental role in protection against dehydration and the high salt levels to which it is subjected on a daily basis.1 The gamma-TIP found in Salicornia herbacea has been extensively studied: it is a water channel, involved in salt tolerance, whose sequence presents a strong similarity with that of human Aquaporin 8 (AQP8).2 AQP8, which up to now was less well known than its homologue AQP3, is an ammonium ion transporter,3 the latter being an essential precursor for the synthesis of urea. In 2007, Codif demonstrated their presence, for the first time, in human epidermis. The cutaneous expression is therefore a major discovery and has a central role in urea metabolism and thus the moisturising mechanisms of the skin. The company took inspiration from the properties of samphire and developed a samphire oil (Hydrasalinol) capable of stimulating the synthesis of AQP8 in the epidermis, and increasing the urea content of the NMF. The mini-chip technique was used to demonstrate the expression of AQP8 mRNAs in normal cultured human epidermal cells, and in reconstituted human epidermises. The presence of the AQP8 protein was demonstrated in the epidermis of human skin and in reconstituted cultured human epidermises, using immunohistochemical imaging with a specific AQP8 antibody. AQP8 is expressed in the basal layer of cell membranes and in the cytoplasm of supra-basal cells. A more precise immuno-localisation of AQP8 was obtained in epidermises using confocal microscopy (Fig. 1). It has also been detected in cultured keratinocytes. Hydrasalinol, at a concentration of 1%, has been shown to stimulate the synthesis of AQP8 by 198% and that of AQP3 by 43%. These results suggest an enrichment of the urea content of the NMF, but also an optimisation of water within the various layers of the epidermis, via the stimulation of AQP3 Aquaporins.

Preserve: an exclusive nursery and algal culture programme for Dictyopteris membranacea
Brittany has 700 km of coastline bordered by waters of a very high quality. It is the richest region in the world in terms of algal biodiversity, and is also the biggest European reservoir. It is therefore essential to take this richness and diversity into account during the development of a cosmetic extract. The use of algal cultures alleviates the difficulties of harvesting certain algae that can only be collected by divers, and also increases the access to biodiversity without exhausting natural reserves. With this in mind, Codif has developed an exclusive algal culture programme on a 70 hectare marine leasehold site in a protected zone at the mouth of the Rance river. The culture of Dictyopteris membranacea is a prime example of work conducted. Dictyopteris membranacea is a brown alga from the European Atlantic coast from the Dictyoptal family. The difficulty of harvesting by diving, its dispersion in the Channel and the protection of the species in the Mediterranean, have prompted researchers at the company to develop culture methods at sea to provide a regular supply without depleting the natural resources. The algae, which are initially harvested in the “wild”, are placed in hatcheries, where they emit spores that ensure their durability (Fig. 2a). The germination stage gives rise to small algae that are then transferred to the open sea in culture zones on rope lines (Fig. 2b). One year after the nursery stage, the algae are harvested for extraction. The aromatic fragrance of Dictyopteris membranacea is very characteristic and gives certain bays (Hawaii) a marine odour due to the presence of dictyopterene-type pheromones. An oily extract of Dictyopteris has been developed, exploiting the characteristics of dictyopterenes to produce a volumising effect on the lips and breasts.