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Scientists Discover New Skincare Ingredient to Brighten Skin and Reduce Wrinkles

Researchers have uncovered that certain molecules produced by bacteria residing in fish intestines may offer promising skin-enhancing properties, including anti-wrinkle and skin-brightening effects. This discovery could represent a novel addition to cosmetic formulations.

Skincare and beauty products often contain unconventional components. A well-known example is snail mucin, or slime, valued for its hydrating and antioxidant properties.

Yet, a team of scientists, reporting in ACS Omega, may have identified an even more unusual source: bacteria within the digestive systems of fish. In laboratory tests using cultured cells, compounds derived from these microbes displayed skin-brightening and anti-aging benefits, hinting at their potential future role in cosmetics.

While fish intestines might seem an unlikely source for beauty ingredients, history shows that effective compounds are often found in unexpected places. The antibiotic penicillin, for example, was famously discovered in a moldy petri dish. More recently, Marizomib, a promising medicines candidate for brain cancer, was isolated from deep-sea microorganisms.

Marine Life as a Reservoir of New Compounds

The gut bacteria of two fish species, the red seabream and the blackhead seabream, found in the western Pacific Ocean, may hold the key to novel cosmetic ingredients. Although identified in 1992 and 2016, respectively, these microbes had not been closely examined for their biochemical products. Scientists Hyo-Jong Lee and Chung Sub Kim sought to explore whether the bacteria might produce compounds with potential skincare applications.

Their research identified 22 distinct molecules produced by the gut bacteria of these fish. They proceeded to test the ability of each compound to inhibit the activity of tyrosinase and collagenase enzymes in cultured mouse cells.

(Tyrosinase plays a role in melanin production, which can lead to skin discoloration as we age, while collagenase breaks down collagen, leading to wrinkles.) Three specific molecules from the bacteria of the red seabream proved particularly effective at inhibiting both enzymes without harming the cells, making them strong candidates for future anti-aging and brightening skincare formulations.

study Reference: skincare brighten skin reduce wrinkles

“Collagenase and Tyrosinase Inhibitory Compounds from Fish Gut Bacteria Ruegeria atlantica and Pseudoalteromonas neustonica” by Jonghwan Kim, Su Jung Hwang, Gyu Sung Lee, Ju Ryeong Lee, Hye In An, Hong Sik Im, Minji Kim, Sang-Seob Lee, Hyo-Jong Lee, and Chung Sub Kim, 29 July 2024, ACS Omega.
DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c09585

The research was funded by the Marine Biotechnology Program of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, the National Research Foundation of Korea, the Technology Development Program of the Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises and Startups, Sungkyunkwan University, and the BK21 FOUR program of the Ministry of Education of Korea.