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Silk sericin as a moisturizer: An in vivo study
Abstract
Excessive transepidermal water loss (TEWL) is the one of the causes of dry skin, and skin moisturizers have been used to overcome it.
The purpose of this research was to study the moisturizing effect of sericin, a silk protein. Because silk sericin has resemblance with the natural moisturizing factor (NMF), it has been studied for its application in skin cosmetics.
Sericin gels were prepared using sericin solution and with pluronic and carbopol as stabilizers. The gels were applied on the skin of healthy human volunteers and its moisturizing efficiency was evaluated by measuring the skin hydroxyproline content, impedance, TEWL, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results.
Decrease in skin impedance, increase in hydroxyproline level, and hydration of epidermal cells revealed the moisturizing effect of sericin, whereas decrease in the value of TEWL may be attributed to occlusive effect, which prevents water loss from the upper layer of the skin. Skin surface topography revealed the smoothness of the upper layer of the skin as a result of moisturization.
Increase in the intrinsic moisturization of skin by sericin may be attributed to restoration of the amino acids and its occlusive effect. Thus, it would become a promising and important moisturizing ingredient in moisturizing formulations.
... The secondary structure of proteins includes β-sheet structures [40,41]. Sericin extracted using hot water has a lower quantity of β-sheet structure due to decreased hydrogen bonding between sericin and fibroin as well as reduced coupling [40,41]. ...
... The secondary structure of proteins includes β-sheet structures [40,41]. Sericin extracted using hot water has a lower quantity of β-sheet structure due to decreased hydrogen bonding between sericin and fibroin as well as reduced coupling [40,41]. Due to its insolubility in hot water, the sericin that is most closely bonded to fibroin exhibits a higher proportion of the β-sheet structure than other groups of sericin [41]. ...
... Sericin extracted using hot water has a lower quantity of β-sheet structure due to decreased hydrogen bonding between sericin and fibroin as well as reduced coupling [40,41]. Due to its insolubility in hot water, the sericin that is most closely bonded to fibroin exhibits a higher proportion of the β-sheet structure than other groups of sericin [41]. The process of extraction with Na 2 CO 3 contributes to denaturation of the β-sheet structure in the secondary protein structure and facilitates water permeation inside the silk cocoon and, thereby, the removal of sericin [40,41]. ...
There is growing concern about the use of plastic in packaging for food materials, as this results in increased plastic waste materials in the environment. To counter this, alternative sources of packaging materials that are natural and based on eco-friendly materials and proteins have been widely investigated for their potential application in food packaging and other industries of the food sector. Sericin, a silk protein that is usually discarded in large quantities by the sericulture and textile industries during the degumming process of manufacturing silk from silk cocoons, can be explored for its application in food packaging and in other food sectors as a functional food and component of food items. Hence, its repurposing can result in reduced economic costs and environmental waste. Sericin extracted from silk cocoon possesses several useful amino acids, such as aspartic acid, glycine, and serine. Likewise, sericin is strongly hydrophilic, a property that confers effective biological and biocompatible characteristics, including antibacterial, antioxidant, anticancer, and anti-tyrosinase properties. When used in combination with other biomaterials, sericin has proved to be effective in the manufacture of films or coating or packaging materials. In this review, the characteristics of sericin materials and their potential application in food-sector industries are discussed in detail.
... The study in the laboratory disclosed the action of sericin to lessen the resistance and increase in the hydration level and hydroxyproline of the epidermal cells and the moisturizing nature of sericin on human skin and [96]. The occlusive effect of sericin was accredited due to increase in hydration, which averted the trans epidermal water loss, accountable for dehydration of skin. ...
... The skin treated with sericin having high level of hydroxylproline as compared to the skin treated with distilled water. The hydration level increased when sericin gel applied to the skin [96]. Xerostomia, also known as dry mouth, which is associated with hypofunction of the salivary glands or don't make enough saliva to keep the mouth wet. ...
The sericin is a byproduct which is obtained from silk industries. Mainly Bombyx mori is responsible for the synthesis of sericin. Sericin is proteinaceous in nature and is biodegradable. The two major components of silk i.e., fibroin and sericin have to be removed from raw silk to give it a luster or shine by degumming process. Silk sericin and its nutritive value has now been known to everyone in China and Japan. Many uses of sericin like pharmaceutical uses, textile -based uses, use in cosmetics has now been explored in India but the use of sericin as dietary supplement is not still discovered. Tons of silk has been produced in India and the degummed water goes as waste which can be used. Nanotechnological discoveries of sericin have given foremost advances in the field of biomedicine and tissue engineering, with special consideration the applications of a natural product for the enhancement of new pharmaceutical formulations and biomaterials. Sericin conjugated nano formulation are a vast example of nanotechnological tools applied to the blueprint of an biocompatible, economically viable, and biodegradable compound as well as its use as nanomedicine. The aim of this review is to highlight the application of sericin in different fields like in biomedical, food additives and the nano formulation of silk sericin.
... The extraction methods for these preparations were WaterSS and AlkaliSS. Padamwar et al. (2005) evaluated the effects of sericin gel on the skin in healthy volunteers. The results showed that the hydration of sericin gel-treated skin was significantly higher than that of normal skin, while there was no significant difference between gel base-treated skin and normal skin. ...
... Sericin was formulated in the form of gel and its performance was evaluated on healthy human volunteers. The sericin gel showed skin moisturization effects, including increase in hydroxyproline content, lower skin impedance, and reducing water evaporation (Padamwar et al. 2005). ...
Sericin is a natural product from the silkworm. Sericin is one of the major protein components in the cocoons of Lepidopteron insects. The microstructure of silk gland sericin has been observed in silkworm. The molecular mass of sericin has been observed using sodium dodecyl sulfate and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Cocoon sericin could be separated into three layers based on its solubility properties from extraction methods such as temperature, pressure, urea, acid, or alkali solution. The amino acid composition of sericin has been reported from parts of silkworms and cocoons, including the silk gland, cocoon, floss, and peduncle. Sericin proteins are translated from sericin genes, which are produced from MSG cells. These genes have a specific purpose for their localization. The secondary structure of sericin has been observed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. It has been reported that the silkworm species and isolation method affected to the sericin structure.
... Accordingly, sericin has been used in cosmetics [59]. When a sericin gel is applied to the skin, the hydration level is increased [98]. Sericin treated skin shows a higher level of hydroxylproline than skin treated with distilled water [98]. ...
... When a sericin gel is applied to the skin, the hydration level is increased [98]. Sericin treated skin shows a higher level of hydroxylproline than skin treated with distilled water [98]. Many elderly people suffer from xerostomia. ...
Sericin is a 10-to-400 kDa hydrophilic protein with high serine content and is a silk constituent together with fibroin. It is produced in the middle silk gland of the silkworm and encoded by four sericin genes. The molecular weight of sericin and its biological activity vary depending on the extraction method employed. Its chemical structure, in terms of random coil and β-sheet conformations, also differs with the extraction method, thereby extending its applications in various fields. Sericin, which was discarded in the textile industry in the past, is being applied and developed in the biomedical field, owing to its biological properties. In particular, many studies are underway in the field of tissue engineering, evaluating its applicability in burn dressing, drug delivery, bone regeneration, cartilage regeneration, and nerve regeneration.
... These groups can crosslink, copolymerize and also be combined with other polymers [15] . Likewise, this protein is composed of 45.8% of hydroxy amino acids, 42.3% of polar amino acids and 12.2% of nonpolar amino acids [16] , the highest proportion being serine, aspartic acid, glycine and threonine [17] . SS is composed of 70% hydrophilic amino acids, which confers the ability to be partially soluble and to absorb large amounts of water [18] . ...
... Some studies have mentioned that random coil structure easily changes to b-sheets, due to constant moisture absorption and mechanical stretch of the protein [17,28] . On the other hand, as temperature decreases, the random coils of sericin in solution are transformed into b-sheets [7] , decreasing its water solubility. ...
Silk sericin is a natural polymer produced by silkworm Bombyx mori; which has the function of covering the fibroin filaments so that they remain linked together as well as maintaining the structural integrity of the cocoon. Despite its properties and benefits, sericin is currently discarded during textile production as it is considered a side product of silk cocoons during the degumming process. Among the most important biological properties of sericin are good oxygen permeability, moisture-regulating capacity, resistance to UV radiation, ability to promotes cell growth, biocompatibility and mitogenic effect. All these characteristics make sericin a promising polymer to be used in biomedical applications, especially in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Some studies report that sericin favors the biological nature of keratinocytes and fibroblasts, potentializing it as a biomaterial for the repair of epithelial tissue, mainly utilized as wound dressing. Given the importance that sericin can have in the field of bioengineering, and that its use can favor the sericulture agroindustry, this manuscript reviews recent studies of this protein for its application in tissue engineering, specifically for cutaneous regeneration.
• Highlights
• Research on SS represents a promising and developing field.
• SS decreases cell adhesion and favors the proliferation of keratinocytes and fibroblasts.
• SS has been shown to have a mitogenic effect in some mammalian cells.
• SS can be crosslinked, copolymerized, and mixed with other polymers.
... Recently, because of the discovery of its unique properties as a biomaterial, sericin has attracted considerable attention for biomedical, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic applications [2]. The advantageous properties of sericin include its biodegradability [3], antioxidant effect [4], good wound-healing effect [5], good water retention [6], excellent cell adhesion and growth [7], reduction in oxidative stress of liver cells [8], and good UV light-blocking properties [9]. ...
Recently, nonwoven fabrics from natural silk have attracted considerable attention for biomedical and cosmetic applications because of their good mechanical properties and cytocompatibility. Although these fabrics can be easily fabricated using the binding character of sericin, the high cost of silk material may restrict its industrial use in certain areas. In this study, sericin was added as a binder to a cheaper material (wool) to prepare wool-based nonwoven fabrics and investigate the effect of the amount of sericin added on the structural characteristics and properties of the wool nonwoven fabric. It was found using SEM that sericin coated the surface of wool fibers and filled the space between them. With an increase in sericin addition, the porosity, moisture regain, and the contact angle of the sericin-coated wool nonwoven fabric decreased. The maximum stress and initial Young’s modulus of the nonwoven fabric increased with the increase in sericin amount up to 32.5%, and decreased with a further increase in the amount of sericin. Elongation at the end steadily decreased with the increase in sericin addition. All of the nonwoven fabrics showed good cytocompatibility, which increased with the amount of sericin added. These results indicate that sericin-coated wool-based nonwoven fabrics may be successfully prepared by adding sericin to wool fibers, and that the properties of these fabrics may be diversely controlled by altering the amount of sericin added, making them promising candidates for biomedical and cosmetic applications.
... The application of sericin-based lotions is known to heal and soothe the skin through their moisturising action (Patel and Modasiya 2011). Sericin can easily saturate into human skin and revitalize dead cells (Padamwar et al., 2005). The water absorbing properties of sericin promotes its use in the development of contact lenses and artificial skin. ...
... The application of sericin-based lotions is known to heal and soothe the skin through their moisturising action (Patel and Modasiya 2011). Sericin can easily saturate into human skin and revitalize dead cells (Padamwar et al., 2005). The water absorbing properties of sericin promotes its use in the development of contact lenses and artificial skin. ...
... The recently reported useful properties of sericin have garnered the attention of researchers involved in biomedical and cosmetic fields. Sericin exhibits a good wound-healing effect [3], good water retention [4], antioxidant effects [5,6], antibacterial properties [7][8][9], and functions as a good ultraviolet light block [10]. Consequently, several studies have focused on sericin for various cosmetic and biomedical applications, including wound dressing [11], tissue engineering scaffolds [12], and mask packs [13][14][15][16]. ...
Silk sericin has garnered the attention of researchers as a promising biomaterial because of its good biocompatibility and high water retention. However, despite its useful properties, the poor storage stability of sericin has restricted its extensive use in biorelated applications. This study extracted sericin from silkworm cocoon, dried and stored it as a solid, and then dissolved it in hot water conditions to improve the storage stability of sericin for its use. The dissolution behavior of the extracted sericin solids was examined in conjunction with the structural characteristics and properties of dissolved sericin. Consequently, the results of solution viscosity, gel strength, crystallinity index, and thermal decomposition temperature indicated that the molecular weight (MW) of the dissolved sericin remained constant until a dissolution time of 5 min, following which deterioration was observed. The optimum condition of dissolution of the extracted sericin solid was 5 min at 90 °C. Conclusively, the extracted sericin could be stored in a dry state and dissolved to prepare redissolved sericin aqueous solution with the same MW as extracted sericin, thereby improving the storage stability of the sericin aqueous solution.
... For instance, Setoyama reported that the yellowing index of silk increases with increasing temperature because of the loss of hydroxyl amino acids due to the application of heat [61]. Particularly, silk sericin has higher amounts of hydroxyl amino acids, including serine (32%), aspartic acid (16.8%), and threonine (8%), as compared to silk fibroin [62,63]. This explains the increase in the yellowness index of fabrics with increasing sericin content in Figure 2. ...
Recently, natural silk nonwoven fabrics have attracted attention in biomedical and cosmetic applications because of their excellent biocompatibility, mechanical properties, and easy preparation. Herein, silk nonwoven fabrics were prepared by carding silk filaments to improve their productivity, and the effect of sericin content on the structure and properties of silk nonwoven fabrics was investigated. Owing to the binding effect of sericin in silk, a natural silk nonwoven fabric was successfully prepared through carding, wetting, and hot press treatments. Sericin content affected the structural characteristics and properties of the silk nonwoven fabrics. As the sericin content increased, the silk nonwoven fabrics became more compact with reduced porosity and thickness. Further, with increasing sericin content, the crystallinity and elongation of the silk nonwoven fabrics decreased while the moisture regain and the maximum stress increased. The thermal stability of most silk nonwoven fabrics was not affected by the sericin content. However, silk nonwoven fabrics without sericin had a lower thermal decomposition temperature than other nonwoven fabrics. Regardless of the sericin content, all silk nonwoven fabrics exhibited optimal cell viability and are promising candidates for cosmetic and biomedical applications.
... SER SER gel was used as Skin moisturizer, preventing water loss from upper layer of skin, [284] Coating and anti-frosting SER It could be implemented in art pigments and in maintaining the surfaces of antiques. ...
Silks are natural polymers that have been widely used for centuries. Silk consists of a filament core protein, termed fibroin, and a glue-like coating substance formed of sericin (SER) proteins. This protein is extracted from the silkworm cocoons (particularly Bombyx mori) and is mainly composed of amino acids like glycine, serine, aspartic acid, and threonine. Silk SER can be obtained using numerous methods, including enzymatic extraction, high-temperature, autoclaving, ethanol precipitation, cross-linking, and utilizing acidic, alkali, or neutral aqueous solutions. Given the versatility and outstanding properties of SER, it is widely fabricated to produce sponges, films, and hydrogels for further use in diverse biomedical applications. Hence, many authors reported that SER benefits cell proliferation, tissue engineering, and skin tissue restoration thanks to its moisturizing features, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and mitogenic effect on mammalian cells. Remarkably, SER is used in drug delivery depending on its chemical reactivity and pH-responsiveness. These unique features of SER enhance the bioactivity of drugs, facilitating the fabrication of biomedical materials at nano- and microscales, hydrogels, and conjugated molecules. This review thoroughly outlines the extraction techniques, biological properties, and respective biomedical applications of SER.
... Sericin has attracted great attention in the field of cosmetics due to its natural biological activities, including moisturization, anti-oxidation, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties, its inhibition of tyrosinase, and polyphenol oxidase activities [64][65][66]. The antioxidant properties of sericin are closely related to its activities of scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS), inhibiting lipid peroxidation, and anti-tyrosinase and anti-elastase properties [67,68]. ...
Sericin, a fascinating natural biomaterial derived from silkworms, has received increasing interest in recent years for its unique bioactivity and high compatibility. Silkworms can be divided into wild-type or silk fibroin-deficient mutants according to whether they synthesize and secrete silk fibroin. Silk fibroin-deficient mutant silkworms and their cocoons are convenient for us to obtain diverse and high-quality sericin, which has been applicated in various fields such as cell culture, tissue engineering, drug delivery, and cosmetics. Here, we present an overview of our silkworm varieties resources, especially silk fibroin-deficient mutant silkworms. We optimized various extraction methods of sericin and summarized the characteristics and advantages of sericin. Finally, we developed and discussed a series of sericin-based biomaterials for promising applications for a diverse set of needs.
... It reported an increase in the flexibility and swelling capacity of biocompatible hydrogels [59]. Reports on silk sericin indicate that it is employed in the cosmetics industry as a moisturizer, component of hair products and anti-ageing agent [60,61]. Kitisin et al. (2013) reported an increase in type I collagen synthesis and nitrite suppression that could induce oxidative stress in fibroblasts treated with silk sericin [62]. ...
The term biopolymer refers to materials obtained by chemically modifying natural biological substances or producing them through biotechnological processes. They are biodegradable, biocompatible, and non-toxic. Due to these advantages, biopolymers have wide applications in conventional cosmetics and new trends and have emerged as essential ingredients that function as rheological modifiers, emulsifiers, film-formers, moisturizers, hydrators, antimicrobials, and, more recently, materials with metabolic activity on skin. Developing approaches that exploit these features is a challenge for formulating skin, hair, and oral care products and dermatological formulations. This article presents an overview of the use of the principal biopolymers used in cosmetic formulations and describes their sources, recently derived structures, novel applications, and safety aspects of the use of these molecules.
... Sericin and fibroin are two different proteins that can be isolated from silk cocoons of Bombyx mori [12,13]. Sericin is a hydrophilic protein that can be extracted using the degumming method. ...
Human placenta is loaded with an enormous amount of endogenous growth factors, thereby making it a superior biomaterial for tissue regeneration. Sericin is a naturally occurring silk protein that is extensively used for biomedical applications. In the present work, sericin and human placenta-derived extracellular matrix were blended and fabricated in the form of scaffolds using the freeze-drying method for cutaneous wound treatment. The prepared sericin/placenta-derived extracellular matrix (SPEM) scaffolds were characterized to determine their morphology, functional groups, mechanical strength, and antibacterial activity. Scanning electron microscopic analysis of the scaffolds showed smooth surfaces with interconnected pores. In vitro MTT and scratch wound assays performed using HaCaT cells proved the non-toxic and wound-healing efficacy of SPEM scaffolds. In vivo CAM assay using fertilized chick embryos proved the angiogenic potency of the scaffolds. Animal experiments using Wistar albino rats proved that the open excision wounds treated with SPEM scaffolds significantly reduced wound size with collagen deposition. These results confirm that SPEM scaffolds can serve as a promising biomaterial for tissue regeneration.
... Additionally, silk sericin with silk fibroin has been used in skin, hair and nail cosmetics. Sericin has also been used as cosmetic in the form of cream and ointment and has shown increased skin elasticity as well as anti-wrinkle and anti-aging effects (Joseph and Justin Raj 2012;Padamwar et al. 2005). ...
Silkworms are meant for primary silk production. They can be domesticated and are economically important. In addition to silk production, silkworms find a lot of applications in biological and scientific research. Recently, silkworm Bombyx mori silk has caught attention owing to its natural enormous production, excellent biocompatibility and unique mechanical properties. Silk production from the silk worm is very important; it can be domesticated and used for a variety of applications. In order to use the silk material, the assessment of their various properties is imperative. The present review focuses on the type, structure, physical, chemical and mechanical properties and applications of silkworm in various constituents in science, research and in engineering domain (surgical meshes and fabrics, clinical trials, wound healing, tissue engineering, therapeutic applications, industrial and engineering materials, electricity and optical devices). In addition, this article discusses the properties, possible use and research on silk materials, and further applications of the silkworm such as sericin and fibroin that play a role in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and medicinal usage.
... The method of isolation influences the solubility, molecular weight, and gelling properties of sericin. It has many uses in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, including wound curing, bioadhesive moisturizing, and anti-aging (Padamwar et al. 2005). ...
Scarcity and unavailability of water are major concerns that are growing rapidly across the continents, and it require sustainable solutions. Remediation of aquatic environments and reclamation of its water is a sustainable approach for generating clean drinking water. But the current water purification methods consume a high amount of energy and are rarely sustainable. In recent times, with the aid of cutting-edge technologies, protein-based biomaterials are used for the purification of water. These biomaterials are often affordable, green, and sustainable in nature leaving a minimum negative environmental footprint. In this chapter, we address in detail the types of protein-based biomaterials from collagen, keratin, elastin, and silk including their sources, isolation, biochemistry, and synthesis. Further, we have also emphasized the implications and prospects of these protein-based biomaterials in the remediation of the aquatic environment.
... The method of isolation influences the solubility, molecular weight, and gelling properties of sericin. It has many uses in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, including wound curing, bioadhesive moisturizing, and anti-aging (Padamwar et al. 2005). ...
The utilitarian convergence of electronics and biology has resulted in an exciting field known as Bioelectronics. However, this field mainly focuses on applications of organic electronic materials as they are compatible with biological systems. The primary constituents of bio-based materials or ‘Biomaterials’ are the materials derived from living matter, which are naturally present in our environment or can be synthesized chemically. A material can be qualified to be called a biomaterial if obtained via extensive processing, as a regular leather, wood, paper, etc., although these are bio-derived, should be avoided to be termed as a biomaterial. Bulk chemicals, platform chemicals, solvents, polymers, and bio-composites are some of the typical materials that are derived from biomass. These biomass-derived materials account for ~14% of the global bulk material production, while synthetic materials, predominantly produced from fossil-based feedstock, only account for a share of ~7%. Researchers are currently developing a technology to make biomaterials sustainable and to have a more substantial positive impact on the environment. In this chapter, we will focus on the ‘state-of-the-art’ technology developed in the use of bio-based material in bioelectronics. In the last decennary, research has focused on renewable alternatives to plastic in sustainable, recyclable bio-based material development to reduce environmental degradation. The progress in bioelectronics has been hampered primarily by the inefficiency of the available biomaterials in converting signals between the biotic and abiotic interfaces. Bio-based materials for electronic applications have been investigated mainly for exhibiting optoelectronic properties, also a novel soft matter for synthetic interfacing devices and in-vitro medical devices. In addition to this, bio-based polymers or biopolymers are also investigated and synthesized in various forms for various applications. In all, bio-based materials have shown a promising potential for applications in bioelectronics by exhibiting properties such as flexibility required for bendable electronic components, promising a biotic and abiotic interface, electronically active medical implants, and easy fabrication without any toxic effects.
... However, researchers demonstrated that the immunogenicity of the silk fiber is mainly due to the combination of SS with SF, although the mechanism responsible for initiating the immune response is not yet fully understood. 163 SS has been used in cosmetics for years due to its properties such as antioxidant, 164 moisturizing, 165 UV-protective potential, 166 and oxygen permeability. 167 For tissue engineering approaches, SSbiomaterials have been synthesized in various forms, such as hydrogels, 168 sponges, 169 films, 170 and inks. ...
Intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration (IDD) is the main contributor to chronic low back pain. To date, the present therapies mainly focus on treating the symptoms caused by IDD rather than addressing the problem itself. For this reason, researchers have searched for a suitable biomaterial to repair and/or regenerate the IVD. A promising candidate to fill this gap is silk, which has already been used as a biomaterial for many years. Therefore, this review aims first to elaborate on the different origins from which silk is harvested, the individual composition, and the characteristics of each silk type. Another goal is to enlighten why silk is so suitable as a biomaterial, discuss its functionalization, and how it could be used for tissue engineering purposes. The second part of this review aims to provide an overview of preclinical studies using silk‐based biomaterials to repair the inner region of the IVD, the nucleus pulposus (NP), and the IVD's outer area, the annulus fibrosus (AF). Since the NP and the AF differ fundamentally in their structure, different therapeutic approaches are required. Consequently, silk‐containing hydrogels have been used mainly to repair the NP, and silk‐based scaffolds have been used for the AF. Although most preclinical studies have shown promising results in IVD‐related repair and regeneration, their clinical transition is yet to come. For years, researchers have been seeking a suitable biomaterial to repair and/or regenerate the intervertebral disc (IVD) and a promising candidate to fill this gap could be the application of silk. Therefore, this review aims to elaborate on the different origins from which silk is harvested, the characteristics of each silk type and how it can be used for tissue engineering purposes. Moreover, the review provides an overview of preclinical studies that have used silk‐based biomaterials to repair the inner region of the IVD, the nucleus pulposus, as well as the IVD's outer region, the annulus fibrosus.
... This polypeptide consists of 18 amino acids, and it contains many hydrophilic amino acids such as serine and lysine in its structure [16]. Serine is the main amino acid found in the structure of sericin, and it is a natural moisture factor in human skin [17]. Therefore, sericin is used as an ingredient as moisture agents in various cosmetic products such as Temt®, Revital® and Kristida® [18]. ...
In this study, nanofiber surfaces were produced from a mixture of polyvinyl alcohol and silk sericin protein (PVA:SS) containing gelatin-coated silver nanoparticles (G-AgNPs) by electrospinning. For preparation of G-AgNPs, gelatin solution (1%, w/v) was mixed with 5 mM of AgNO3 solution and the mixture was heated and stirred for 2 h. AgNPs production has been observed with the brown color change that occurred in the solution. The absorbance of G-AgNPs was measured with a UV–Vis spectroscopy in the 300–700 nm range, and it was proved that AgNPs were formed with the surface plasmon resonance peak observed at 420 nm. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDS) analyses revealed that G-AgNPs were in spherical form and contained C, H, N, Ag elements in their structures, respectively. Antibacterial activity of the synthesized of G-AgNPs was shown with agar well diffusion test against to Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. In the second stage of the study, PVA:SS solutions were turned into nanofibers by electrospinning at certain conditions. G-AgNPs solutions were added in 3 different ratios of 10, 20 and 30% by volume to PVA:SS solutions, and these mixtures were turned into nanofibers with the same conditions. It has been shown by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analyses that the nanofiber surfaces obtained were composed of PVA:SS blend. The morphologies of nanofiber surfaces were investigated by FESEM analysis, and compared to PVA nanofibers collected alone, the fiber diameters of the groups containing PVA, sericin and G-AgNPs were found to be much lower. The presence of silver in nanofibers containing G-AgNPs was proven by EDS and X-ray fluorescence analyses. The thermal properties of nanofiber surfaces were investigated by thermogravimetric analysis, and it was observed that the thermal stability of nanofiber surfaces increased with the addition of sericin and G-AgNPs to PVA. Then, liquid medium tests were performed for finding the antibacterial activity of nanofiber surfaces containing various proportions of G-AgNPs on E. coli and S. aureus bacteria, and it was observed that nanofiber surfaces containing certain amounts of G-AgNPs inhibited the growth of both bacteria. It is thought that the functional and antibacterial surfaces obtained in the study will have the capacity to be used in many different areas such as wound dressing material.
... 6,49 However, many studies have investigated the application of sericin in other areas 50 including the development of compounds with antioxidant and bactericidal properties. 34,40,51 Sericin has also been employed in the prevention against UV rays, 52 in the composition of cosmetics, 53 and in the food industry. 40 This protein is commonly known as the "binding" protein. ...
The silk produced in the Bombyx mori’ glands and used in the preparation of the cocoons has been employed in the textile industry millennia ago in fabric production. These cocoons are composed mainly of fibroin (SF, Silk Fibroin), a fibrous protein that presents unique mechanical properties, in addition to being a biocompatible, biodegradable and low-cost source. This protein can be extracted from these cocoons by being processed in aqueous medium and used to obtain the most diverse materials for different applications, such as biomaterials development as body implants and in the composition of the scaffolds for tissue engineering, moreover to photonic devices as sensors, waveguides and lasers.
... Sericin is a natural polymer composed of 18 amino acids, most of which have polar side chains such as hydroxyl, carboxyl, and amino groups, which strongly influence their physical and biological properties [2]. Sericin has interesting physical attributes of elasticity and tensile strength, and exhibits various biological activities, including antioxidant, moisturizing, antitumor, cell proliferation promoting, and collagen production supporting activities [3][4][5][6][7]. It has the ability to improve cell proliferation when used as a supplement in cell cultures media of human epithelial cells, human embryonic kidney transformed cells, human hepatoblastoma cells, and murine hybridoma cells [6]. ...
Sericin, a natural protein from silk cocoon, has been reported for various biological properties in the biomaterials field. Modified forms of sericin have been studied for bone tissue engineering, while its unmodified form has been scarcely reported. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate physical and biological properties of unmodified sericin for potential use in bone surgery. Sericin was extracted from silk cocoons using a chemical-free boiling method. Sericin extract showed distinct bands with molecular weight ranging from 25 to 42 kDa including smear bands. Fourier transform infrared spectra presented characteristic peaks of amide I, II, and III, confirming the chemical composition of sericin. Based on biological activity, sericin extract at a concentration of 40 μg/mL increased the proliferation of osteoblast cells up to 135%, compared with the untreated control. Moreover, increase in antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, both clinical isolates and the reference strain ATCC 29213, was demonstrated for sericin extract with normal saline, while no anti-bacterial activity was observed for sericin with broth. It was found that sericin with normal saline showed higher zeta potential than sericin without normal saline, indicating higher system stability. This was confirmed by the average particle size of sericin extract with NaCl (3,249.3±226.1 nm) showing approximately 10 times smaller than sericin solution (29,015.9 ± 8,085.6 nm). Furthermore, sericin extract at the minimal inhibitory concentration significantly reduced the biofilm formation of S. aureus up to 95%. The study indicates biological activities of sericin, which could be applied as a dual-functional bioactive material to support bone regeneration and treat bone infections.
... Uncommon muscle contractions result in more superficial lines. After 28 days of use twice a day, the depth of wrinkles was reduced by 49% [17]. ...
Perception of beauty is tied to the idea of youth. This is why a large number of peptides proposed in the field of cosmetics are used as anti-aging/anti-wrinkle products. Some peptides have been proven in their efficacy through clinical skin trials. This paper describes some peptides that are most frequently used in cosmeceutical products and their potential benefits and practical use in dermatology.
... India is bestowed with all four kinds of silk which provide immense opportunity to explore use of silk for non textile purposes, particularly in production and application of silk protein based biomaterials. Padamwar et al. [168] while studying in vivo effect of sericin on human skin reported prevention of transepidermal water loss, responsible for skin dryness confirming the moisturizing effect of sericin. The study indicated action of sericin in increasing the level of hydroxyproline and hydration of the epidermal cells. ...
Traditional sericulture represents rearing of silkworm for production of silk that provides livelihood opportunity to millions of people in the country besides earning foreign exchange. The time has come to diversify the whole sericulture process for meaningful realization of its output under the present day scenario. The advent of modern biotechnology and its application have opened a new arena of the synthesized science for silk production. The vast potential of silk industry can effectively be exploited by the application of modern day biotechnological approaches like, marker assisted selection and expression of foreign protein through transgenic approaches. On the other hand, the silk quality has been enhanced using probiotics and providing artificial feed to the silkworm. The potential of silk has been further exploited for biomedical applications. In this communication the comprehensive account of biotechnological applications in sericulture and its byproducts for the development of sericulture industry are compiled while emphasizing the need of applying modern biotechnology for meaningful growth and development of sericulture and silk industry.
... The procedure for making sheet masks is carried out in the following stages: Sodium polyacrylate dissolved with distilled water in mortars, this is called part 1. Butylene glycol, glycerin, and PEG-40 hydrogenated castor The oil is melted by heating and then stirring until it is homogeneous, this is called section 2. Methyl paraben is dissolved using hot distilled water, called section 3. Mix sections 1, 2 and 3 in a mortar, then crushed until homogeneous. Finally add the black soybean seed extract, ethanol and perfume to the mixture, crushed until homogeneous [16,17]. ...
The purpose of this sudy was to find out the mask sheet by using black soybean extract as a moisturizer and to know its ability to increase water content or moisture on the skin. Sheet masks were formulated with the addition of black soybean seed extract with a concentration of 1%, 3%, and 5%, then an evaluation of the formula was carried out in the form of homogeneity, pH, skin irritation test, stability, and the activity test to moisturize whites. The results of the evaluation of the formula showed that the sheet mask was homogeneous, pH value 6.1-6.8, did not irritate the skin, and was stable in storage for 4 weeks. The highest percentage increase in humidity occurred in the group using positive control followed by the Black Soybean Sheet Mask (BSSM) 5%. There is a significant difference between the positive control group, BSSM 3 and 5% against negative control, except BSSM 1%. In the second to fourth week, the 5% BSSM group showed an increase in numbers so that it did not differ significantly from positive control, so this was marked as the optimum concentration. The conclusion of this research is that black soybean seed extract can be formulated in sheet mask form and can increase skin moisture.
... In particular calcium-based nanoparticles have shown to have therapeutic benefits when used in cutaneous wound repair (Kawai et al., 2011). On the other hand, sericin has high antioxidant potential (Prasong, 2011;Kumar and Mandal, 2017), antibacterial activity (Ramesan et al., 2016), mitogenic effect on cells (Terada et al., 2005), potential to inhibit inflammation (Aramwit et al., 2012a), and ability to retain hydration (Padamwar et al., 2005). In the study of Aramwit et al., a sericin-based therapeutic cream formulation improved healing by promoting collagen production and rapid re-epithelialization in rat skin wounds (Aramwit et al., 2009(Aramwit et al., , 2013. ...
Calcium phosphates (CaPs) have been widely used in the field of biomedical engineering as bone graft substitutes or as carriers for drug delivery applications. Recent developments have focused on combining CaPs with proteins to obtain functional biomaterials that accommodate a broader spectrum of functional requirements. Silk sericin was considered an unutilized protein by-product from the textile industry, generating tons of residues every year. However, much effort has been dedicated to its recovery after being associated with numerous biological properties such as antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-coagulation and regenerative activities. In the past years, sericin has also demonstrated to be suitable as a template for CaP mineralization. The present review focuses on the recent developments for the production of sericin/CaP composites, exploring their potential applications in bioengineering and opening new avenues in other research fields such as in the cosmetic, food and environmental sectors. In addition, this paper can also be useful as a guideline to design future research based on sericin/CaP biomaterials.
Silk secreted by Bombyx mori L. silkworm has become one of the most important biomaterials, due to its excellent biocompatibility, controllable biodegradability, superior processability, and unique mechanical properties. Silk fibroin and sericin, as the two components of silk, contain abundant polar functional groups, and thus can bind metal ions through electrostatic interaction and chelation. Based on this binding, silk proteins not only can be used to fabricate ecofriendly and efficient adsorbents to remove heavy metals from waterbodies, but also can synthesize metal nanostructures (nanoparticles or nanoclusters) to form silk/metal composites with amazing optical or electrochemical characteristics. This binding also can be manipulated to optimize silk’s performance. This review focuses on discussing and summarizing advances in the use of silk fibroin and sericin for heavy metal ion-contaminated water remediation, biosensing materials, and electrochemical materials from the perspective of the interaction between silk proteins and metal ions. The performance enhancement of silk using metal ions is also analyzed. Moreover, the silk proteins’ interactions with metal ions and related structural features that contribute to the above sustainable applications are illustrated to lay a theoretical foundation. This review will favor the expansion of the applications of silk in both the traditional textile field and new biomaterials.
The removal and use of sericin could have a strong economic, social, and environmental impact, particularly in countries where sericulture is practiced, especially in Bangladesh. Because in our country Bangladesh, sericin is a waste material in the sericulture industry. Several techniques have been adopted for sericin extraction, but maintaining its chemical properties after extraction and environment-friendly extraction methods are still a major challenge. Sericin is fully or partially hydrolyzed and solubilized during the degumming of the cocoon. Consequently, it is important to create sericin extraction procedures that require less energy, don't release any chemicals, and don't harm the environment. Numerous research has been done to extract sericin but the differences in sericin content and chemical properties of Bivoltine and Multivoltine silkworm cocoon have not been studied yet. In this work, sericin was extracted from the silkworm cocoon of four different silkworm races at two different temperatures and durations. Significant differences were observed in yield% with different silkworm races and different treatments. Extracted sericin was characterized through SDS PAGE, FTIR & UV spectroscopy, and TGA.
Background
Sericin is a hydrophilic and adhesive protein that provides structural integrity to the silkworm cocoon.
Objective
The study aimed to develop sericin isolated from Indian BV mulberry silk cocoons as a cosmetic raw material and study its sensory impact.
Methodology
Sericin was isolated using high-temperature and high-pressure techniques without the use of chemicals. Native and hydrolyzed sericin were studied for suitability in cosmetic formulations. Lastly, their safety was established using a primary irritation patch test in twenty-four healthy volunteers, and the impact of sericin on skin care formulation was studied.
Results
Both native and hydrolyzed sericin were studied for their application in personal care products. Native sericin was difficult to process due to its gelling behavior. Hydrolyzed sericin was readily formulated in skin lotion and was found to be stable for 3 months under accelerated conditions. Sericin and its formulations did not cause any skin irritation and were found to be well-tolerated. Formulation with 0.01% w/w hydrolyzed sericin was best accepted among the panelists.
Conclusion
The study establishes the use of sericin isolated from mulberry silkworms as a sensory enhancer for skin care applications.
Other
Not Applicable
Sericin is a serine-rich polydispersed glycoprotein found in Bombyx mori's cocoons. Sericin is extracted from cocoons as a protein, composed of amino acids like aspartic acid, glycine, tyrosine, serine, and glutamic acid with carboxyl, hydroxyl, and an amino group. Sericin has been explored for various pharmacological activities, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiapoptotic, antiproliferative, antibacterial, anti-hypercholesteremia, and wound healing activity. Moreover, sericin has also been explored as a biopolymer for the preparation of nanoparticles, scaffolds, hydrogels, films, etc. This mini-review illustrates the reported methods for the characterization of extracted sericin and quantification in pharmaceutical formulations. The review covers analytical methods like UV-Visible Spectroscopy, Fouriertransform infrared spectroscopy, amino acid analysis, mass spectroscopy, and high-performance liquid chromatography with a brief explanation of every analytical method.
Rubbers such as silicones and polyurethanes have been used in a wide range of biomedical applications due to their ease of fabrication, biocompatibility, and mechanical flexibility. However, the use of rubber alone cannot meet the demands for specific applications. the addition of nanofillers can substantially improve the functional properties of the rubber nanocomposites. The chapter presents recent developments in rubber nanocomposites used in the biomedical area. The effect of various nanofillers in modifying the properties of rubber suitable for applications such as catheters, implants, bone regeneration, wound dressing, drug release, as well as the challenges associated are discussed in detail. However, continuous research on these nanocomposites, especially on more biological aspects as well as in vivo studies, are necessary to have a better understanding of their behavior in biological systems.
Recycling of organic waste is an imperative need in agro waste sector. Organic wastes includingsericulture waste can provide sustainability as well as economic advantages. Vermicomposting is a biooxidationprocess, which is also a mesophilic process in which certain earthworm kind are used to convertwaste into value resources called organic manure. Itâs faster than composting due to the formation ofearthworm casting (worm manure) as the material passes through the earthworm gut resulting in asignificant transformation. Use of organic manure prepared from sericulture waste can help for moresustainable silkworm production. Mulberry (Morus alba L.) perennial in habitat is raised as a crop for thefoliage to feed silkworm for the production for the higher demands of raw silk, organic acid and inorganicmanures. One hectare of mulberry cultivation has the potentialof generating more than 50 MT organicresidues per hectare per year. Organic residues in mulberry farm where silkworm rearing residue includingavenue the foliage and debris having a good manure value of N, P and potash as well as severalmicronutrients like Cu, Zn and Fe. Hence from this study, an attempt was made to evaluate the appropriaterecycling of sericulture waste using the vermicomposting technology for eco-friendly farming.
In this study, sericin–alginate particles are produced for use as a biosorbent to remove Cu(II) ions from an aqueous solution in a batch biosorption system. Sericin is a protein present in silkworm cocoons and is considered a byproduct of the silk industry. Its use in the production of biosorbents has emerged as an environmentally friendly alternative. Sericin–alginate particles are characterized using N2 physical adsorption analysis, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and point of zero charge. Additionally, they are evaluated via kinetic, isothermal, and thermodynamic biosorption tests. Kinetic modeling is performed using Lagergren pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, Weber–Morris intraparticle diffusion, homogeneous solid diffusion, and external liquid-film diffusion models. For equilibrium modeling, the Langmuir, Freundlich, and Temkin isotherm models are applied. The Cu(II) ions biosorption is spontaneous and exothermic, as biosorption capacity decreases with temperature: 87.27 mg g⁻¹ (20 °C), 82.54 mg g⁻¹ (40 °C), and 76.18 mg g⁻¹ (60 °C). Based on kinetic modeling, it is verified that internal mass transfer limits the biosorption rate. The Langmuir isotherm model shows a better fit for the biosorption equilibrium, indicating that biosorption occurs in the monolayer. Tests to evaluate the reusability of sericin–alginate particles are performed. It is discovered that even after five adsorption–desorption cycles, the biosorbent shows excellent biosorption capacity. The obtained results and a comparison of the biosorption capacity of different biomaterials demonstrate the high potential of the sericin–alginate particles as a biosorbent for Cu(II) ions.
Salah-satu masalah kulit yang sering dikeluhkan oleh masyarakat adalah kulit kering. Pelembab dapat meningkatkan hidrasi kulit dan dapat berfungsi sebagai perawat tambahan dalam kondisi dermatologis. Protein kokon ulat sutera (Bombyx mori L.) terutama serisin telah diketahui memiliki efek sebagai pelembab kulit. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui efek ekstrak air limbah kokon ulat sutera sebagai pelembab yang diperoleh melalui teknik rebusan dan mengevaluasi keamanan penggunaannya terhadap efek iritasi pada kulit. Uji aktivitas dilakukan terhadap 15 sukarelawan yang dibagi menjadi 3 kelompok yaitu kelompok ekstrak kokon, kelompok gliserin (kontrol positif) dan kelompok tanpa perlakuan (kontrol negatif) dengan pengamatan pada menit ke-0 hingga menit ke-30 selama 7 hari. Hasil uji aktivitas kelembaban menunjukkan bahwa ekstrak kokon dan gliserin dapat meningkatkan kelembaban kulit dengan nilai persentase kadar 44-53% untuk ekstrak kokon dan gliserin 52-54% serta kontrol negatif 33-40%. Ekstrak air limbah kokon ulat sutera yang diperoleh melalui teknik rebusan memiliki aktivitas sebagai pelembab kulit dan tidak menyebabkan reaksi iritasi kulit.
Apart from food, other important needs in the care of human bodies are cosmetics and drugs. For long the latter two are obtained from chemical formulations and phytochemicals (commonly used in Ethnomedicine), use of bioactive compounds from insects (i.e. “ento medicine” and “ento cosmetics”) is a recent development in research, even though the bioactive compounds were discovered long ago. This chapter is a review on a number of substances extracted from various insect species that are useful in cosmetics, pharmaceutical industries as well as those that form part of prescription for healing in orthodox and traditional medicine. The review is based on information from scientific reports, Google, e-library, textbooks. A number of substances were found to have been incorporated into cosmetic and pharmaceutical products and as part of prescriptions for healing in orthodox medicine, many others at elementary stages of investigation, purification and development. The findings showed that insects have a lot of bioactive substances that need to be harnessed for the good man.
Objective
The objective of this work was to develop a peptide production process of the exact molecular weight propitious to topical application for cosmetics and to investigate the effects of enzymolysis-derived peptide on UVB-induced photoaging rat skin.
Methods
The chum salmon fish skins were hydrolyzed by alkaline protease and neutral protease and spray-dried at different conditions, and three kinds of molecular weight peptide (MFSOP) were obtained. A total of 66 ICR rats (female, 20 ± 1 g) were randomly divided into eleven groups, including the normal, model, and experimental groups. The three kinds of MFSOP were dissolved at different dosages (5‰, 2.5%, and 5%) and then applied on the ICR hairless back skins prior to exposing UVB irradiation of 3000mJ/cm² to them 4 h later. After 8 weeks, the rats were killed and the hair-shaved skins were tested for skin moisture, hyaluronic acid, hydroxyproline, antioxidant activity, and RNA expression.
Results
Three kinds of MFSOP were obtained, with the average molecular weights of 495.16, 1194.00, and 2032.46 Dalton, respectively. The MFSOPs, especially the MFSOP of average molecular weight of 1194.00 Dalton, played an important role in the recovery of the UVB-injured skin tissue in lock in moisture, in antioxidant activity and in promotion in collagen and elastin protein to some extent.
Conclusion
MFSOPs, especially MFSOP of average molecular weight of 1194.00 Dalton, derived from enzymolysis are potential materials to apply in cosmetics for the UVB9-induced anti-photoaging activity (lock in moisture, antioxidant activity, and promotion in collagen and elastin protein).
Silk sericin is a protein produced by Bombyx mori (silkworm), and the protein surrounds and keeps together two fibroin filaments in the silk thread used in the cocoon. Nevertheless, the functional properties of sericin expand its application in the medical field. Sericin has remarkable properties such as a potent antioxidant ability, meaning that it can be applied in cosmetic applications. Due to diverse biological activities, sericin is used as a desirable biomaterial for tissue engineering to improve tissue function via the development of biological substitutes. To improve the properties of skin tissue repair, films and scaffolds have drawn the attention of researchers following sericin addition. Sericin coatings have been commonly found in the textile industry, with several purposes such as easy ironing, and nonfading fabric dye.
Methods for the extraction of sericin from mulberry and non‐mulberry cocoons should be intensely investigated because they have effects on the physical, chemical, and biological properties of sericin. This chapter describes five different methods that are often used in sericin extraction, namely water extraction, acid extraction, alkali extraction, urea extraction, and alcohol extraction. The modification of the hydroxyl groups is important for the efficient alteration of sericin properties. Glutaraldehyde is a functional compound mainly used in the chemical modifications of proteins and polymers. This compound binds covalently to the amine groups of lysine or hydroxylysine in the protein molecules, creating a stable structure. Accordingly, the chemical modification of sericin with cross‐linking agents can be used for the reinforcement of the protein structures resulting in sericin stabilization. After processing, sericin can be formed as 2D or 3D structure for various applications.
In this study, antibacterial, synthetic poly(Σ-caprolactone)-poly(ethylene oxide) (PCL-PEO) multilayer nanofibers were produced by an electrospinning method. The material was synthesized in 3 layers. The upper-lower protective layers were produced by PCL nanofibers and the intermediate layer was produced from PEO nanofiber containing sericin-capped silver nanoparticles (S-AgNPs). The electrospinning conditions in which nano-sized, smooth, bead-free fibers were obtained was determined to be an applied voltage of 20 kV, a flow rate of 8 μL/min and a distance between the collector and the needle tip of 22 cm for the PCL layer (dissolved at a 12% g/mL concentration in a chloroform:methanol (3:2) solvent mixture) layer. For the S-AgNPs doped PEO layer (dissolved at a 3.5% g/mL concentration in water), the corresponding conditions were determined to be 20 kV, 15 μL/min and 20 cm. To characterize the three-layer material that consisted of PCL and S-AgNPs doped PEO layers, FTIR and SEM analyses were performed, and the water retention capacity, in situ degradability and antibacterial activity of the material was investigated. According to SEM analysis, the fibers obtained were found to be nano-sized, smooth and bead-free and the average size of the nanofibers forming the PCL layer was 687 nm while the average size of the fibers forming the PEO layer was 98 nm. Antibacterial activity tests were performed using gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538) and gram-negative (Escherichia coli ATCC 25922) bacteria and the resulting biomaterial was found to have antimicrobial effect on both gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. It was determined that the 3-layer material obtained in this study can be used as a wound dressing.
Chronic, non-healing diabetic wounds put a massive economic burden on health services causing patient incompliance and discomfort. Thorough interpreting of chronic wound pathophysiology led to the fabrication of targeted systems of drug delivery that can improve and accelerate the wound healing process. Natural polymers or biopolymers are now explored for the fabrication of wound dressings. Hence, in this review article, the pathophysiological aspects of chronic wounds, current treatment approaches, and potential biomaterials employed for treating wounds are explicated. The main emphasis is on biopolymers which aid in creating innovative systems based on nanotechnology for effective skin generation in chronic wounds.
Cashmere fiber is pretreated with oxygen low temperature plasma to increase the content of polar groups (-OH, -COOH) on the surface. Then by using aziridine crosslinker and polycarbodiimide crosslinker, the sericin with health-care function is grafted onto the surface of the pretreated cashmere fiber. Plasma treatment is optimized after the assessing of methylene blue staining and fiber tensile strength. The grafting rate of sericin indicates that both aziridine and polycarbodiimide crosslinker could play a bridging role. Compared with untreated fiber, oxygen plasma treatment can improve the grafting rate significantly. The chemical changes and morphological structures of the fiber surface are analyzed by infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscope. After modification, cashmere exhibited good antibacterial and antioxidant properties. In addition, the fiber still has excellent dyeability while its crimp property and whiteness are slightly reduced.
Sericin is a unique proteinaceous biopolymer obtained from cocoons of Bombyx Mori. It has become very popular since it is bestowed with numerous health benefits. Sericin is composed of 18 types of amino acids, out of which 8 amino acids play a significant role in human metabolic pathways. Sericin is easily amenable to make into novel dosage forms and also has been conferred with numerous therapeutic activities such as wound healing, antihypertensive, neuro-protective, antitumor, anti-diabetic, anti-wrinkle, anti-ageing and antioxidant amongst various others. This review summarizes the current status of sericin, as a therapeutic moiety with a focus on active constituents as well as their proposed mechanism in the treatment of various chronic diseases. It also summarizes previous and current invitro, in-vivo, cell lines studies and clinical trials based pieces of evidence corroborating the therapeutic activities of sericin.
Synthetic hydroxyapatite (HAp) has been successfully produced with the aim of obtaining biomaterials that meet the biomechanical requirements for bone tissue engineering while being compatible with the surrounding biochemical and cellular environment. Combining proteins with HAp can generate improved composite biomaterials, which are environmentally friendly, renewable and biocompatible. In this context, HAp/protein-based composite materials have been widely exploited since the late 20th century to the present day. In this review, we explore the biomedical relevance of the association of HAp with several proteins of interest such as fibroin, sericin, fibrin and keratin. The processing strategies for their synthesis and effect on the obtained shape and physicochemical, mechanical and biological performance are herein discussed. This work can provide useful information for the design of HAp-based biomaterials with specific emphasis on bone tissue regeneration characteristics for biomedical applications.
A biomimetic approach of composition and natural function of natural moisturizing factor (NMF) with the amino acid content of silk fibroin was advantageously used to reconstruct the skin moisturizing system. The isolation of silk hydrolysate with water and sodium chloride treatment was complete in one hour. Lithium ion from LiBr effectively penetrated crystal domains of fibroin and gave desired solubility. Silk fibroin from Bombyx mori cocoons was non-allergic and biocompatible in skin and rabbit eye tests. The concentration dependent moisturizing efficacy of fibroin (1-5% w/v) in solution and cream form has been demonstrated by TEWL in vitro and in volunteers. As compared to dry and normal skin the fibroin containing cream revealed increased substantivity. The increased hydroxproline content was responsible for retaining higher moisture in the skin. This in turn maintained the skin in soft and supple state. The significant drop in impedance was observed within 1 hr of the application of fibroin and the effect was sustained for more than 6 hrs. Thus, increased hydration level in stratum corneum was achieved by fibroin treatment. The SEM of fibroin treated skin replicas showed a desired attribute of soft, smooth skin texture and improved flexibility. The increased state of hydration caused interdigitating of cell edges as evident in microphotographs. The rapid and sustained moisturizing efficiency observed with silk fibroin was well substantiated by the results of skin substantivity and impedance tests.
Silk consists of two types of proteins, silk fibroin and sericin. Sericin contributes about 20-30 per cent of total cocoon weight. It is characterized by its high content of serine and 18 amino acids, including essential amino acids. There are different methods of isolation of sericin from silk thread. Solubility, molecular weight, and gelling properties of sericin depend on the method of isolation. It has wide applications in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics such as, wound healing, bioadhesive moisturizing, antiwrinkle and antiaging.
Silk consist of two types of proteins, silk fibroin and silk sericin. Fibroin contributes about 70-80% of total cocoon weight where as sericin contributes about 20-30% of total cocoon weight. About 50% of silk waste is generated during silk processing which has proved to be wide application in pharmaceutical and cosmetics applications including its textile application. Sericin is characterized by it's high content of serine (32%). Sericin can be removed by different methods. It has adhesive and gelling in between pH 6-7 make it suitable for preparation of mouth ulcer gel. FT-IR peaks at 1653 cm -1 and 1541 cm-1 for amide I and amide II respectively confirms the α-random coil of sericin and shifting of degradation peak in DSC thermogram confirms insolubility of brown coloured sericin. The sericin gels were prepared using pluronic was found to be sericin concentration dependent, where as sericin concentration independent with carbopol. The rheological and adhesive properties- of sericin are suitable for preparation of sericin gels containing Choline salicylate.
Silk sericin solution was subjected to gelation under various conditions. It depended on the concentration of the solution, being most quick at 25 to 40°C and pH 6.0 to 7.0. The strength of sericin gel was increased whereas the surface tension was decreased during gelation. The gelation process of sericin molecules was found to be due to the change of random coil into the β-structure, which facilitated the formation of hree-dimensional network structure in the sericin gel.
The electrical properties of the epidermal stratum corneum were investigated by cellulose adhesive tape stripping. The distribution function of the relaxation times on the impedance locus of stratum corneum was deduced. It was found that this function of the thin layer does not satisfy the Cole-Cole circular arc, but the skin impedance remaining after some strippings compares favourably with the Cole-Cole circular arc. The various dispersions appearing in the skin impedance can be separated and evaluated. The average resistivity and dielectric constant of the stratum corneum and deeper tissues were determined. The direct current resitivity σ of the stratum corneum can be mathematically expressed by the exponential law ρ=ρo-αx where x is the distance from the skin surface. The maximum resistivity ρo on the outermost surface of the stratum corneum and the attenuation coefficient α are evaluated.
The possibility of hydroxyproline residues stabilizing the collagen triple-helical structure by the formation of additional hydrogen bonds through their γ-hydroxyl group has been studied from structural considerations. It is not possible for this hydroxyl group to form a direct hydrogen bond with a suitable group in a neighbouring chain of the triple-helical protofibril. However, in the modified one-bonded structure, which is stabilized by additional hydrogen bonds being formed through water molecules as intermediaries (put forward in 1968 by Ramachandran, G. N. and Chandrasekharan, R.), it is found that the γ-hydroxyl group of hydroxyproline can form a good hydrogen bond with the water oxygen as acceptor, the hydrogen bond length being 2.82 Å. It is proposed that, in addition to stabilizing the collagen triple-helical structure due to the stereochemical properties of the pyrrolidine ring, hydroxyproline gives added stability by the formation of an extra hydrogen bond. Experimental studies on the determination of shrinkage and denaturation temperatures of native collagen and its synthetic analogues, as a function of their hydroxyproline content, are being undertaken to test this hypothesis.
The epidermal stratum corneum behaves as a very important element for the skin impedance, and therefore adequate study of the electrical properties of the stratum corneum is required.
The essential points of this paper are written with detailed consideration given to the following items :
(1) The distribution function of relaxation times on vector impedance loci of the stratum corneum is induced, and it is found that this function of thin layer does not satisfy the Cole-Cole circular arc law.
(2) The average dielectric constant and the average resistivity of the stratum corneum and the inner organization underlying granular cell layer are shown respectively, and the various dielectric dispersions in every part of the skin layer are made clear.
(3) The resistivity distribution of the stratum corneum is given by a mathematical equation as follows :
ρ=ρ0e-αχ
where χ is the distance from the skin surface, and where values of attenuation coefficient α and resistivity ρ0 on the skin surface are show. The stratum corneum forming a large resistance layer can become a current barrier, compared with the inner organization underlying granular cell layer having considerably lower resistance.
The objectives of this study were to investigate the impedance properties of human skin in vivo and to examine the effect of iontophoresis upon them.
Having established the intra- and inter-individual variation in basal values of skin impedance, the effect of varying iontophoretic current density, ionic strength and counter-ion on the rate of recovery of skin impedance after iontophoresis was investigated.
Passage of an iontophoretic current caused a significant reduction in the magnitude of the skin impedance. Increasing the current density caused an even greater reduction in the value of the skin impedance and slowed the rate of recovery. Reduction of the ionic strength resulted in an increase in the rate of recovery following iontophoresis. A significant increase in the rate of recovery was observed when CaCl2 replaced NaCl as the electrolyte. Although visual inspection revealed the presence of greater erythema when CaCl2 was used, there was an absence of the mild sensation experienced by volunteers when using NaCl. The last part of the study established a correlation between transepidermal water loss and impedance analysis as complementary methods for probing skin barrier function in vivo. The data were fitted to an equivalent circuit consisting of a resistor in parallel with a constant-phase element and a mechanistic model proposed to explain the electrical properties of the skin.
The first comprehensive investigation of the effect of iontophoresis on the electrical properties of human skin in vivo has been described. It would appear from the results, and from their interpretation, that impedance spectroscopy may be an effective method to quantify the impact of iontophoresis on the skin, and to determine the extent to which proposed drug delivery regimens will perturb skin barrier function.
Blister-skin and warts have been studied as possible sources of 'pure' stratum corneum without sweat ducts. The purpose of the study was to assess whether the DC electrical conductance measured on human skin is totally dominated by the sweat ducts, or is also significantly contributed to by the stratum corneum itself. By means of galvanic skin response (GSR) measurements, these tissues were found to be unrealiable as sources of 'pure' stratum corneum. This is because they displayed significant GSR waves, and hence should have some form of active pores. However, measurements on blister-skin and nail in situ revealed a substantial frequency independent electrical conductance at frequencies typically below 10 Hz.
A colorimetric procedure, which is particularly adapted to quantitative histochemical studies on collagen in connective tissue, was described for the determination of millimicrogram quantities of hydroxyproline in microgram samples of tissue. A simplified procedure for the hydrolytic liberation of hydroxyproline from the tissue was given. Optimum conditions for the analysis were elaborated and the interference of tyrosine was shown to be negligible.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology publishes basic and clinical research in cutaneous biology and skin disease.
Sericin containing vinyl graft polymer
- R Nakamura
- H Sato
- Shioraki
Nail cosmetics containing sericin
- H Yamada
- K Yamasaki
- Zozaki
Modification of water‐holding capacity of callus by pretreatment with additives
- Fox C
A study of the effect of cosmetic ingredients, cream and lotions on the rate of moisture loss from the skin
- Power DH
On using single frequency electrical measurements for skin hydration assessment
- Martinsen OG
Proteins: Classic additives and actives for skin and hare care
- Ute Criesbach
Skin treatment cosmetics: an overview
- Idson B
Sericin containing vinyl graft polymer
- Shiorakih Nakamurak Sator
Dry skin, moisturization and emoliancy
- Idson B
Nail cosmetics containing sericin
- Yamadah Yamasakik
Non‐invasive method for assessing moisturizers
- William CW
Evaluation of the use of proteins as moisturizing and skin tightening active ingredients within skin care formulations
- Challoner NI
Measurement of moisturizing efficiency
- Highley DR
Skin impedance and miniaturization
- Martinsen OG