HelixComplex snail mucus as a potential technology against O3 induced skin damage

Area of Science:

• Dermatology and Cosmetology
• Biomaterials Science
• Toxicology

Background:

• Snail mucus (Helix aspersa muller) is known for therapeutic properties like antimicrobial activity, skin protection, and wound repair.
• Environmental pollutants, such as ozone (O3), pose significant threats to skin health, causing oxidative damage and inflammation.
• Understanding the protective mechanisms of natural biomaterials against environmental stressors is crucial for developing advanced skincare technologies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the bio-adhesive efficacy of HelixComplex, a snail mucus extract.
• To investigate the protective effects of HelixComplex against ozone-induced skin damage in vitro.
• To assess the impact of HelixComplex on cytotoxicity, tissue morphology, and inflammatory responses in human skin models.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of HelixComplex bio-adhesive properties, potentially linked to its mucopolysaccharide content.
• Exposure of human keratinocytes (2D) and reconstructed human epidermis (3D) models to ozone (0.5 ppm for 2 hours).
• Assessment of cytotoxicity, tissue morphology, and key cytokine levels following ozone exposure with and without HelixComplex treatment.

Main Results:

• HelixComplex demonstrated significant regenerative and bio-adhesive capabilities.
• HelixComplex effectively protected both 2D and 3D skin models from ozone-induced oxidative damage.
• The protective effect involved the prevention of a pro-inflammatory response, indicated by reduced cytokine levels.

Conclusions:

• HelixComplex possesses confirmed regenerative and bio-adhesive properties beneficial for skin applications.
• HelixComplex offers significant protection against ozone-induced skin damage by mitigating oxidative stress and inflammation.
• HelixComplex presents a promising natural technology for developing novel protective solutions against pollution-induced skin damage.