Antioxidative and Regenerative Potential of Sea Cucumber: Focus on Bioactive Compounds and Exosome-Based Strategies...

Oxidative stress, caused by an imbalance between reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and antioxidant defense mechanisms, has a profound effect on skin health. This imbalance contributes to skin damage, premature aging, and the development of various dermatological conditions by modulating key signaling pathways with pro-inflammatory or antioxidant effects, such as NF-κB, JAK/STAT, Nrf2, MAPK/AP1, and SIRT1/FOXO. So, the application of antioxidant compounds, particularly those derived from natural sources, is essential for protecting the skin against ROS-induced damage. Sea cucumber, a marine invertebrate known for its remarkable regenerative capacity, contains bioactive compounds, including phenolics, proteins, and polysaccharides, which exhibit antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties. These bioactive components may offer protective effects against oxidative stress within the skin. Therefore, this study will first evaluate the potential of sea cucumber-derived bioactive compounds in mitigating oxidative stress by examining their ability to counteract ROS-induced cellular damage caused by ROS and their potential role in promoting skin repair and regeneration. The review will also discuss the underlying mechanisms, including key signaling pathways, and explore the therapeutic potential of sea cucumber-derived exosomes as a novel strategy to treating oxidative stress-related skin disorders. Finally, a comparison is made between the efficacy of the sea cucumber crud extract with its derived exosome in treating oxidative stress-induced skin damage.