This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will demonstrate the feasibility of plant-derived actives for sunscreen and other cosmetic applications. Recent research has raised concerns that the chemicals used in sunscreens and cosmetic products may be related to health problems, and their accumulation may also be an increasing threat to aquatic life. This research is focused on six plant extracts that have been shown to absorb UV light and scavenge free radicals 100 times better than currently available antioxidants. This feasibility study will include: i) isolation and identification of the active molecule(s) responsible for the beneficial properties; ii) investigation of the toxicity and stability of the molecule(s); and iii) identification of one or more active molecule(s) for use in all natural sunscreen/cosmetic products.
The broader/commercial impact of this project, if successful, will be the availability of all natural sunscreen/cosmetics products devoid of negative side effects that synthetic analogs may bring. Commercial interest in effective natural sunscreen/cosmetic products have been validated with leading companies in cosmetics and personal care. Moreover, if successful, the increased scientific knowledge of natural extracts from this project may also find applications in nutraceuticals, and may contribute to cures and prevention of free radicals linked diseases. Industrial applications may also benefit from this work in applications such as UV stabilizer for polymers and pigments.
Summary This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project was proposed to demonstrate the feasibility of developing new to the world, FDA approvable plant-derived actives for sunscreen and other cosmetic applications. Recent research has raised growing concern that the synthetic chemicals used in sunscreens and cosmetic products may cause serious health problems, and their accumulation may also be an emerging to aquatic life. For Phase I, Next Generation Technology SCRD (SCRD) Inc. proposed to isolate and identify the active molecule(s) responsible for the strong UV absorption and antioxidant properties in the most promising of six identified plant products that had been shown to absorb UV light completely and scavenge free radicals 100 times better than currently available antioxidants. SCRD has now succeeded in isolating and identifying three new molecules with superior UV absorption and antioxidant properties. SCRD also demonstrated that these molecules and their extract are environmentally stable and non-toxic towards mammalian cells under the studied concentrations. Following successful completion of Phase II testing and evaluation, SCRD will begin manufacturing and selling extract as an additive for use as a sunscreen booster/ cosmetics preservative in today’s skin care and cosmetic products. This extract will enable formulators to minimize the use of synthetic, potentially toxic, sunscreen actives while achieving the same or higher SPF (sun protecting factor) and reducing cost of their materials. Upon successful completion of clinical trials and FDA approval of the component actives, SCRD plans to offer consumers the first all natural sunscreen and other cosmetic products devoid of any of the potential negative side effects of today’s synthetic analog products. Moreover, these actives will prove to have extraordinary antioxidant properties that SCRD believes the scientific community will apply to nutraceuticals and developing cures and prevention of diseases linked to free radicals.
