Photoprotective effect of the fucose-containing polysaccharide FucoPol

• Published in: Carbohydrate polymers 2021-05, Vol.259, p.117761-117761, Article 117761
• Main Authors: Guerreiro, Bruno M., Freitas, Filomena, Lima, João C., Silva, Jorge C., Reis, Maria A.M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: FucoPol; Photostable; Polysaccharide; SPF; Sunscreen; UV radiation
• ISSN: 0144-8617; 1879-1344
• DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2021.117761

[Display omitted] •The fucose-containing polysaccharide FucoPol shows high UV–vis absorption yield.•FucoPol is highly photostable following cumulative irradiation periods.•FucoPol concentrations 0.2 % and above optimize UVA/B dual protection.•Normalized sun protection factor (SPF) is 60-fold higher than common organic filters.•FucoPol showed photoprotective potential to irradiated epithelial cells. This study reports the performance of FucoPol, a fucose-containing bacterial polysaccharide, as a photostable agent with high absorption yield at concentrations as low as 0.02 % (w/v). FucoPol is non-cytotoxic, efficiently protects from UVA and UVB at concentrations of 0.02–2 % (w/v) and 0.2–2 % (w/v), respectively, has over 94 % overall photostability up to 1.5 h of irradiation time. The lowest concentration studied (0.02 %, w/v) shows a sun protection factor (SPF) of 2.61 ± 0.08. The SPF-to-concentration unit ratio showed that FucoPol is about 60-fold more photoprotective than combinations of common organic and inorganic UV filters. In vitro radiation exposure experiments of adhered Vero epithelial and PM1 keratinocytic cells in the presence of 0.25 % (w/v) FucoPol further showed that cell viability was preserved, and delayed radiation-induced cell death was prevented. Overall, FucoPol outperforms common cosmetic biopolymers like xanthan and fucogel. These results are very promising for the development of bio-based sunscreen formulations.