From Biomass-Derived p-Hydroxycinnamic Acids to Novel Sustainable and Non-Toxic Phenolics-Based UV-Filters: A Multidisciplinary Journey

Abstract

Although organic UV-filters are extensively used in cosmetics to protect consumers from the deleterious effects of solar UV radiation-exposure, they suffer from some major drawbacks such as their fossil origin and their toxicity to both humans and the environment. Thus, finding sustainable and non-toxic UV-filters is becoming a topic of great interest for the cosmetic industry. A few years ago, sinapoyl malate was shown to be a powerful naturally occurring UV-filter. Building on these findings, we decided to design and optimize an entire value chain that goes from biomass to innovative biobased and non-toxic lignin-derived UV-filters. This multidisciplinary approach relies on: 1) The production of phenolic synthons using either metabolite extraction from biomass or their bioproduction through synthetic biology/fermentation/in stream product recovery; 2) their functionalization using green chemistry to access sinapoyl malate and analogues; 3) the study of their UV-filtering activity, their photostability, their biological properties; and 4) their photodynamics. This mini-review aims at demonstrating that combining biotechnology, green chemistry, downstream process and photochemistry is a powerful approach to transform biomass and, in particular lignins, into high value-added innovative UV-filters.

Structural Elucidation of Agrochemical Metabolic Transformation Products Based on Infrared Ion Spectroscopy to Improve In Silico Toxicity Assessment

“…Rapid internal conversion to the ground electronic state then releases the energy as heat. The part of the solar spectrum not used for photosynthesis can thus be employed to raise crop temperatures and boost crop yields. ,− Facile excited-state cis–trans isomerization drives the fast internal conversion, effectively providing efficient UV-to-heat conversion pathways. , DGSM has two lipophilic tails that enable the molecule to stick to the wax layer of leaves, making it resistant to rainwater wash-off. However, this feature also raises concerns regarding intake through consumption.…”

Novel Biobased Multifunctional Emollients for Cosmetic Applications: Toward the Ingredient-List Reduction

“…Ferulic acid is present in non-neglectable quantities in some agricultural byproducts − and has been proven to have antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. − Several studies have shown that ferulic acid-derivatives can exhibit both aforementioned activities, as well as UV-filtering properties. − In addition, endocrine disrupting tests conducted on ferulic acid derivatives have proven negative . All of these advantages make ferulic acid the perfect synthon for the design of multifunctional ingredients.…”

“…20−22 In addition, endocrine disrupting tests conducted on ferulic acid derivatives have proven negative. 23 All of these advantages make ferulic acid the perfect synthon for the design of multifunctional ingredients.…”

N-Hydroxy-N-Propargylamide Derivatives of Ferulic Acid: Inhibitors of Cholinesterases and Monoamine Oxidases

“…Moreover, compared to donepezil, Contilisant has superior in vivo protective effects in Y-maze and radial-arm maze against cognitive decline induced by the β -amyloid peptide A β 1–42 oligomers [ 17 ]. On the other hand, unlike petroleum-based molecules, natural products such as ferulic acid (FA) ( Figure 1 ) are biologically derived and sustainable substances that are preferred in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries [ 18 , 19 ]. Moreover, they have shown promising pharmacological effects that could be useful for the treatment of AD, such as antioxidant effects, neuroprotection, and promotion of neurogenesis [ 20 ].…”