Functionality of Silk Cocoon (Bombyx mori L.) Sericin Extracts Obtained through High-Temperature Hydrothermal Method

Abstract

Sericin, a textile waste, can be used for antioxidant and skin-whitening purposes. The hydrothermal method of extracting sericin is more eco-friendly than are chemical and enzymatic methods. In this study, silk cocoons were cut into pieces and then subjected to hydrothermal extraction at three temperatures (160, 200, and 220 °C) to obtain sericin extracts (Sericin160, Sericin200, and Sericin220, respectively). Antioxidant activity and tyrosinase inhibition were measured to determine the extracts’ effectiveness. Sericin220 was the strongest antioxidant, with total phenol content, total flavonoid content, and ferric reducing power of 62.19 ± 0.04 mg gallic acid equivalents/g dry weight, 0.07 ± 0.01 mg quercetin equivalent/g dry weight, and 181.49 ± 0.024 mg vitamin C equivalent/g dry weight, respectively. The half-maximal inhibitory concentrations for DPPH and ABTS free-radical scavenging ability were 6.41 ± 0.05 and 0.79 ± 0.37 mg/mL, respectively. Sericin220 also exhibited the highest tyrosinase inhibition activity (70.82 ± 4.1 mg vitamin C equivalent/g), indicating its whitening potential.

Enhanced antioxidant, tyrosinase inhibition, and anti-inflammatory activities of Praeparatum mungo and three of its derivatives

“…Ferric reducing power was determined using an assay developed in previous studies 28 – 30 . The extract dissolved in deionized water (200 μL), and phosphate buffer solution (200 μL, 0.2 M, pH 6.6) and potassium ferricyanide (200 μL, 10%) were mixed and incubated at 50 °C for 20 min.…”

A Review on Potential Applications of Sericin, and its Biological, Mechanical, and Thermal Stability Characteristics

“…Sericin is employed in the pharmaceutical industry for various drug applications, such as solubility improvement, diffusion modification, and formulation stabilization [58], [76]- [79]. Sericin is an antioxidant as well as an anticoagulant.…”

Relevant Properties and Potential Applications of Sericin in Bone Regeneration

“…Sericin is a natural protein primarily derived from the cocoon of the Bombyx mori silkworm, an insect that has been at the heart of silk production for thousands of years [ 13 ]. It is secreted by the silkworm during the spinning of its cocoon and is used as a “bonding” agent, accounting for approximately 20–30% of the total weight of the silk cocoon [ 14 ]. Additionally, spiders also produce sericin [ 15 ].…”