Photo- and Thermo-Chemical Properties and Biological Activities of Saclipins, UV-Absorbing Compounds Derived from the Cyanobacterium Aphanothece sacrum

Saclipins A and B, which accumulate in the edible cyanobacterial strain Aphanothece sacrum in response to desiccation stress, are natural compounds with absorption maxima in the ultraviolet (UV)-A and UV-B regions. Saclipins are promising natural products for use in skincare cosmetics and oral supplements, but their chemical properties and biological activities remain largely unknown. In this study, we found that saclipins were highly stable compounds when treated with light and heat and that they have important biological activities in terms of skin antiaging and whitening. Furthermore, we revealed that saclipin-containing extracts prepared from dried A. sacrum exhibited the same or enhanced activity compared with purified saclipins. Specifically, purified saclipins and saclipin-containing extracts showed remarkable activity in inhibiting elastase activity and promoting collagen and hyaluronic acid production in human fibroblasts. Our findings will be useful for the formulation of saclipins in skincare cosmetics and oral supplements.