Views: 5 Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 2023-04-21 Origin: Site
Due to the growth of age and the influence of the external environment, the barrier function of the skin will inevitably be damaged, and the moisture content between the skin histiocyte will be reduced, which will lead to tight cell arrangement, decreased vitality, collagen dehydration and hardening, and various skin problems will follow.
Moisturizing is the top priority in skincare and a prerequisite for solving all skin problems. There are a variety of moisturizing products available, and the principle is not as simple as applying water to the face. To achieve the desired effect, it depends on the ingredients.
Polysaccharides, rich in polar groups such as hydroxyl and carboxyl groups, can form hydrogen bonds with water molecules and bind a large amount of water. In addition, polysaccharides have excellent film-forming properties and can form a uniform film on the skin surface, reducing the evaporation of water on the skin surface.
Trehalose is a disaccharide with wide applications in the field of skincare. It not only moisturizes and moisturizes the skin, but also has barrier repair, cell protection, and antioxidant effects.
Hyaluronic acid is a shining star among moisturizing ingredients, and it is also a polysaccharide component that can quickly hydrate skin cells and replenish moisture in the stratum corneum. However, its characteristic is hydration rather than moisturizing. In addition, hyaluronic acid can also accelerate skin wound healing and prevent skin aging.
Little did they know that among polysaccharides, there is also a Nobel Prize level ingredient that dares to compete with hyaluronic acid in terms of efficacy, making it a dark horse in the skincare industry. It is the aristocrat in the field of moisturizing—— Beta- Glucan.
(1) What is beta-glucan?
(2) What is the relationship between beta-glucan and the Nobel Prize?
(3) Classification and origin of beta-glucans?
(4) What are the effects of beta-glucan on the human body?
(5) What is the principle and role of beta-glucan in skincare?
(6)A brief summary of beta glucan
Beta-Glucan, English name beta glucan, is a kind of fiber polysaccharide, which is connected by the glycosidic bond of glucose unit. According to the direction of hydroxyl groups in the glucose unit of the structure, glucan is divided into α Type and β Type. If the two - OH directions in a monomer are opposite, it is called α- glucan, if in the same direction, is called beta- Glucan.
α-glucan is more common in daily life, such as the starch contained in foods such as rice, wheat, and potatoes, which is composed of α-glucan. They are water-soluble and can be hydrolyzed into glucose.
Beta-glucan is mainly present in dietary fiber, such as barley, oats, fungi, etc., which are rich in β- Glucan.
Research has shown that beta glucan has the ability to fully activate the human immune system, achieving anti-tumor and disease prevention effects. However, α-glucan does not possess corresponding physiological activity due to the unique spatial structure of beta glucan that can bind to cell-specific receptors. Therefore, beta glucan is mainly used in the research and application of biomedical and skincare fields.
(1) In the 1940s, Dr. Pillemer first discovered and reported a substance in the yeast cell wall that had an immune enhancing effect.
(2) In the 1960s, Dr. Diluzio from the University of Toulon in the United States further discovered that the substance was a polysaccharide, beta glucan, and isolated from bread yeast.
(3) In the 1970s, scientists conducted in-depth research on beta-glucan and found that beta-1,3-glucan has multiple biological activities.
(4) In the 1980s and 1990s, beta-1,3 glucans extracted from yeast, oats, and fungi were used in the fields of food and medicine.
(1) From 2001 to 2002“ β- glucan "has been recognized by the Nobel Prize in Medicine for two consecutive years, mainly for its role in cellular function.
(2) At the beginning of the 21st century, the application of beta glucan in clinical skin repair and cosmetics began to be gradually valued.
(3) Around 2010, Chinese scientists first used biological fermentation technology to prepare beta-1,3 glucan, which was named Salecan.
(4) In 2014, a new structure of water-soluble beta glucan from Marine microorganism and a cosmetics grade Salecan product were first developed and utilized by New Photobiology.
(5) It can be seen that beta glucan is a highly promising new skincare ingredient, but it has become a hot trend for adding raw materials in skincare products.
Beta glucan exists in various food sources, including fungi such as yeast, oats, shiitake mushrooms, and seaweed. However, not all sources of beta glucans have the same structure and properties.
Yeast beta glucan is composed of beta glucan core and branched beta-1,3-glucan and beta-1,6 glucan.
Fungal beta glucan has a structure similar to that of yeast beta glucan, but its branched chain is much shorter than that of yeast.
Oat beta glucan has linear linear chains of beta-1,3-glucan and beta-1,4-glucan.
Oat beta glucan, as a dietary fiber, has a greater cholesterol lowering effect on the body, while it is not as effective as beta glucan in yeast and fungi in enhancing immunity.
In terms of skincare, oat beta glucan and yeast beta glucan are commonly used. But their properties are different:
Oat beta glucan is water-soluble, while yeast beta glucan is insoluble in water, which poses certain challenges in the formulation of skincare products. So, scientists improved yeast beta glucan by carboxymethylating it to form a water-soluble polysaccharide.
The carboxymethylated beta glucan is CM Glucan, which is why beta Glucan or CM Glucan may be seen in the skincare ingredient list.
In the skincare ingredient list, some may specify the source of beta glucan, such as' oat beta glucan ', but others may only be labeled as' beta glucan', and we do not know if it comes from oats or yeast.
In summary, beta glucans used in skincare products are mainly divided into three categories:
Oat beta glucan with straight chain structure
Yeast beta glucan with branched chain structure
Carboxymethylated beta glucan
Beta glucan is known as the "immune gold" in the international market, and its main benefit to human health lies in the enhancement of immunity.
Its principle of action is that on the surface of our white blood cells, there are receptors that bind specifically to the molecular structure of yeast and fungus beta glucan, just like a lock and key relationship. This can activate immune cells such as macrophages and neutrophils.
Clearing toxins, repairing cells, clearing free radicals, antioxidant, lowering cholesterol and other physiological functions.
Polysaccharides, represented by hyaluronic acid and trehalose, can form a thin film on the surface of the skin, absorbing water from the environment while also reducing water evaporation on the skin surface.
Unlike hyaluronic acid and most other moisturizing and emollients, beta glucan does not simply act on the surface of the skin, but rather penetrates deep into the cellular and molecular levels. With good penetration, it has the ability to improve the skin's condition from the inside out, helping the skin maintain moisture.
Unlike other anti-aging ingredients that delay skin aging through sun protection and free radical scavenging, beta glucan fundamentally improves the natural vitality of skin cells and plays a synergistic role in the natural skin renewal process.
Immune cells also exist in skin tissue, and beta glucan can activate immune cells after being recognized by immune active cells. Thus, it can promote the secretion of epidermal growth factor (EGF), further regulate the synthesis of collagen and Elastin, thus improving the skin appearance and removing wrinkles.
The Langerhans cells in the skin are related to the skin's defense and immune ability, and the effect of ultraviolet rays can inhibit the activity of these cells. Research has shown that beta glucan can promote the proliferation of Langerhans cells, thereby enhancing the skin's immune system.
Clinical studies have shown that beta glucan has significant anti-inflammatory and anti allergic activities, and can resist various physical or chemical stimuli from the outside world, such as UV stimulation and skin irritation caused by irritating ingredients.
Beta glucan has the effect of alleviating skin allergic inflammation caused by excessive acid brushing. If excessive acid is accidentally brushed, it is advisable to use mild skincare products containing beta glucan to alleviate it. Research has shown that 0.2% concentration of beta glucan can have the same anti-inflammatory effect as cosmetics containing 1.0% hydrocortisone.
Beta glucan can activate macrophages in immune cells, which produce epidermal growth factor (EGF), thereby promoting wound healing and increasing the regeneration ability of damaged cells.
FDA has approved beta glucan for use in products for burn wound treatment.
(1) Beta glucan is a natural polysaccharide widely present in foods such as yeast, oats, and fungi. Yeast beta glucan or oat beta glucan are commonly used in skincare products.
(2) The main functions of Beta glucan in skincare include strong moisturizing and wrinkle resistance, promoting skin regeneration and wound healing, and also possessing certain anti allergic and anti-inflammatory functions.
(3) Beta glucan has a better moisturizing effect than hyaluronic acid.
(4) The anti aging and wrinkle removing effect of Beta glucan is fundamentally solved by activating immune cells from the inside out.
(5) Even the best ingredient depends on its concentration.
