Oral and dermal toxicity of alkenones extracted from Isochrysis species.

Isochrysis is commercially available marine algae used for animal feed, human nutrient supplements, and biodiesel. The Isochrysis species is one of five genera of haptophytes that produces unique, long-chain lipids known as alkenones that are promising new ingredients for green cosmetics, personal care products and pharmaceutical delivery. However, there is a lack of toxicity data for alkenones in animals, thus limiting their use in humans. In this study, we performed acute oral, acute dermal, and repeated 28-day dermal toxicity studies, using female SAS Sprague Dawley Rats. Our behavioral studies indicated that the specific alkenones had no overt behavioural effects at oral doses up to 4000 mg/kg. In the acute and chronic dermal toxicity studies, the alkenones produced less irritation and did not significantly damage the skin based on the Draize skin reaction scale and trans-epidermal water loss readings compared to the positive control, 1% sodium lauryl sulfate. Overall, our results indicated that alkenones are safe in Sprague Dawley rats, suggesting that they could be used for both oral and dermal formulations, although additional studies will be required.

Iridoides y secoiridoides (1): clasificación, biosíntesis, importancia ecológica, estrategias evolutivas y modificaciones semisintéticas / Iridoids and secoiridoids (1): classification, biosynthesis, ecological interest, evolutionary strategies and semisynthetic modifications

Los iridoides y secoiridoides incluyen un grupo diverso de monoterpenos presentes en plantas e insectos, que poseen propiedades beneficiosas para la salud. La biosíntesis de estos compuestos transcurre en los distintos organismos mediante rutas similares, siendo su principal función la defensiva o, en el caso de insectos, también la de servir como feromonas sexuales. Estos compuestos han demostrado tener una amplia variedad de accciones biológicas y farmacológicas entre las que destaca la actividad hepatoprotectora, colerética, antimicrobiana, antiviral, antitumoral y antinflamatoria. Dada la relevancia de sus actividades farmacológicas, la obtención de nuevos derivados por semisíntesis resulta interesante. En este sentido, el empleo de enzimas en medios orgánicos se ha revelado como una metodología especialmente valiosa (AU)

Iridoids and secoiridoids include a broad group of monoterpenes present in plants and insects, which have beneficial health properties. The biosynthesis of these compounds takes place in the different organisms by similar pathways, being the defense its main role, or in the case of insects, used in addition as sex pheromones. These compounds have been shown to have a wide variety of biological and pharmacological activities, among them, hepatoprotective, choleretic, antimicrobial, antiviral, antitumor and anti-inflammatory. Given the relevance of their pharmacological activities, it is interesting to obtain new semisynthetic derivatives. In this regard, the use of enzymes in organic media has proved to be an especially valuable methodology (AU)