LACTOBIOTYL: From bio-inspiration to bioconversion

Published: 23-Mar-2020

Over the past 10 years, scientists have made enormous progress in the understanding of the role of the microbial flora on health.

This progress has led to the emergence of new therapeutic strategies based on the use of probiotics (defined as good bacteria), and more recently of postbiotics, a set of bioactive metabolites produced by probiotics.

First related to food industry and gut health, these microorganisms are now an area of research in the cosmetics industry. As a precursor company, SILAB got interested in the idea of transposing their beneficial effects to the skin.

The company thus applied its expertise in mastering natural and biotechnologies to bioguide the production of a natural postbiotic capable of addressing dry skin issues, using a biomimetic approach: LACTOBIOTYL.

Bio-inspired by a probiotic from desert climates

For the development of this new care product for dry skin, the research teams drew inspiration from the adaptation properties of a plant probiotic (Lactobacillus arizonensis) to desert climates.

This good bacterium is characterized by extensive genetic and metabolic plasticity, two factors necessary for its acclimation to unfavorable conditions.

Indeed, it colonises jojoba, a shrub known for its adaptation to extreme drought conditions, as those of the Arizona desert. In order to ensure its survival, this good bacterial species (= probiotic) bioconverts molecules of its host into bioactive metabolites, more commonly called postbiotics.

This ability to modify its metabolism to its environment provides it with a remarkable adaptation capacity and is the reason for its nickname of “natural metabolic engineer”.

Advanced bioconversion techniques

LACTOBIOTYL is resulting from a biomimetic approach based on reproducing, in industrial bioreactors in SILAB’s biotechnologies production unit, the natural environment of Lactobacillus arizonensis.

By cleverly nourishing and stimulating the strain with an extract of jojoba, this strain’s original substrate, its metabolism was bioguided so that it produces the same bioactive molecules required for its survival in drought conditions.

Interestingly, these molecules were specifically identified and are well known for their ability to improve the quality of dry skin. Indeed, they are cyclic polyols (identified through a metabolomics study by UPLC-MS/MS), which are osmoregulating molecules known to play a fundamental role in adjusting osmotic pressure in plants.

In drought conditions, they participate in maintaining the water status of the plant, in turn contributing to preserving its active metabolism.

Dual efficacy on skin dryness

To confirm the effect of the postbiotic on dry skin, in vivo tests were conducted on male and female volunteers in order to determine its capacity to leave the cutaneous microbiota untouched, to boost the renewal of the epidermal barrier, and consequently, to improve the quality of dry skin.

The results demonstrated that after 28 days of twice-daily application to the face of Caucasian volunteers with dry skin, LACTOBIOTYL at 1% maintains the microbiota’s equilibrium and revitalises renewal of the cutaneous barrier.

Hydration is improved (+16.2%) and complexion radiance is revived, shown by increased reflection by the skin (+7.4%; P < 0.01). This dual hydrating/complexion booster effect was also significantly seen on the face of Asian volunteers.

Combining its expertise in mastering natural, biotechnologies and microbiota, SILAB has been able to develop an unprecedented bioinspired natural active ingredient.

This patented biotech active (INCI name: Maltodextrin and Lactobacillus Ferment) is recommended in all care products for dry skin, available as a powder without preservatives (recommended amount: 0.1 to 1%) and compliant with international cosmetic regulations (Europe, United States, Japan, China, etc.).

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