Natural Compounds Slow Skin Protein Damage and Protect the Cardiovascular System

Scientists in Japan have discovered that natural compounds similar to sunscreen filters may have many additional health benefits beyond protection from ultraviolet radiation.

The results of the study were published in the journal Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry.

These substances, known as mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs), are naturally produced by marine algae and cyanobacteria — microorganisms that live in the sea and other bodies of water. Their main function in nature is to absorb harmful ultraviolet radiation and protect cells from damage.

The researchers compared two different molecules of this type: one extracted from an edible seaweed (porphyra-334) and another, rarer compound found in cyanobacteria from hot springs in Thailand (GlcHMS326).

They found that both compounds absorb UV radiation but act differently: one is better at preventing aging processes and protein damage, while the other more strongly protects collagen — the protein responsible for skin elasticity.

In addition, an unexpected discovery was that both molecules reduced the activity of an enzyme important for regulating blood pressure in laboratory conditions — angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE).

Blocking this enzyme is one of the ways modern medications help control high blood pressure, so the findings open new perspectives for exploring potential cardiovascular benefits.

The scientists also discovered that these natural filters have antioxidant properties, meaning they help neutralize free radicals — unstable molecules that contribute to aging and cellular damage. This makes them interesting not only for sunscreens and cosmetics, but also for functional food products.

The researchers emphasize that these results have so far been obtained only in the laboratory, and it remains unclear whether such effects would be observed in living organisms, or at what concentrations these compounds could be safely and effectively included in cosmetic or dietary products.

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