The skin is the largest organ of the human body, constantly exposed to harmful environmental factors, such as UV radiation or environmental pollution. These factors are known to be responsible for the development of skin hypersensitivity, premature aging and pigmentation disorders. Increased exposure to UV and oxidative stress may lead also to even more serious conditions, including various types of skin cancers. Natural substances have long been used for skin protection as well as the prevention and treatment of dermatological diseases. The increase of environmental pollution and along with the depletion of natural resources make it imperative to search for new raw materials as well as ways of obtaining active substances for developing effective and sustainable cosmetic and dermatological applications.
Active ingredients for cosmetics and dermatological therapies, focusing on the skin protection from UV and other external factors as well as helpful in the treatment and prevention of skin diseased might be obtained from:
- novel species of plants or fungi, not currently used for cosmetics or dermatological applications.
- plant waste or by-products not currently considered for the isolation of active ingredients.
- plant extracts obtained by novel state-of-the-art technologies.
- plant or fungi material obtained from in vitro cultures, enriched in bioactive compounds.
- natural extracts obtained or modified using microorganisms (biofermentation).
Authors are invited to contribute to this Research Topic with original or review articles regarding the following topics:
- Latest data on the skin protecting and therapeutic potential of extracts or metabolites obtained from plants or fungi species, not used for cosmetic or dermatological applications to date.
- Utilization of plant waste or by-products as a source of skin protecting ingredients or natural medicines for skin diseases.
- Innovative methods of obtaining natural ingredients for cosmetics or dermatological therapies: novel extraction methods, in vitro cultures of plant and fungi, fermentation of plant material or extract etc.
All the manuscripts submitted to the collection will need to fully comply with the Four Pillars of Best Practice in Ethnopharmacology (you can freely download the full version
here).). We also expect that the MS follow the standards established in the
ConPhyMP statement Front. Pharmacol. 13:953205.Potential authors are encouraged to explore the boundaries between cosmetic and medical products / medical devices and how such regulatory classifications impact on research in dermatology. All MS must use pharmacologically relevant methods.