Redirecting drug repositioning to discover innovative cosmeceuticals

Abstract

Skin appearance is essential for self‐esteem and quality of life; consequently, skin care products represent a huge market. In particular, cosmeceuticals constitute a hybrid category of skin care formulations, at the interphase of cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, rationally designed to target (patho) physiological mechanisms aiming to enhance skin health and appearance. Cosmeceuticals are marketed as anti‐ageing, anti‐wrinkle, hair regrowth, skin whitening and wound healing agents with special emphasis on scar‐free healing. An overview on recent cutting‐edge advances concerning the discovery and development of enhanced performance cosmeceuticals by drug repositioning approaches is presented here. In this context, we propose “target repositioning,” a new term, to highlight that druggable protein targets implicated in multiple diseases (hubs in the diseasome) can be exploited to accelerate the discovery of molecularly targeted cosmeceuticals that can promote skin health as an added benefit, which is a novel concept not described before. In this direction, emphasis is placed on the role of mouse models, for often untreatable skin diseases, as well as recent breakthroughs on monogenic rare skin syndromes, in promoting compound repositioning to innovative cosmeceuticals.

The Anti-Ageing and Whitening Potential of a Cosmetic Serum Containing 3-O-ethyl-l-ascorbic Acid

“…The serum contains a high concentration of vitamin C, in particular its derivative 3- O -ethyl- l -ascorbic acid (3OAA) (30%) and lactic acid (1%), with a pH equal to 3.82 that allows good penetration and efficacy of these functional ingredients [ 17 , 20 ]. Since, with ageing, the pH of the skin increases to around 6.0, skin care products with a low pH in the range of 3.5–4.0 normalizes the epidermal barrier function [ 29 ]. Biocompatibility is the first property of a cosmetic that must be evaluated.…”

Effects of Eggshell Membrane on Keratinocyte Differentiation and Skin Aging In Vitro and In Vivo

“…Since ESM is regarded as industrial waste and discarded after egg processing, it would be of significance if further in-depth studies could be carried out to explore the effective and functional usage of ESM in our life and health. Furthermore, our study could contribute for a novel cosmeceutical concept “drug repositioning” [ 31 ]. Accumulating nutritional study against skin health and disease are still important to prevent skin disorders.…”

Neurocosmetics in Skincare—The Fascinating World of Skin–Brain Connection: A Review to Explore Ingredients, Commercial Products for Skin Aging, and Cosmetic Regulation

“…Recently, the KLOTHO protein has received great attention in cosmetic studies [325]. In this regard, as a result, a liposoluble extract derived from Pistacia lentiscus-a plant native to the Mediterranean region, able to increase the KLOTHO protein synthesis in fibroblasts-has been discovered [326].…”