INTRODUCTION:

Arthrospira platensis (Nordstedt) Gomont, or Spirulina platensis) is a species belonging to the Cyanobacteria class (cyanobacteria) that lives in brackish lakes withalkaline and warm waters (e.g., Lake Texcoco, Lake Chad,etc.)^1,2. Along withSpirulina platensis, another generally used species of spirulina for food supplements is Spirulina maxes^3,4. Both species have a long history of use as food and can grow innumerous places worldwide thanks to an astonishing capability to thrive in climatic conditionsthat are adverse to other algae’s growth.

The main growing territories of spirulinaare the Pacific Ocean near Japan and Hawaii, and large brackish lakes, including LakeChad in Africa, Lake Klamath in North America, Lake Texcoco in Mexico, and Lake Titicaca in South America.Currently, spirulina’s worldproductas a food supplementis substantially in special algal granges in outofdoor tanks anbioreactors⁵.

Fig. 01- Spirulina growth and extraction

The United Statesleads the world’s product, followed by Thailand, India, Japan, and China. The nutrientcontent varies vastly and depends on the product area, the climate, and thewater’s saltness in which the algae grow. Harvesting procedures can also impact thecontent of vitamins, minerals, and phytoderivatives. Likewise, product processesshould always guarantee the absence of heavy essence that can snappily accumulate in thealgae^2,5

Extraction method:

Whole Spirulina algae was cleaned, shade dried, and pulverized to powder in a mechanical grinder. Required quantity of powder sample (40gm) was weigh and transferred to round bottom flask separately. This is treated with methanol (200ml). The flask was heated on soxhet apparatus for 120 min. Then the extracts were filtered. The extracts were collected and evaporated to dryness using vacuum distillation units.

Different Extraction process of Spirulina plantesis:

Phycocyanin the active constituents was extracted from the wet mass of Spirulina by using the following methods,

1) Homogenize the cells in morter pestle:- The biomass of Spirulina is homogenize in morter pestle in the presence of diatomaceous earth.

2) Inorganic acid extraction: The biomass of Spirulina is treated with hydrochloric acid (HCL) with different concentration and left for 24 hours at room temperature.

3) Organic acid extraction: The biomass of Spirulina is treated with acetic acid (1Molar) at room temperature.

4) Water based extraction: Spirulina plantesis were dried and extracted using distilled water as solvent in a Soxhlet apparatus.

5) Ethanolic extraction: Spirulina platensis dried powder (10gm) were extracted by adding 100ml of 80% ethanol kept overnight on a rotary shaker at room temperature.

Chemical constituents:

Spirulina species have a significant content of proteins, essential amino acids, vitamins, carotenoids, minerals,essential adipose acids, polysaccharides, glycolipids,etc.^6,7,8 and for this reason, they're generally used as functional foods whose consumption benefits mortal health and improves physical and internal perform The WHO Refocused out that spirulina is one of the most applicable superfoods on earth, and NASA uses it for space trip, thanks to the wide range of nutrients that a small quantum can give⁹. spirulina contains a high position of B vitamins, in particular vitamin B12, and minerals including iron, calcium, zinc, magnesium, manganese, and potassium¹⁰.

Fig.- 02Composition of spirulina

In addition, some essential adipose acids, similar as gammalinolenic acid (GLA) are present. Itsphytocomplex is rather rich in colors, including chlorophyll, phycobilins similar as phycocyanin, and allophycocyanin^6,11,12. It s important to note that spirulina nutrients are readily absorbed by the body and snappily restore Statusto physiological situations¹¹. In particular, the high bioavailability of micronutrients allowstheir rapid-fire-fire distribution indeed in the nervous system. B vitamins, magnesium, and adipose acidsfluently reach the brain through specific carriers plying salutary neuronal goods^10,12. Also, as for other phytoderivatives ^13,14 spirulina phytocomplex can also affect the brain through a first commerce with the intestinal microbiota. In fact, primary in vivoSubstantiation presently shows a bidirectionalcommerce between spirulina and the gut microbiota. On the one hand, the microbiota can biotraphytocomplex intosmall bioactive motes suitable to reach the blood and play their salutary functions; on theother hand, spirulina seems to modulate the microbiota diversity towards an increase inthe relative cornucopia of bacteria^15,16Arthrospira platensis hereafter appertained to as ‘Spirulina’) is unicellular microalgae which grows in freshwater, in tar water, as well as in brackish bodies ofwater. It grows swish in a largely alkaline terrain of pH 1012. Analogous conditions presently live in certain lakesin SubSaharan Africa and formerly in Mexico and Central America. Spirulina has been used as a food sourcefor centuries, and is still generally consumed in Chadand girding countries in Africa; in fact, Spirulina has served as the sole source of nutrition in someAfricancommunities in times of deficit, during which entire native populations have was eating only Spirulina forover a month at a time.¹⁷

Current Use-Spirulina has popularly known as a superfood

Fig.-03 Uses of spirulina

Effects of spirulinaon skin includes

1 Moisturizer

2 Antioxidant

3 Brightning.

4 Wound healing

5 Antiacne

6 Antimicrobial

1. Moisturizer:

Skin aging is a complex process that depends on both a inheritable predilection and external factors, andcauses functional and structural skin damage. Water moites play a vital part in maintaining the skinstructural mores indeed, water binds the dermal proteins, similar as collagen, and ensures the tissueConsistence. Thus, aged skin is poor of bounded water and has weak hydration networks, which makeskin look less and less glowy and firm. Generally, UV radiation, pollution, a poor diet and an unhealthylife are the main causes of skin aging, and thus of the loss of humidity together with thedrop of skin decreses skin barriers.Presently, the increase in life expectation and the growing interest in a immature appearance have lead the ornamentalrequest to formulate antiage products with moisturizing and wrinkle reduction goods.Considering that beauty companies are also involved in searching sustainable stapal and activeconstituents, the studies on the antiaging goods of algae, like Spirulina, aroused great interest in recent year^18,19

3. Antioxidant:

The antioxidant eventuality of bluemulticolored cyanobacteria is of great interest in the cosmesis. Colors canbe used as natural colorings in makeup products, like eyeliner aand lipstick and as antioxidant agents, which cover against UV radiation.²⁰ Indeed, Spirulina contains a lot of photosynthetic colors likechlorophyll and especially phycocyanin, which determine a long lasting greenblueachromatism in ornamental formulas. In 2012 Dr. Lotan A. (NidariaTechnologyLtd., Israel) patented some birth sunscreen formulas, whichincluded a mix of algae as active constituents.²¹ The claimed exertion was the synergistic effect of theContemporaneous use of UV pollutants and algae, which absorb sun, “convert it in energy source”, cover theskin and ameliorate its appearance. The patent argues that “the agent primarily responsible for theadvanced effect on the skin is the objectification of the algae” and Spirulina was one of the tested algae (Spirulina, Dunaliela, Hematococus, Nannochlorosis and Tetraselmis). Still, despite the significance ofthis statement, an inarguable scientific demonstration is missing. The patent proposed three phrasingscontaining 10w/ wnonviable complete algae, a topical gel and both W/O and O/W mixes. Many times latterly, C. Souza etal., further developed a stable and effective sunscreen expression containing a admixture of UV pollutants and antioxidants (using Spirulina between the others). As similar it furtherencourages experimenters to design further efficient and dependable sunscreens.²² As an antioxidant, Spirulina may reduce skin hyperpigmentation and cover skin against sun convinced damages (e.g., photoaging) by inhibiting ROS convinced damage to the dermis. Both visual and rheological analysesrevealed that the sunscreen phrasings were stable during the study period. Thus, the addition of UV pollutants Tinosorb S, Tinosorb M, Uvinul APlus and Uvinul T150, along with Spirulina dry excerpt anddimethylmethoxychromanol loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (DMC loaded SLN) didn't alter the physicalstability of the cream. Similar phrasings were characterized by a pH range between 5.3 and 5.8, suitablefor topical operation. DMC loaded SLN were successfully produced with a high addition rate (roughly 96, after 24 h) and stability (54 days). These phrasings displayed anonNewtonianand pseudoplasticgeste and, in terms of safety, according to the sensational analyses, they did not irritate the skin.²³

3. Brightening:

Skin hyperpigmentation is an aesthetic issue, which raises a growing concern in the current ornamental request. Presently, decolorizing products are vital in the antiage skin care routine, since they reduce spots and skin dyschromia caused by UV exposure. The pigmentogenesis begins inside melanocytes, which are a type of cell located between the keratinocytes in the rudimentary subcaste of epidermis. During the mentionedprocess, tyrosinase plays an important part in controlling the product of melanin and also in coloring hair, skin and eyes. In fact, this multicopper enzyme facilitates the metamorphosis of Ltyrosine inLdihydroxyphenylalanine (LDOPA), which in turn oxidizes itself and becomes DOPAquinone. A set of robotic waterfall responses leads to the creation of a color polymer, called melanin, which isreleased to the girding keratinocytes²⁵. Both the abnormal loss and the overproduction of melaninmay induce serious esthetical and dermatological skin diseases in humans, similar as Acanthosis nigricans, melasma, Cervical poikiloderma, Lentigines, Periorbital hyperpigmentation, neuro degeneration associated with skin cancer threat and Parkinson’s complaint. The most dependable strategy to treat similarpigmentary diseases so far is to use impediments of the tyrosinase.

4.Wound healing:

Skin Crack is a dislocation of complete tissue, which leads to a loss in functional and anatomic durability. Environmental conditions, accidents but also skin issues, like blankness and ⅚ dermatitis, might be some of the detector factors. Crack mending is, rather, a complex process involving seditious system, conflation of structural proteins, migration and proliferation of both parenchymal and connective tissue, cells. Full recovery is complex and, occasionally, habitual conditions or bacterial infections may further undermine the mending process. In 2011, Spirulina was devloped for its effectiveness in crack mending, due to its flavonoids and triterpenoids, which act as tangy and antimicrobial agents²⁶. The Spirulina crack mending effect of dry Extracts, attained in petroleum ether, chloroform and methanol was tested on rats and covered for 16 days. Specifically, the crack compression — as the chance reduction in crack area — and its check time were controlled. A significant enhancement in the crack mending exertion was noticed with the three extracts ..The stylish result was attained in the ointment with Spirulina petroleum etherbased extract at 10 w/w .In 2013, Gur etal. studied the impact of the crude Spirulina excerpt and the phycocyanin insulated from the crude Spirulina excerpt on societies of mortal keratinocyte, by using in vitro and in vivo models of crack mending ²⁷. They observed that Spirulina excerpt showed the stylish growth stimulation at 33.5µg/mL cure of treatment, which declared a cell exertion ranging from 100 to 270 after 72h. Cell viability has also bettered with phycocyanin and it was measured, indeed up to 213. Cell Exertion and proliferation difference between Spirulina excerpt and phycocyanin were noted not to be important (p>0.05) at the range of boluses (33.5 – 0.0335µg/mL) examined. It was also discovered that1. 25 of Cphycocyanin has a superior effect on the in vivo effectiveness, compared to other specifics with Spirulina extract, on the 7th day. Overall, the proliferation and growth stimulation conditioning of Spirulina excerpt feel to be directly connected to the presence of both phycocyanin and carotenoids, which synergistically contribute to the crack mending and towel rejuvenescence. A many times latterly, Guneset.al. developed natural skin creams amended with bioactiveS. platensis excerpt, and studied its crack mending, genotoxic and immunoreactive goods in vitro to estimate the implicit use of Spirulina inbiomedical and pharmaceutical sector²⁸. The in vitro cell culture tests demonstrated that Spirulina extracts showed significant goods on fibroblast cell proliferation and migratio. Fibroblast are mesenchymal cells that enable tissue preservation by concealing extracellular matrix, and they're in charge of the inflammation and scar conformation, during the crack mending process. A skin care cream, which incorporates 1.125 of Spirulina excerpt, presented the biggest proliferative effect on skin cells with an increase of Type 1 collagen immunoreactivity. The micronucleus assay, which shows DNA damage, demonstrated that Spirulina grounded cream had no genotoxic effect on mortal supplemental blood cells. Also, Spirulina platensis also revealed a strong antioxidant property, due to its superoxide dismutase (SOD) exertion with values up to8.0 U/ mL of SOD in Spirulina excerpt. All these features lead the bluegreen microalga to be suitable for biomedical and ornamental operations, particularly for crack dressings as well as sunburns, erythema and photoaging. More lately a Korean exploration platoon absorbed Spirulina in an finagled tissue, to estimate its crack mending eventuality^29,30. They named nanofibers of polycaprolactone (PCL) as a supporting mater for tissue regeneration.

5. Anti-acne:

Acne is an epidermis complaint linked to a sebum hypersecretion in misshaped follicles, which impliesinflammationand comedones Conformation. Theanaerobic Cutibacterium acnes (also known as Propionibacteriumacnes) plays a part in the inflammation process because it hyperproliferates in thesebaceous lipid terrain and producesreactive oxygen species (ROS) and proinflammatorycomposites. This cytokine waterfall also induces the follicular wall rupture of sebaceous glands and accordingly variation in the sebum composition. Acneic skins are low in linoleic acid and, thus, theirHedge skin function is compromised. Such a lesion pathway may also help the colonization of several bacteria like the Staphylococcus epidermis (S. epidermis). Indeed, although this Staphylococcus is a commensal skin microbiome bacterium, it was plant in acne as well. As Acne complaint affects several people, substantially during nonage, and it may lead to a lack of the selfconfidence, Performing in body shame. Since acneconverting bacteria shown side goods and addingresistance towards the synthetic medicines like tetracycline, numerous indispensable approaches have been exploredin the last decades. Among them, the topical operations of ornamental formulas containing botanicals assafer active constituents are the further suitable³¹. Presently, the ornamental request is explosively interested in formulating antiacne products with a special focus on natural active constituents, in addition to topical drug³². With this purpose, in 2018 Nihaletal.developed a topical antiacne expression using Spirulina rich in phycocyanin protein³³. The ultimateprotein, as formerly mentioned, is known to be responsible for utmost of the natural Spirulina benefits. Thephycocyanin was successfully uprooted from the alga by using sonication and the coldmacerationprocess and also it was purified by the dialysis system. The authors therefore studied its antimicrobial andantiinflammatory conditioning. In particular, the antioxidant exertion was plant to be dependent onphycocyanin attention in the range between0.05 and 0.3mg *mL − 1.

6. Antimicrobial:

Spirulina is currently mass-produced as a monoculture in out-of-door civilisation systems, with the growing medium used as a crucial input and accounting for a significant portion of the costs associated with the Spirulina output. Spirulina contains other cyanobacteria species and is utilised to produce a wide range of antibacterial compounds, making it a good candidate for biocontrol agents to control pathogenic bacteria and fungi. Spirulina platensis was tested for antibacterial activity against pathogenic bacterial and fungal isolates. The Spirulina platensis extract obtained from the solvent methanol demonstrated the greatest inhibitory zone against the bacterial and fungal isolates. The hexane solvent extraction of Spirulina platensis shows a minimal inhibitory zone against pathogens. When compared to the other Spirulina solvent extracts. Because of its high concentration of bioactive components, Spirulina can inhibit the growth of a variety of microorganisms, including gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, as well as Candida and Aspergillus spp. Spirulina has a better chance of inhibiting the growth of gram-positive bacteria than gram-negative bacteria. This impact may be due to the intricate structure of gram-negative bacteria's cell wall (external membrane).^34,35

CONCLUSION:

Spirulina has been incorporated in topical skin care phrasings, similar as a moisturizing, antiwrinkles, antiaging and antiacne agent. Likewise, this microalga is used by ornamental inventors to promote healthyskin, sunscreen protection, to treat skin achromatism conditions and to heal injuries. Utmost of marketable cosmetics claim an All theses activities of spirulina including moisturizing, wound healing, brightening, antioxidant, antiacneand antimicrobial reduces skin ageing and gives healthy skin.

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Received on 01.02.2022 Modified on 13.04.2022

Asian J. Pharm. Res. 2022; 12(3):235-240.

DOI: 10.52711/2231-5691.2022.00039