Hormetins as Novel Components of Cosmeceuticals and Aging Interventions

Suresh Rattan

doi:10.3390/cosmetics2010011

Abstract

A promising strategy for maintaining a healthy and youthful phenotype during aging is that of mild stress-induced beneficial hormesis. The basis of hormesis lies in the molecular pathways of stress response, which are essential for the survival of a biological system by activation of maintenance and repair mechanisms in response to stress. Moderate physical exercise is the best example of a hormetin that brings about a wide range of health beneficial hormesis by first challenging the system. Similarly, other natural and synthetic hormetins can be incorporated in cosmeceutical formulations, and can help achieve benefits including maintenance of the skin structure and function. Several polyphenols, flavonoids and other components from spices, algae and other sources are potential hormetins that may act via hormesis. Stress response pathways that can be analyzed for screening potential hormetins for use in cosmetics and cosmeceuticals include heat shock response, autophagy, DNA damage response, sirtuin response, inflammatory response and oxidative stress response.

Highlights

Cosmetics and cosmeceuticals fulfill an important psycho-social-biological need of human beings in feeling good about themselves and in trying to maintain the structural and functional integrity of the body, especially that of the skin
The aim of this article is to provide a brief overview of the biogerontological understanding of aging, to present the phenomenon of stress-induced beneficial hormesis, and to discuss the potential use of hormesis-inducing natural and synthetic hormetins as novel components of cosmeceuticals
The biologically beneficial effects achieved through such hormetin-based interventions include slowing down cellular aging and senescence in vitro, extension of cellular and organismic lifespan, enhancement of stress tolerance, improved maintenance, repair and removal of macromolecular damage, and overall strengthening of the homeodynamics [27,29,34]

Summary

Introduction

Cosmetics and cosmeceuticals fulfill an important psycho-social-biological need of human beings in feeling good about themselves and in trying to maintain the structural and functional integrity of the body, especially that of the skin. Biological aging is viewed as an emergent phenotype due to the failure of maintenance and not due to the execution of any programme involving the so-called gerontogenes [2,7,8,9,10]. This understanding can change our approach towards aging interventions from anti-aging reversion to achieving healthy aging by preserving the function and enhancing robustness and resilience. The aim of this article is to provide a brief overview of the biogerontological understanding of aging, to present the phenomenon of stress-induced beneficial hormesis, and to discuss the potential use of hormesis-inducing natural and synthetic hormetins as novel components of cosmeceuticals

Biogerontology in a Nutshell

Modulation of Aging through Hormesis

Hormesis and Hormetins in Cosmetics

Conclusions and Perspectives