We cannot deny the extent and rich biodiversity of our flora; nor the attractive possibilities of active ingredients hidden among its leaves and roots. However, between the discovery of a new ingredient and its actual use in a product, there is a long path, which often can return to the starting point.
The search for new botanical extracts that can be used in cosmetics is indeed not easy. Of course, there is a significant contribution of cutting-edge technologies, but they tend to add a great complexity to the analysis of the obtained data.
The studies begin with a theoretical search about the mechanisms of action of a certain ingredient to understand its influence on humans, viewed through the lens of popular knowledge in different cultures. Concurrently, searches in the literature aim to find natural sources of molecules that have already been described with similar potential. Only after this theoretical search stage do experimental tests begin. There is a strict quality control in the identification and characterization of the main compounds to allow future reproducibility. Only then is the molecule of interest isolated, purified, and characterized according to its phytochemical composition, emission spectrum, and mass, through classical technologies such as high-performance liquid chromatography, gas chromatography, ultraviolet emission photodiode, and mass spectrometry.
Well, now the samples are ready for use, right? Wrong. This process up to this point is necessary to corroborate data already known in the literature or even to identify a new natural source of the molecule of interest, if it has proven effective enough in the pre-tests. Otherwise, the entire procedure is restarted.
In this world of botanical ingredients, the network of action of these molecules is fantastic and at the same time complex. Several of them can act synergistically on the same biological target, showing that the search for bioactives is a challenging task.
Concomitant to this challenge arose the need for new studies and automated technological strategies to better clarify the various metabolic and molecular pathways and their interactions that are simultaneously activated in the same biological process.
Who has not heard of the sequencing of the human genome (completed in 2003)? This was the beginning of a new technological era, with large-scale screening analysis strategies, as they evaluate many parameters simultaneously from information generated all at once. These techniques are known as HTS (high throughput screening) and encompass the analysis of DNA microarrays and the “omics” such as genomics (study of DNA sequence, genes), proteomics (study of proteins), epigenomics (study of epigenetic modifications (see post “From DNA to Methylation”) and transcriptomics (study of the sequence of genes that are being translated at a given moment).
But the rapid generation of information changed the course of the challenge: to correlate the multiple molecules and metabolic pathways studied with cellular behavior and the therapeutic potential of each one. Now, the multidisciplinary collaboration among mathematicians, computer engineers, biologists, doctors, physicists, and chemists comes into play to connect the data to better understand biological complexity.
This paradigm shift has contributed to a significant increase in the number of cosmetics launched in the last 6 years.
Thus, even with a cost 20% higher than traditional technologies, HTS compensates in the speed of data generation and the potential to discover not only the multifunctionality of new botanical ingredients but also new cellular pathways.
It is increasingly clear that biological complexity also requires a complex network of technological mechanisms so that we can study them and gradually build the network of knowledge about the world around us.
Carolina Lavini Ramos is a biologist graduated from the Institute of Biosciences at USP and holds a master's degree in Medical Sciences, with an emphasis on Immunology, from the Faculty of Medicine at USP. She currently teaches science for elementary education, guides students in the development of pre-scientific initiation projects, and is a member of the scientific review committee of the journal InCiência. She has a special interest in educational and outreach activities that bring scientists closer to society.
Contact: ca_Lavini@hotmail.com
References:
Patricia da Luz Moreira. Large-scale Screenings of Botanical Ingredients: Challenges and Opportunities. Cosmetics & Toiletries, July 2012 issue, pg 516-519.
Zanella F, Lorens JB, Link W. High content screening: seeing is believing. Trends Biotechnol. 2010 May;28(5):237-45. Epub 2010 Mar
