Ana Silva 1,2,† , Cláudia Pinto 3,4,†, Sara Cravo 3,4 , Sandra Mota 5,6 , Liliana Rego 5,6 , Smeera Ratanji 6,7 , Clara Quintas 6,7, Joana Rocha e Silva 8 , Carlos Afonso 3,4 , Maria Elizabeth Tiritan 3,4,9,10 , Honorina Cidade 3,4,10,* , Teresa Cruz 1,2,* and Isabel F. Almeida 5,6

1 Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal; 该Email地址已收到反垃圾邮件插件保护。要显示它您需要在浏览器中启用JavaScript。

2 CIBB—Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology/CNC—Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal

3 Laboratory of Organic and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Department of Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy,  University of Porto, Rua Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal; 该Email地址已收到反垃圾邮件插件保护。要显示它您需要在浏览器中启用JavaScript。 (C.P.); 该Email地址已收到反垃圾邮件插件保护。要显示它您需要在浏览器中启用JavaScript。 (S.C.); 该Email地址已收到反垃圾邮件插件保护。要显示它您需要在浏览器中启用JavaScript。 (C.A.); 该Email地址已收到反垃圾邮件插件保护。要显示它您需要在浏览器中启用JavaScript。 (M.E.T.)

4 CIIMAR–Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Avenida General Norton de Matos, S/N, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal

5 UCIBIO—Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Department of Drug Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, R. Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal; 该Email地址已收到反垃圾邮件插件保护。要显示它您需要在浏览器中启用JavaScript。 (S.M.); 该Email地址已收到反垃圾邮件插件保护。要显示它您需要在浏览器中启用JavaScript。 (L.R.); 该Email地址已收到反垃圾邮件插件保护。要显示它您需要在浏览器中启用JavaScript。 (I.F.A.)

6 Associate Laboratory i4HB—Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, R. Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal; 该Email地址已收到反垃圾邮件插件保护。要显示它您需要在浏览器中启用JavaScript。 (S.R.); 该Email地址已收到反垃圾邮件插件保护。要显示它您需要在浏览器中启用JavaScript。 (C.Q.)

7 UCIBIO—Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Laboratory of Pharmacology, Department of Drug Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, R. Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal

8 Dimas & Silva, Lda. Industry, Rua Central de Goda 345, 4535-167 Mozelos, Portugal; 该Email地址已收到反垃圾邮件插件保护。要显示它您需要在浏览器中启用JavaScript。

9 TOXRUN—Toxicology Research Unit, University Institute of Health Sciences, CESPU, CRL, 4585-116 Gandra, Portugal 10 UNIPRO—Oral Pathology and Rehabilitation Research Unit, University Institute of Health Sciences (CESPU), 4585-116 Gandra, Portugal

* Correspondence: 该Email地址已收到反垃圾邮件插件保护。要显示它您需要在浏览器中启用JavaScript。 (H.C.); 该Email地址已收到反垃圾邮件插件保护。要显示它您需要在浏览器中启用JavaScript。 (T.C.)

† These authors equally contributed to this work.

Academic Editor: Chung-Yi Chen

Received: 18 December 2024

Revised: 11 January 2025

Accepted: 14 January 2025

Published: 17 January 2025

Citation: Silva, A.; Pinto, C.; Cravo, S.; Mota, S.; Rego, L.; Ratanji, S.; Quintas, C.; Silva, J.R.e.; Afonso, C.; Tiritan, M.E.; et al. Sustainable Skincare Innovation: Cork Powder

Extracts as Active Ingredients for Skin Aging. Pharmaceuticals 2025, 18, 121.

https://doi.org/10.3390/ ph18010121

Copyright: © 2025 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license

(https://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by/4.0/)

Abstract: Background: An emerging practice within the concept of circular beauty involves the upcycling of agro-industrial by-products. Cork processing, for instance, yields byproducts like cork powder, which presents an opportunity to create value-added cosmetic ingredients. Building upon our previous research, demonstrating the antioxidant potential of hydroalcoholic extracts derived from two distinct cork powders (P0 and P1), in this work, aqueous extracts were prepared and analyzed. The safety and bioactivities of the newly obtained aqueous extracts, as well as the 30% ethanol extracts, previously reported to be the most promising for skin application, were also evaluated.

Methods: Aqueous extracts were obtained from cork powders (P0 and P1) and the identification and quantification of some polyphenols was achieved by liquid chromatography (LC). Antioxidant potential was screened by DPPH method and the bioactivity and safety of extracts were further explored using cell-based assays.

Results: All extracts exhibited a reduction in age-related markers, including senescence-associated beta-galactosidase (SA-β-gal) activity. Additionally, they demonstrated a pronounced anti-inflammatory effect by suppressing the production of several pro-inflammatory mediators in macrophages upon lipopolysaccharide stimulation. Moreover, the extracts upregulated genes and proteins associated with antioxidant activity, such as heme oxygenase 1. The aqueous extract from P1 powder was especially active in reducing pro-inflammatory mediators, namely the Nos2 gene, inducible nitric oxide protein levels, and nitric oxide production. Moreover, it did not induce skin irritation, as assessed by the EpiSkin test, in compliance with the OECD Test Guidelines.

Conclusions: Overall, our findings underscore the potential of aqueous extracts derived from cork waste streams to mitigate various hallmarks of skin aging, including senescence and inflammaging, and their suitability for incorporation into cosmetics formulations. These results warrant further exploration for their application in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries and could foster a sustainable and circular bioeconomy.

Keywords: cosmetics; cork extracts; skin aging; sustainability; senescence; inflammaging; circular economy