Various different agri-food biomasses might be turned into renewable sources for producing biodegradable and edible plastics, potentially attractive for food, agricultural and cosmeceutical sectors. In this regard, different seeds utilized for edible and non-edible oil extraction give rise to high amounts of organic by-products, known as seed oil cakes (SOCs), potentially able to become protein-rich resources useful for the manufacturing of biodegradable films. This study reports the potential of SOC derived from Argania spinosa (argan), a well-known plant containing valuable non-refined oil suitable for food or cosmetic use, to be a promising valuable source for production of a protein-based matrix of biomaterials to be used in the pharmaco-cosmetic sector. Thus, glycerol-plasticized films were prepared by casting and drying using different amounts of argan seed protein concentrate, in the presence of increasing glycerol concentrations, and characterized for their morphological, mechanical, barrier, and hydrophilicity properties. In addition, their antioxidant activity and effects on cell viability and wound healing were investigated. The hydrophobic nature of the argan protein-based films, and their satisfying physicochemical and biological properties, suggest a biorefinery approach for the recycling of argan SOC as valuable raw material for manufacturing new products to be used in the cosmeceutical and food industries.

Second cheese whey (SCW) derived from buffalo milk is the main by-product of the mozzarella cheese dairy industry. The objective of this study was to develop a membrane-based purification procedure to obtain specific fractions from SCW and assess their biological and applicative potential. Special interest was paid to the proteins and newly identified health-promoting compounds that could be recovered and used as value-added products in different sectors of food and pharmaceutical industries. SCW has been treated, sequentially, with microfiltration (MF), ultrafiltration (UF), and nanofiltration (NF) membranes giving the possibility to obtain three different fractions, namely retentates recovered on 100 and 10 kDa (R100 and R10) and a nanofiltration retentate (RNF). These retentates were compared for their ability to preserve human keratinocytes from dehydration, to form protein-based films by casting, and finally they were used for probiotic cultivations as the main substrate. Results showed that Lactobacillus rhamnosus could grow without any further additional nutrient up to 2.2 ± 0.3 × 10⁹ CFU/mL in the RNF medium. Dehydration tests on HaCat cells proved R100 as the most efficient fraction in preserving cell viability from this specific stress. R10, after diafiltrations, formed transparent films with improved features when glycerol was added as a plasticizer.

Chondroitin obtained through biotechnological processes (BC) shares similarities with both chondroitin sulfate (CS), due to the dimeric repetitive unit, and hyaluronic acid (HA), as it is unsulfated. In the framework of this experimental research, formulations containing BC with an average molecular size of about 35 KDa and high molecular weight HA (HHA) were characterized with respect to their rheological behavior, stability to enzymatic hydrolysis and they were evaluated in different skin damage models. The rheological characterization of the HHA/BC formulation revealed a G’ of 92 ± 3 Pa and a G″ of 116 ± 5 Pa and supported an easy injectability even at a concentration of 40 mg/mL. HA/BC preserved the HHA fraction better than HHA alone. BTH was active on BC alone only at high concentration. Assays on scratched keratinocytes (HaCaT) monolayers showed that all the glycosaminoglycan formulations accelerated cell migration, with HA/BC fastening healing 2-fold compared to the control. In addition, in 2D HaCaT cultures, as well as in a 3D skin tissue model HHA/BC efficiently modulated mRNA and protein levels of different types of collagens and elastin remarking a functional tissue physiology. Finally, immortalized human fibroblasts were challenged with TNF-α to obtain an in vitro model of inflammation. Upon HHA/BC addition, secreted IL-6 level was lower and efficient ECM biosynthesis was re-established. Finally, co-cultures of HaCaT and melanocytes were established, showing the ability of HHA/BC to modulate melanin release, suggesting a possible effect of this specific formulation on the reduction of stretch marks. Overall, besides demonstrating the safety of BC, the present study highlights the potential beneficial effect of HHA/BC formulation in different damage dermal models.

Lactobacillus rhamnosus is a homofermentative probiotic strain that was previously demonstrated to grow on lignocellulosic-derived raw materials and to convert glucose into L-lactic acid (LA) with yields that vary between 0.38 and 0.97 g/g. Lactic acid is a key platform chemical, largely applied in different biotechnological fields (spanning from the pharmaceutical to the food sector) and also as a building block for the production of biodegradable polymers. In the present study, grape stalks were evaluated as sources of fermentable sugars for the growth of L. rhamnosus IMC501 and for the production of LA, since millions of hectoliters of wine are produced every year worldwide, generating a huge amount of waste. Although grape stalks are quite recalcitrant, the combination of a steam explosion pre-treatment with optimized two-step hydrolysis and commercial enzymes (Cellic-CTec2) allowed us to obtain a cellulose conversion efficiency of about 37% and to develop small-scale 2 L batch fermentation processes. Results successfully demonstrate that L. rhamnosus IMC501 can tolerate biomass-derived inhibitors and grow on grape stalk hydrolysate without the need for additional sources of nitrogen or other nutritional elements, and that the strain can convert all glucose present in the medium into LA, reaching the maximal theoretical yield.

Salvia haenkei (SH-Haenkenium^®), a native plant of Bolivia, is known as strong inhibitor of senescence and recently exploited in wound healing and for its potential anti-inflammatory properties. Hyaluronan at high and low molecular weight (HCC), explored in diverse cell models, and recently used in clinical practice, showed beneficial effects in dermo aesthetic and regenerative injective treatments. In this research work a novel formulation based on HCC coupled SH was tested for its potentiality in counteracting dermal injury. In vitro wound healing has been used to demonstrate HCC + SH capacity to improve keratinocytes migration respects the sole HCC, supported also by positive modulation of remodeling and integrity biomarkers. In addition, an in vitro dehydration test showed its ability to defend the skin from dryness. Moreover, an in vitro inflammation model (with lipopolysaccharides derived from E. coli) was used to assess molecular fingerprint of the pathological model and compare the cell response after treatments. Inflammatory biomarkers (e.g., KRT6, TLR-4 and NF-κB) and specific cytokines (e.g., IL-6, IL-22, IL-23) proved the effect of HCC + SH, in reducing inflammatory mediators. A more complex model, 3D-FT skin, was used to better resemble an in vivo condition, and confirmed the efficacy of novel formulations to counteract inflammation. All results trigger the interest in the novel formulation based on SH extract and hyaluronan complexes for its potential efficacy as natural anti-inflammatory agent for damaged skin, for its healing and regenerative properties.