Preventhelia is positioned as an anti-aging ingredient that provides particular protection against photo-aging and UV-induced skin damage.
According to the company, it has been designed for use in daily cosmetic formulations where a photoprotective effect is desired, as well as in sun protection products.
Free radical scavenger
The tetrapeptide acts as a free radical scavenger, therefore helping to protect against the damage caused by UV-induced reactive oxygen species, explained Lipotec’s Juan Cebrian.
UV rays are responsible for the creation of reactive oxygen species that can then damage the DNA and structural proteins necessary for skin integrity, he said.
“If we quench these free radicals, we avoid the damage to the main bricks of cells, proteins and DNA. Preventhelia reacts with these reactive species avoiding damage to the skin,” he added.
Helps protect the DNA repair system
In addition, the ingredient has shown, in vitro, an ability to quench one of the most abundant and toxic reactive carbonyl species – trans-4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (4-HNE).
Research has suggested that 4-HNE can inhibit the natural DNA repair mechanism by reacting with the repair enzymes.
In aged skin these repair enzymes are already in lower concentrations. This, coupled with the DNA damage that is induced by UV radiation makes it important to protect the repair mechanisms.
By reacting with 4-HNE, Preventhelia can help to avoid the deactivation of the main DNA repair enzymes, explained Cebrian.