Natural sunscreens

Computational exploration of natural sunscreens.

The photoprotective role of a family of compounds found in very different organisms is assessed by means of CASPT2//CASSCF computations. The potential use of these compounds in commercial applications in order to effectively dissipate light energy is explored.

Ultrafast Photoprotecting Sunscreens in Natural Plants.

We explore the ultrafast photoprotective properties of a series of sinapic acid derivatives in a range of solvents, utilizing femtosecond transient electronic absorption spectroscopy. We find that a primary relaxation mechanism displayed by the plant sunscreen sinapoyl malate and other related molecular species may be understood as a multistep process involving internal conversion of the initia...

Microbial sunscreens

Basking in the sun on an Australian beach, I began to feel a burning sensation from excessive UV irradiation and decided not to wait for the ozone layer to return. As first aid I scraped some algae and cyanobacteria from the blistering rocks and smeared them on my exposed skin. Why? Because these organisms contain sunscreen compounds to protect themselves from harmful doses of UV-B (280–315 nm)...

Genomics update Microbial sunscreens

Exploiting Mycosporines as Natural Molecular Sunscreens for the Fabrication of UV-Absorbing Green Materials.

Ultraviolet radiations have many detrimental effects in living organisms that challenge the stability and function of cellular structures. UV exposure also alters the properties and durability of materials and affects their lifetime. It is becoming increasingly important to develop new biocompatible and environmentally friendly materials to address these issues. Inspired by the strategy develop...