From seaweeds to skincare: Unveiling the dermatological potential of Bifurcata bifurcata

Society has become more aware of the significance of a healthy skin, resulting in a growing need for natural and innovative skin care products. Seaweeds are known to be a rich source of bioactive compounds with a wide range of biotechnological applications. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the dermatological potential of six fractions (F1-F6) obtained from the brown seaweed Bifurcaria bifurcata . The antioxidant, anti-enzymatic, cytotoxic, photoprotective, wound healing, and antimicrobial properties were studied. The ethyl acetate fraction (F4) displayed the best ability to scavenge the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical (EC 50 : 35.7 μg/mL), also demonstrating the highest anti-enzymatic activity, inhibiting collagenase and tyrosinase activities with an IC 50 value of 33.6 μg/mL and 50.1 μg/mL, respectively. The hydrophilic fraction (F5) exhibited the highest photoprotective capacity, reducing the reactive oxygen species (ROS) production by 30.9 % on HaCaT cells exposed to UVA/B radiation compared with the vehicle. By contrast, the solid water-insoluble fraction (F2) promoted the highest wound healing area (47.3 %). Finally, the cyclohexane fraction (F3) showed the highest antimicrobial activity, inhibiting Staphylococcus epidermidis (48.5 % at 200 μg/mL) and Cutibacterium acnes (IC 50 : 59.0 μg/mL) growth. Based on these results, B. bifurcata reveals to be a promising source of bioactive ingredients for the development of innovative multitarget dermatological products. • Skin applications of Bifurcata bifurcata brown seaweed derived-components • Antioxidant and inhibitory actions on skin-related enzymes • Photoprotective effects on HaCaT cells exposed to UVA/B radiation • Antimicrobial activity against microorganisms related with skin disorders