Pukyong National University

Preventive wrinkle product from algae 

Lee Sang-Hun, a researcher, at PKNU　was awarded ’Best Young Researcher.’ 
 

A researcher succeeded in extracting a natural  material which inhibits and prevents the skin from getting wrinkles initially. The material comes from rhubarb which belongs to the kelp family.

Lee Sang-Hun, a researcher, who has been involved with the Marine-Bio Process Research Organization at PKNU, succeeded in extracting a natural substance, which inhibits the activation and production of Matrix metalloproteinase leading to the degeneration of collagen, a protein found in the skin that keeps it elastic and healthy-looking.  

As a result, it has been discovered for the first time that Fucofuroeckol-A can be separated out of rhubarb. This substance under natural conditions has the function of physiological activation.

The aforementioned Lee published the research paper at an international conference hosted by Cosmetic Valley in France which concluded on the 31st of March. He was awarded ’Best Young Researcher’ at the conference.

COSM’Innov is a scientific conference on cosmetology research which is held in Orléans, France biennially. The topic of the conference is about the innovation of Cosmetics. Top-tier cosmetic companies and researchers working for the  institutes of clinical physiology have participated in the conference. 

Based on this research result, the Marine-Bio Process Research Organization is planning to develop functional cosmetics within this year. Development can begin  after certification process, which includes a clinical trial with the rhubarb as a key ingredient, is completed.

The young researcher received master’s and doctoral degrees from PKNU after his graduation from the Department of Chemistry at the same university in 1997.  He has published 25 research papers in the field over the last three years. He has been exerting himself with research on developing physiological activating substances.  

He says that "Algae contains many natural substances which have effects on  anti-diabetes, anti-oxidant, and skin whitening. Above all, it is completely safe for people to use." He has made it his position that his final goal is to produce functional cosmetics and health food with extracted substances from algae.

<Translator ; Joo Woo Jung, lookorea@hotmail.com>