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Anti-Aging and Skin Rejuvenation Ingredients: Design and Research

A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Applied Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026 | Viewed by 2322

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Preclinical Department, Faculty of Medicine, “Lucian Blaga” University of Sibiu, 2A Lucian Blaga St., 550169 Sibiu, Romania
Interests: cosmetic formulation; dermocosmetics and cosmeceuticals; nanocosmetics; toxicological safety assessment of cosmetics; cosmetic claims and efficacy evaluation of cosmetics; cosmetovigilance
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Preclinical Department, Faculty of Medicine, “Lucian Blaga” University of Sibiu, 2A Lucian Blaga Street, 550169 Sibiu, Romania
Interests: analytical method development and validation; quality control of health products; drug delivery; cosmetics; nutricosmeticsș nutraceuticals
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Pharmacy, “George Emil Palade” University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology of Târgu Mureș, 540142 Târgu Mureș, Romania
Interests: drug and health product analysis; nutraceuticals and functional foods; safety assessment of pharmaceutical products and food supplements; quality assurance of health products; chemistry of cosmetic products and dermocosmetics

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, the demand for scientifically validated anti-aging and skin rejuvenation ingredients has advanced considerably, driven by increased consumer awareness, early preventive care, and advances in molecular research. This Special Issue aims to bring together recent innovations in the design, development, and evaluation of bioactive compounds with anti-aging and skin-restorative effects.

Contributions may explore natural or synthetic ingredients that modulate skin hydration, elasticity, barrier integrity, extracellular matrix remodeling, or oxidative stress—key mechanisms underlying cutaneous aging.

We welcome research that addresses ingredient formulation, delivery systems (e.g., nano- or microcarriers), synergistic combinations of novel active ingredients, and mechanistic insights into their dermocosmetic or nutricosmetic action. Both in vitro and in vivo models, as well as clinical and in silico studies evaluating efficacy, safety, and skin compatibility, are of interest.

This Special Issue is open to original research articles, comprehensive reviews, and short communications focused on innovation and evidence-based validation of cosmetic and nutricosmetic ingredients for skin youthfulness and vitality, protection, and rejuvenation.

Dr. Anca Maria Juncan
Dr. Luca-Liviu Rus
Prof. Dr. Daniela Lucia Muntean
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Molecules is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • anti-aging ingredients
  • skin rejuvenation
  • nutricosmetics and cosmeceuticals
  • bioactive compounds
  • formulation and delivery systems
  • extracellular matrix and skin biology
  • in silico, in vitro and in vivo assessment

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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25 pages, 3065 KB  
Article
From Elderflower to Bioactive Extracts: Phytochemical Characterization and Anti-Inflammatory Activity
by Maryna Koval, Sławomir Dresler, Sandra Kowalik, Benedikt Schwarz, Anna Wawruszak, Anna Filipek, Małgorzata Komar, Thomas Jakschitz, Stavros Beteinakis, Günther Bonn, Wojciech Koch and Wirginia Kukula-Koch
Molecules 2026, 31(3), 561; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31030561 - 5 Feb 2026
Abstract
This study provides a phytochemical characterization of Sambucus nigra L. (elderflower) and correlates its chemical profile with anti-inflammatory bioactivity, establishing an optimized extraction methodology. A comparative analysis of ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE), accelerated solvent extraction (ASE), and shaking maceration was conducted using solvents of [...] Read more.
This study provides a phytochemical characterization of Sambucus nigra L. (elderflower) and correlates its chemical profile with anti-inflammatory bioactivity, establishing an optimized extraction methodology. A comparative analysis of ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE), accelerated solvent extraction (ASE), and shaking maceration was conducted using solvents of varying polarity (ethanol, ethanol–water mixture (1:1, v/v), and water). High-resolution fingerprinting via HPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS confirmed a rich polyphenolic profile, dominated by flavonoids such as rutin, naringenin, and phenolic acids, notably chlorogenic acid. Quantitative analysis revealed that UAE with ethanol–water mixture (1:1, v/v) for 20 min yielded the highest recovery of rutin (4.87%) and chlorogenic acid (8.22%). The anti-inflammatory potential was evaluated in TNFα-stimulated HaCaT NF-κB Luc reporter keratinocytes. Anhydrous ethanolic extracts demonstrated superior efficacy, significantly inhibiting NF-κB pathway activation at non-cytotoxic concentrations. Chemometric analysis, specifically PLS-DA, identified naringenin as a principal contributor to this observed anti-inflammatory effect. These findings underscore the critical role of solvent selection in modulating the phytochemical composition and resultant bioefficacy of elderflower extracts. The potent, naringenin-driven inhibition of NF-κB in keratinocytes highlights the significant therapeutic potential of optimized S. nigra extracts for applications in dermatological and cosmetic formulations aimed at managing inflammatory skin disorders. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Anti-Aging and Skin Rejuvenation Ingredients: Design and Research)
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Review

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24 pages, 400 KB  
Review
Chemical Variability and Biological Potential of Cornu aspersum Mucus as a Source for the Development of New Cosmetic and Pharmaceutical Products
by Nataliia Hudz, Vira Turkina, Tetyana Alyokhina, Olena Motyka, Nataliia Chemerys, Tetiana Rumynska, Andrii Lozynskyi, Izabela Jasicka-Misiak and Lesya Kobylinska
Molecules 2025, 30(21), 4197; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30214197 - 27 Oct 2025
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Abstract
Snail mucin is one of the animal products widely used in cosmetic products. The mucus of Cornu aspersum (C. aspersum) contains compounds that have antibacterial, antioxidant, proliferative, pro-migration, angiogenesis-promoting, and other biological effects. This study aimed to critically analyze and consolidate [...] Read more.
Snail mucin is one of the animal products widely used in cosmetic products. The mucus of Cornu aspersum (C. aspersum) contains compounds that have antibacterial, antioxidant, proliferative, pro-migration, angiogenesis-promoting, and other biological effects. This study aimed to critically analyze and consolidate existing data on the bioactive components of C. aspersum mucus and the mechanisms of their influence on human health, focusing mainly on its cosmetic, regenerative, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties. We conducted a literature search analysis on this problem using the following search databases in English: PubMed, PubChem, Mendeley, Google Scholar, Scirus, DOAJ, BASE, CORE, Science.gov, and RefSeek up to 12 August 2025. It was shown that snail mucus facilitates wound healing, which could be the prerequisite for the development of innovative formulations for the adjuvant therapy of skin wounds. However, there are problems with the standardization of snail mucus because of the absence of single quality indexes, their limits, and the complicated structure of snail mucins. Moreover, there is a lack of clinical randomized trials evaluating the safety and efficacy of C. aspersum snail mucus. In conclusion, snail mucus’s biological effects deserve further investigation and pave the way for further studies of its potential as a raw material for pharmaceutical products, including the chemical structure of the still unknown molecules, its standardization, nonclinical and clinical studies, and further studies of snail mucus for its usage in cosmetology. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Anti-Aging and Skin Rejuvenation Ingredients: Design and Research)
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