If the antioxidants of different eras are classified, five-star antioxidants of different eras can be distinguished at present.
- The first generation is dimension A, dimension C, and so on.
- The second generation is SOD, coenzyme Q10, and so on.
- The third generation is anthocyanin, glutathione, grape seed, etc.
- The fourth generation is Glabridin, ectoine, fullerene, and so on.
- And l-ergothioneine is the fifth generation of natural super antioxidants.
At present, the fifth generation of Natto’s condensed time freshening and skin revitalizing small purple bottle essence, Proya’s brightening and firming moisturizing cream, Xiwuji matsutake mushroom essence water, Dr. Wei’s Ganoderma lucidum rejuvenating good foundation essence water and other popular products Single product, all added ergothioneine. At the same time, many skin care products are named directly after ergothioneine, such as Baizhicui Ideben Ergothioneine Night Repair Cream, HBN Ergothioneine Crystal Essence, etc. Brands have entered the game.
However, before that, the refresh rate of l ergothioneine was not high. Only a few brands, such as Estee Lauder, add this ingredient. With the rise of the upsurge in ingredient theory and the outbreak in 2021, ergothioneine has gone from niche to popular and has become a well-known star ingredient in the industry. And because of its powerful antioxidant effect, it was once known as the “antioxidant king.”
According to data, as of September 2022, there are about 4,800 products containing ergothioneine. And on November 29, the number of times ergothioneine was used in the registered effective products had reached 6544, the number of filings surged, and ergothioneine ushered in an explosion!
What Is Ergothioneine?
Ergothioneine is a naturally occurring amino acid that is a thiourea derivative of histidine. It contains a sulfur atom on the imidazole ring. This compound is present in relatively few organisms, notably actinomycetes, cyanobacteria, and certain fungi.
In 1909, French pharmacist Charles Tanret isolated it from ergot (the sclerotium of Ergot fungus Ergot and Ergot microcephalus), hence the name. The INCI name is Ergothioneine, or “EGT” for short. The fungus was originally purified from it, and its structure was determined in 1911.
L ergothioneine is a cell protectant and antioxidant that exists naturally in the human body. Still, we cannot synthesize this substance ourselves and can only ingest it from the outside world. It has been found scientifically that plants are an important source of ergothioneine for humans, such as red beans, broccoli, mushrooms, and oat bran, etc. Earlier research has shown that mushrooms are high in ergothioneine, and eating mushrooms is thought to increase ergothioneine levels in the body.
The antioxidant capacity of ergothioneine is 6000 times that of VE. L-ergothioneine and its derivatives can reduce or even prevent protein glycation and age-related loss of skin elasticity, modify and improve facial contours, and prevent or improve the appearance of cellulite.
What Is The Mechanism Of Action Of Ergothioneine?
Ergothioneine has so many effects, and the molecular mechanism behind it is indispensable.
First, ergothioneine can directly scavenge ROS (reactive oxygen species). Ergothioneine can achieve cyclic regeneration through oxidation and reduction and has a strong antioxidant capacity. In organisms that produce ergothioneine, 4 molecules of high-efficiency antioxidant glutathione can assist in the reduction process of oxidized ergothioneine[1];
Secondly, ergothioneine can also up-regulate related proteins responsible for oxidative defense pathways, such as NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1), and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), etc., and then exert their antioxidant protective effect[2];
Thirdly, ergothioneine can also activate the P13K/AKT pathway, affecting cell growth, proliferation, survival, etc. [3];
Finally, ergothioneine can also activate the FOXO transcription factor, thus exhibiting a protective effect on cells [4].
Why Is L-Ergothioneine Used More In The Skincare Industry?
In skin care products, ergothioneine is an excellent natural antioxidant, and its scientific name is L-mercapto histidine trimethyl inner salt. It is the only natural 2-thio-imidazole known so far.
Bloomage Bio once published a set of data, which mentioned an extract from ergothioneine – Bioyouth -EGT, 1.5% Bioyouth -EGT can almost completely remove the ROS free radicals induced by UV, while 1.3% Bioyouth -EGT The free radical scavenging capacity of DPPH is 14 times that of glutathione at the same concentration and 30 times that of coenzyme Q10. It is reported that Bloomage Biotechnology has applied for a total of 14 patents for ergothioneine-related technologies.
Based on the fact that skin tissue cells can easily accept, obtain, and utilize ergothioneine, ergothioneine is particularly widely used in the field of cosmetics. Estee Lauder regards ergothioneine as the treasure of its town brand. Its brands, such as Clinique, Yuemuzhiyuan, and Lamer, can all see ergothioneine, such as Yuemuzhiyuan mushroom water.
As early as 2014, “ergothioneine” was included in the list of used cosmetic raw materials by the State Food and Drug Administration. Before 2021, ergothioneine had been widely used as dietary supplements and cosmetic additives around the world, and ergothioneine itself has the potential to be “hot searched.”
The Application Status Of Ergothioneine Ingredient
At present, the fifth generation of Natto’s condensed time freshening and skin revitalizing small purple bottle essence, Proya’s brightening and firming moisturizing cream, Xiwuji matsutake mushroom essence water, Dr. Wei’s Ganoderma lucidum rejuvenating good foundation essence water and other popular products Single product, all added ergothioneine. At the same time, many skin care products are named directly after ergothioneine, such as Baizhicui Ideben Ergothioneine Night Repair Cream, HBN Ergothioneine Crystal Essence, etc. Brands have entered the game.
Skincare brand Lakelab reported that its core formulator team comes from well-known companies such as L’Oreal, Estee Lauder, and BASF. The rejuvenating and energizing essence curd launched by the brand focuses on anti-sugar and anti-oxidation and uses a combination of anti-sugar and anti-oxidation ingredients of astaxanthin, glucosyl rutin, and ergothioneine. Also added tranexamic acid and niacinamide, two whitening ingredients. Products are vacuum-packed to preserve the active ingredients better.
Nano one, a Japanese oral brand, advocates “specializing in scientific ingredients, anti-aging in stages.” The ergothioneine developed by the Nano one team has successfully obtained several patents. At the same time, the ergothioneine developed by the team is more gentle and stable when it enters the human body and can protect and maintain other antioxidants in the body. While removing free radicals produced by the human body, reducing pigmentation, and increasing skin elasticity, it also can resist ultraviolet rays. People who regularly take ergothioneine are like wearing a sunscreen antioxidant armor. In addition to its benefits to the skin, ergothioneine is a natural cell preservative.
Methionine has high stability and a high unit price. Skin care products such as Estee Lauder, La Mer, and La Prairie have l ergothioneine ingredient, and their powerful efficacy is beyond doubt.
What Is The Market Price Of L Ergothioneine?
Under the continuous promotion of domestic and foreign brands and enterprises, the innovation of the l-ergothioneine synthesis technology path has become a hot topic. The traditional preparation techniques of ergothioneine are mainly divided into three types: natural extraction, chemical synthesis, and biological fermentation, but these methods all have their own defects.
Therefore, many companies have begun to turn to synthetic biology technology to prepare ergothioneine, thereby overcoming the problems of mass production, purity, and quality of raw materials and breaking the current situation of expensive raw materials for ergothioneine. For example, Shanghai Ergothioneine Biotechnology Group Co., Ltd. introduced that based on the principle of the fungal synthesis of ergothioneine, it synthesized high-yield, high-purity ergothioneine through high-throughput enzyme-directed evolution technology and greatly reduced the raw material the cost of.
In the early days, the price of this ingredient was as high as one hundred and two hundred thousand one kilograms. However, in recent years, with the maturity of technology, the price of ergothioneine has been about 80,000 to 90,000 kilograms. The price of ergothioneine ingredients varies greatly due to factors such as different purity and different manufacturing processes. You can contact Nutri Avenue for details of this ingredient and its price.
Nutri Avenue Prediction
In 2002, Applied Genetics Incorporated Dermatics, a subsidiary of Estée Lauder, was granted a patent for an invention titled “Methods and compositions for the protection of mitochondria.” Therefore, ergothioneine was commonly used in skin care products in the early days. Recently, this patent expired. As more and more companies realize the efficacy of this ingredient, and the public acceptance is getting higher and higher, it is believed that many different brands will use this ingredient. Eventually, it will lead to an increase in the demand for ergothioneine in the market.
In addition, studies have also proved that ergothioneine is beneficial in terms of longevity and cell protection. In the future, ergothioneine may be used in more fields and products.
References
[1] Oumari, M., Goldfuss, B., Stoffels, C., Schmalz, H. G., & Gründemann, D. (2019). Regeneration of ergothioneine after reaction with singlet oxygen. Free radical biology & medicine, 134, 498–504.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0891584918323992?via%3Dihub
[2] Ko, H. J., Kim, J., Ahn, M., Kim, J. H., Lee, G. S., & Shin, T. (2021). Ergothioneine alleviates senescence of fibroblasts induced by UVB damage of keratinocytes via activation of the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway and HSP70 in keratinocytes. Experimental Cell Research, 400(1), 112516.
[3] Hseu, Y. C., Vudhya Gowrisankar, Y., Chen, X. Z., Yang, Y. C., & Yang, H. L. (2020). The antiaging activity of ergothioneine in UVA-irradiated human dermal fibroblasts via the inhibition of the AP-1 pathway and the activation of Nrf2-mediated antioxidant genes. Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, 2020.
[4] V.S. Bernardo. (2021). Ergotionein as a therapeutic alternative: antioxidant and/or modulating effects on K562 erythroleukemic cells [Master thesis, Universidade Estadual Paulista]. UNESP Institutional Repository.
