The Whitonyl ingredient was created specifically as a method to cure pigment disorders that are commonly found on the hands, face and ages, and are a common problem amongst both Asian and Caucasian consumers.
According to the company, ingredient is rich in xylose and galactose giving the skin a luminous appearance - whilst significantly reducing the pigmentation activity, an effect that will no doubt make the product popular in the booming anti-aging market.
The ingredient is claimed to give the skin the luminous effect and an even tone by limiting melanogenesis, limiting the transport of melanosomes and controlling photoinduced pigmentation.
Developed from a red aquatic algae (Palmaria palmate) that grows attached to sea rocks, the ingredient is said to limit the activity of tyrosinase, the key limiting enzyme of melanogenesis, while inhibiting the synthesis of melanins - the pigments responsible for skin colour.
Tested by Western blot and immunocytology, the ingredient is reported to reduce the syntheses of Rab27a and melanophilin, which is the protein anchoring complex involved in the transport of melanosomes.
Likewise, Whitonyl is said to significantly reduce the activity of the stem cell factor that increases after UVB exposure. In turn limiting photoinduced pigmentation.
The company conducted a survey on 25 Asian volunteers who, after eight weeks of twice daily applications, stated that Whitonyl was more effective than the placebo.
The move from Silab follows up its recent dip into the anti-ageing skin care market with the launch of an oat-based ingredient, Osilift that is said to firm the appearance of the skin through a high molecular weight network of sugars that are linked by intra and inter-chains hydrogen bonds, which adhere to the surface of the skin in a 'lifting' film.
The anti-aging market has hit such heights that it is now the leading segment within skin care, having an annual growth rate of 11.3 per cent expected by 2010 - one of the highest growth rates for the whole cosmetics industry.
