Natural polymeric silk-based bio-nano composites with a high potential for cosmetics

Abstract

Silk sericin has made highlighted in scientific research due to its great biochemical properties, its compatibility with other materials and applications in many industries. Bombyx mori is one of the great sources to extract high yielded sericin. Because of evaluating sericin with two different treatments, this project was established. The autoclave was the chosen method to separate silk sericin from cocoons. There were two samples: sample A was originally extracted sericin, and sample B- a half of yielded sericin extract was then sonicated by the ultrasonic processor. The yielded records by autoclaving were 16.8±1.74% and 2.43±0.13% (sample A and sample B, respectively). Most of the protein found in the sample A was much bigger and had a higher tendency of aggregation as well as flocculation than in sample B (4158.4±900.7 nm and 210.4±71.1 nm, respectively). Though they shared similar patterns of Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), they differed from some biochemical intensity. The results showed that sonicated sample B absorbed moisture better than sample A, resulting in the promising ingredient in a moisturizing skincare products. Additionally, sample B dominated sample A at the antioxidant property, whose IC50 was at 2017 μg/mL when compared to 2215 μg/mL for sample A. Especially, two samples were able to reduce both Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus growth for only 6 hours at concentrations above 6.25 mg/mL. To summarize, sample B is a potential ingredient employed in beauty products; however; it must be researched further and modified with other materials so as to boost its biochemical properties