PLANT-BASED SQUALENE IN COSMETOLOGY 61 Oceana—the largest non-profi t international ocean conservation and advocacy organization— has started the sharks’ protection program in 2005. The campaign achievement was a declaration of some cosmetics companies to stop using shark liver oil in their products. L’Oreal (R)—as soon it was sure that there is applicable plant-based squalene supplies— had started switching to plant source as an ingredient of their creams, lotions, and glosses. Unilever® said it had stopped using shark oil in high-street brands such as Pond’s® and Dove® some years ago and was now ensuring that beauty spas the fi rm owns in Spain did likewise. Boots®, Henkel®, Sisley®, Estée Lauder®, and Clarins® have either made similar decisions or never used shark sources in the fi rst place (9). In the interest of protecting biodiversity, raw materials of animal origin must be replaced by alternative sources that respect our environment. The main problem for the cosmetics industry is an authenticity of squalene source: is it shark oil or plant source? Isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) is a well-known and widely used technique to control authen- ticity (2). The method is based on the 13C/12C isotope ratio. The ratios of stable isotopes of a molecule are directly related to its origin (plant, animal, fossil, synthetic). Results indi- cated clear isotopic difference between the two principal sources of squalene (animal and vegetable) (2). The same authors’ also proposed the gas chromatography combustion isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC-C-IRMS), which allowed cosmetic manufacturers to be sure the squalene employed in their cosmetics is 100% plant origin. For consumers, this increases signifi cantly the assurance that the products they use comply fully with the best industrial ethical and ecological standards (10). Searching for an alternative source of squalene went to plant substitutes. Squalene is widely present as a component of the unsaponifi able fraction of vegetable oils. The very low level of squalene in vegetable oils does not represent a viable industrial source. Although olive oil (O. europaea) contains only 0.6–0.7% of squalene (2,5), large tonnages of oil are physically refi ned. During this process, the unsaponifi able fraction is concentrated in the refi ning condensate. This provides the bases of an industrial source of olive squalene. The industrial production of squalene from olive oil is consider- ably more complicated than the production from shark liver oil. This has a signifi cant impact on the costs of olive squalene as compared to squalene obtained from shark liver oil (2). The Amaranth sp. is a well-known plant because of its common use, followed by ben- efi ts from chemical structure of leafs and seeds. It was widely used by Mayas, Aztecs, and Incas (11,12). Amaranth contains appreciable quantities of squalene. Depending on the variety, the oil obtained from the seeds can contain up to 8% squalene. A lipid extract of the leaves has an average squalene concentration of 0.26%, which is clearly insuffi cient for industrial production (2). The studies on different transgenic crops Figure 1. Squalene—structure and chemical nomenclature (2).

JOURNAL OF COSMETIC SCIENCE 62 has shown that modifying the expression of certain genes improved crop plants and increased its resistance to low temperature and salinity of the soil (5,13). The amaranth genetic improvement should tend to increase the content of squalene and reduce raw fat (5). The “Szarlat” (Lomża, Poland)—commercializing Amaranth-derived squalene company— has developed a technology called cold-pressing method. Cold-pressing method is a unique technology to produce oil from the seeds of amaranth without using organic solvents. By using this method, the contents and properties of squalene in amaranth oil remain unchanged. This method is extremely diffi cult in the extraction of small sized and low-fat content seeds. Developed methods allow the extraction of the native oil called virgin oil (virgine) (13–15). PERSPECTIVE OF ADVANTAGES Plant-based squalene may be used in cosmetics and personal care products according to the general provisions of the Cosmetics Directive of the European Union. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel noted that studies indicated that squalene was slowly absorbed through the skin. The toxicity of squalene by all routes was low. At 100% con- centrations, the compound is a nonirritant to the skin and eyes. Products containing squalene were not dermal irritants or sensitizers (16). Olive oil is graded as a healthy agent, not on the quality of the oil, but on the accom- panying substances dissolved in it. Amaranth grains contain only 7–7.7% lipids, and these lipids are extremely valuable because of the presence of ingredients like squalene, unsaturated fatty acids, vitamin E as tocopherols, tocotrienols, and phytosterols, which are not seen together in other common oils (e.g., olive oil) (5,14,15). Amaranth squa- lene with accompanying compounds shows a high biological activity as is proven from the results of numerous researches (6). The advantages of amaranth oil in the near future can become one of the basic squalene sources (17) despite a bit higher price than other common oils. Human skin, covering the entire outer surface of the body, is the largest organ and is constantly exposed to sunlight stress, including ultraviolet (UV) light irradiation. The skin tissue is rich in lipids, which are thought to be vulnerable to oxidative stress from sunlight. Squalene is a structurally unique triterpene compound, which is one of the main components (about 13%) of skin surface lipids (6,16). High content of squalene in our skin is good enough proof of its importance in this organ. Squalene helps the skin retain moisture, making it smooth and elastic. But its major role is to protect skin from UV radiation and thereby taking into account its anticancer and immuostimulating properties to protect from skin cancer. Undoubtedly, more extensive use of squalene in medicine and cosmetics is still ahead (17,18). ROLES OF SQUALENE Antioxidant. Squalene has been reported to possess antioxidant properties. In vitro experi- mental evidence indicates that squalene is a highly effective oxygen-scavenging agent. Subsequent to oxidative stress such as sunlight exposure, squalene functions as an effi cient