Mechanisms by Which Fructan-Rich Ophiopogon japonicus Tuberous Root Extract Supports Skin Moisturization and Barrier Function
Mechanisms by Which Fructan-Rich Ophiopogon japonicus Tuberous Root Extract Supports Skin Moisturization and Barrier Function
Introduction
Skin hydration depends not only on the amount of moisturizing ingredients applied to the skin, but also on the ability of the epidermis to limit outward water diffusion and the capacity of corneocytes to continuously bind and retain water. Tight junctions, keratinocyte differentiation, stratum corneum lipids, and natural moisturizing factor together constitute this water-retention system.
Current skin research has focused primarily on fructan-rich carbohydrate active ingredients derived from Ophiopogon japonicus tuberous roots through aqueous extraction, enzymatic hydrolysis, and standardization. In addition to the basic hydrophilic properties of carbohydrates, these active ingredients have demonstrated regulatory effects on tight junctions, filaggrin, stratum corneum lipid organization, and skin water status in keratinocyte, reconstructed epidermis, and human studies.[3,6,11]
The skin-benefit evidence discussed below mainly applies to specific standardized, fructan-rich carbohydrate active ingredients obtained from Ophiopogon japonicus tuberous roots and cannot be directly generalized to all Ophiopogon japonicus root extracts.
1 What Is Ophiopogon japonicus Root Extract?
1.1 Botanical Source and Plant Part Used
The botanical name of Mai Dong is Ophiopogon japonicus (Thunb.) Ker Gawl. It is a perennial evergreen plant belonging to the genus Ophiopogon in the family Asparagaceae and is native to China, Japan, the Korean Peninsula, the Philippines, Vietnam, and other regions.[1]
The main plant part used for extraction is the enlarged underground tuberous root. Ophiopogon japonicus root extracts used in cosmetics may be obtained by cleaning and pulverizing the tuberous roots, followed by aqueous or hydroalcoholic extraction. Some standardized carbohydrate active ingredients are further processed by enzymatic hydrolysis, filtration, concentration, and drying. Differences in extraction solvent, temperature, degree of enzymatic hydrolysis, and molecular-weight fractionation can alter the carbohydrate, saponin, and homoisoflavonoid composition of the resulting material. Ophiopogon japonicus root extract is therefore not a single compound with a fixed structure, but a complex raw material influenced by the source plant, geographical origin, and manufacturing process.
1.2 Major Constituents and Their Research Significance
Constituent category | Major chemical characteristics | Relevance to skin research |
Fructans and other carbohydrate fractions | Oligosaccharides or polysaccharides composed of monosaccharides such as fructose and glucose | Currently regarded as the principal material basis for research on the moisturizing, tight-junction-supporting, and barrier-supporting effects of Ophiopogon japonicus |
Steroidal saponins | Include ophiopogonins and related spirostane- and furostane-type saponins | Some isolated compounds exhibit antioxidant and inflammation-modulating activities in vitro, but evidence from topical skin studies remains relatively limited |
Homoisoflavonoids | Representative phenolic compounds found in Ophiopogon japonicus | May provide supplementary antioxidant activity, depending on their actual concentrations in the extract |
Monosaccharides and low-molecular-weight sugars | Glucose, fructose, oligosaccharides, and related compounds | Affect the hydrophilicity, solubility, and formulation properties of the extract |
Steroidal saponins and homoisoflavonoids are indeed present in Ophiopogon japonicus roots. However, efficacy studies of skincare ingredients produced mainly by aqueous extraction and fructan enrichment generally focus on their carbohydrate fractions. The presence of a constituent class in the plant does not mean that every Ophiopogon japonicus root extract contains it at the same concentration or produces the same effects on the skin.[2,4]
2 Ophiopogon japonicus Polysaccharides and Fructans
2.1 Ophiopogon japonicus Polysaccharides Are Not a Single Substance
The carbohydrate fractions of Ophiopogon japonicus tuberous roots include monosaccharides, oligosaccharides, and polysaccharides. The term “Ophiopogon japonicus polysaccharides” generally refers to a group of carbohydrate fractions with relatively high degrees of polymerization. Polysaccharides isolated in different studies are not identical in molecular weight, monosaccharide composition, glycosidic linkage type, or degree of branching.
Reported Ophiopogon japonicus polysaccharides span a broad molecular-weight range. Fructose and glucose are commonly present, while some fractions also contain galactose, arabinose, or other monosaccharides.[2]
2.2 Structural Characteristics of Fructans
Fructans are among the most extensively studied carbohydrate fractions of Ophiopogon japonicus. They are oligosaccharides or polysaccharides composed primarily of fructose residues.
For example, the Ophiopogon japonicus polysaccharide MDG-1 was identified as a water-soluble β-D-fructan. Its main chain consists predominantly of β-(2→1)-linked fructofuranose residues and contains β-(2→6)-linked branch structures. It also contains a trace amount of glucose, which may be linked at the reducing end of the polysaccharide.[5]
2.3 Standardized Ophiopogon japonicus Fructans Used in Skincare Research
Some skincare studies have not used unfractionated total Ophiopogon japonicus polysaccharides, but rather fructan-rich fractions obtained from the tuberous roots through aqueous extraction, enzymatic hydrolysis, separation, and purification. In representative active ingredients disclosed in relevant patents, fructans may account for more than 60% of the dry matter and may include both oligofructoses and fructans with higher degrees of polymerization.[6]
This standardization process helps reduce batch-to-batch variation and enables the results of cellular, tissue, and human studies to be associated with a more clearly defined carbohydrate composition.
3 Which Structures Support the Skin’s Intrinsic Water-Retention Capacity?
The skin’s water-retention function is maintained by several interconnected components. The effects of Ophiopogon japonicus fructans should be understood within this overall structural framework.
Barrier component | Main location | Primary function |
Tight junctions | Between cells of the epidermal granular layer | Restrict the passage of water, ions, and small molecules through intercellular spaces |
Stratum corneum lipids | Between corneocytes | Limit the outward diffusion of water from within the skin |
Corneocyte structure | Within the stratum corneum | Provides mechanical strength and resistance to friction and external irritation |
Natural moisturizing factor | Within corneocytes | Binds water and helps maintain corneocyte flexibility and the acidic environment of the stratum corneum |
Tight junctions regulate intercellular permeability within the viable epidermis. Stratum corneum lipids provide the principal resistance to water diffusion. Filaggrin and its degradation products contribute to corneocyte formation and intracellular water retention. These components are interconnected, and persistent impairment of any one of them may manifest as increased transepidermal water loss, skin roughness, tightness, and abnormal desquamation.[7–9]
4 How Ophiopogon japonicus Fructans May Support Epidermal Tight Junctions
4.1 Functions of Claudin-1 and ZO-1
Claudin-1 is a transmembrane protein of tight junctions. Claudin-1 molecules on the surfaces of adjacent keratinocytes interact to form a barrier that restricts passage through the intercellular pathway. Claudin-1-deficient mice develop severe abnormalities in epidermal permeability and dehydration, demonstrating the importance of this protein to the skin’s water barrier.[7,10]
Zonula occludens-1, or ZO-1, is located on the cytoplasmic side of the cell membrane. By interacting with transmembrane proteins such as claudins and with the cytoskeleton, it participates in the assembly, localization, and stabilization of tight-junction complexes.
Claudin-1 primarily contributes to the sealing of the intercellular pathway, whereas ZO-1 helps organize and anchor these transmembrane structures. The expression levels and continuous membrane distribution of both proteins jointly influence tight-junction integrity.
4.2 Experimental Findings on the Effects of Ophiopogon japonicus Fructans on Tight Junctions
In an experiment using normal human keratinocytes, treatment with a fructan-rich Ophiopogon japonicus active ingredient at a concentration of 1% increased the synthesis levels of Claudin-1 and ZO-1 by 26% and 27%, respectively, compared with the untreated control. In a sodium dodecyl sulfate-induced damage model, the active ingredient also improved the immunofluorescent network of ZO-1 at the cell periphery.[6]
Based on the established functions of tight junctions, these findings suggest that supporting the synthesis and membrane organization of Claudin-1 and ZO-1 may help maintain the intercellular barrier of the granular layer and the internal epidermal environment, thereby indirectly supporting the formation of the overlying cornified barrier. This proposed pathway is a mechanistic inference based on in vitro findings and established biological knowledge and has not yet been verified step by step within a single study.
Because tight junctions are located beneath the stratum corneum, this effect does not involve the formation of a simple occlusive film on the skin surface, but rather the structural organization of cells within the viable epidermis.
5 The Filaggrin–Natural Moisturizing Factor System and Its Relationship to Ophiopogon japonicus Carbohydrate Active Ingredients
5.1 Role of Filaggrin in Corneocyte Formation
Filaggrin is generated through the processing of profilaggrin. Profilaggrin is stored in keratohyalin granules within keratinocytes of the granular layer. During terminal differentiation, it undergoes dephosphorylation and proteolysis to release filaggrin monomers.
Filaggrin monomers bind to keratin fibers and promote the aggregation of keratin bundles, helping keratinocytes transform into structurally compact corneocytes. Filaggrin is subsequently degraded into free amino acids and their derivatives, which constitute an important source of natural moisturizing factor.[8,9]
This process can be simplified as follows:
Profilaggrin
—dephosphorylation and proteolysis→ Filaggrin monomers
—deimination and further proteolysis→ Free amino acids
Some of these amino acids are further converted:
Histidine —histidase→ trans-Urocanic acid
Glutamine —cyclization→ Pyrrolidone carboxylic acid
Trans-urocanic acid and pyrrolidone carboxylic acid are both important components of natural moisturizing factor. Natural moisturizing factor (NMF) binds water within corneocytes and helps maintain the acidic environment of the stratum corneum and the conditions required for the activity of related enzymes.[8,12]
In inflammatory or atopic dermatitis-like reconstructed epidermis models, specific carbohydrate active ingredients derived from Ophiopogon japonicus tuberous roots were observed to maintain or increase the expression of keratinocyte differentiation markers, including filaggrin. A separate human study disclosed in a patent showed that application of a gel containing 3% of the active ingredient for 14 days increased stratum corneum indicators related to lactate and serine.[6,11] These findings are consistent with the interpretation that filaggrin–natural moisturizing factor-related processes may be supported, but they do not demonstrate that the active ingredient directly promotes the complete filaggrin degradation pathway in human skin.
6 From Cellular Regulation to Improved Stratum Corneum Hydration
6.1 Organization of Stratum Corneum Lipids
The intercellular lipids of the stratum corneum consist primarily of ceramides, cholesterol, and free fatty acids. These lipids form lamellar structures and exhibit different hydrocarbon-chain conformations. In general, a more ordered arrangement of lipid chains provides greater resistance to the diffusion of water through the intercellular lipid regions.
In a randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter human study, a base emollient cream containing 0.5% of an Ophiopogon japonicus oligofructose active ingredient was applied twice daily for 60 days by subjects with mild to moderate atopic dermatitis. In a Raman spectroscopy subgroup consisting of 27 adult participants, confocal Raman analysis showed that, compared with the base cream, the formulation containing the Ophiopogon japonicus active ingredient improved stratum corneum lipid conformation and organization and increased indicators related to total water and bound water in the stratum corneum.[3]
These human findings are directionally consistent with the barrier-related changes observed in cell and reconstructed epidermis models, suggesting that the active ingredient may also influence stratum corneum lipid organization and water status. However, current evidence does not establish a direct causal relationship between changes in barrier-related proteins and improvements in lipid organization or hydration in human skin.
6.2 Water Loss and Bound Water
Transepidermal water loss (TEWL) is the flux of water vapor that passively diffuses through the epidermis into the environment per unit area of skin and per unit time. It is commonly used as an indirect indicator of skin barrier function.
Ophiopogon japonicus fructans do not generate new water within the skin. Current evidence suggests that their moisturizing support may involve two main directions:
1. Supporting tight junctions and stratum corneum structure, which may help reduce outward water diffusion;
2. Supporting filaggrin–natural moisturizing factor-related processes, which may help increase the water-binding capacity of corneocytes.
Based on the combined findings from cell, reconstructed epidermis, and human studies, specific standardized, fructan-rich Ophiopogon japonicus tuberous root extracts may support skin water retention and barrier function by acting on tight junctions, filaggrin–natural moisturizing factor-related processes, and stratum corneum lipid organization. The proposed mechanism is illustrated in the figure.
7 Why Ophiopogon japonicus Root Extract May Reduce Dryness-Related Scaling
Normal desquamation requires the adhesion structures between corneocytes to be degraded at an appropriate rate. Stratum corneum hydration, pH, and protease activity all influence this process.
When the skin remains dehydrated, corneocyte flexibility decreases and intercellular adhesion structures may be degraded unevenly. Corneocytes may then accumulate and lift off in sheets, producing visible scaling.
A possible explanation for the reduction of dryness-related scaling by Ophiopogon japonicus carbohydrate active ingredients is that support for tight junctions and stratum corneum lipid organization may help reduce abnormal water loss, increase corneocyte hydration, and provide more suitable conditions for desquamation-related enzymes. This may reduce the aggregation of corneocytes into sheets and decrease visible scaling.
In a human study disclosed in a patent, 25 healthy female volunteers with dry skin on the lower legs applied a gel containing 3% of a specific Ophiopogon japonicus active ingredient twice daily. After 14 days, the desquamation index was reduced by 25% and the area covered by scales was reduced by 27% compared with the placebo-treated area.[6]
These findings reflect a reduction in abnormal dryness-related scaling rather than inhibition of normal epidermal turnover.
8 Positioning of Ophiopogon japonicus Fructans in Moisturizing Formulations
Skin dryness commonly involves several concurrent changes, including reduced stratum corneum hydration, increased water evaporation, abnormal intercellular lipid structure, and impaired epidermal barrier formation. Different moisturizing ingredients act at different stages, and Ophiopogon japonicus fructans may complement conventional moisturizing ingredients.
Formulation ingredient category | Representative ingredients | Primary function |
Humectants | Glycerol, urea, hyaluronic acid, sodium pyrrolidone carboxylate | Bind water and increase or maintain stratum corneum hydration |
Occlusive agents | Petrolatum, selected oils and fats, and film-forming materials | Reduce water evaporation from the skin surface into the environment |
Emollients | Plant oils, fatty alcohols, fatty acid esters | Improve stratum corneum surface smoothness, softness, and sensory properties |
Barrier lipids | Ceramides, cholesterol, free fatty acids | Replenish stratum corneum lipid components and support intercellular lipid structure |
Standardized Ophiopogon japonicus fructan active ingredient | Ophiopogon japonicus tuberous root extract rich in oligofructoses and higher-polymerization fructans | Supports tight junctions, keratinocyte differentiation, and filaggrin–natural moisturizing factor-related processes |
Humectants, occlusive agents, and emollients can directly improve current stratum corneum hydration and reduce water evaporation. Barrier lipids can replenish intercellular lipid components within the stratum corneum. Research on specific standardized Ophiopogon japonicus fructan active ingredients has instead focused on tight junctions, keratinocyte differentiation, filaggrin-related processes, and stratum corneum lipid organization.
In human studies, formulations containing a specific Ophiopogon japonicus oligofructose active ingredient improved indicators related to stratum corneum lipid conformation and organization, total water, and bound water. These findings apply to a specific raw material, formulation concentration, and study population and cannot be directly extrapolated to all Ophiopogon japonicus root extracts.[3]
9 Interactions Among the Skin Barrier, Inflammation, and Microbial Adhesion
The skin barrier, inflammatory responses, and surface microorganisms influence one another bidirectionally. When tight junctions and the stratum corneum are impaired, irritants and microbial-derived components may enter the epidermis more readily, potentially inducing or aggravating inflammation. Inflammatory signaling may, in turn, suppress barrier-related components such as Claudin-1 and filaggrin, thereby disrupting keratinocyte differentiation and stratum corneum maturation.
In barrier-impaired conditions such as atopic dermatitis, adhesion and colonization by Staphylococcus aureus increase. Enzymes, toxins, and inflammatory stimuli produced by the bacterium may further damage the stratum corneum and tight junctions, creating the following cycle:
Barrier impairment → Increased entry of irritants and microbial components → Enhanced inflammatory responses → Suppression of barrier proteins and keratinocyte differentiation → Further weakening of the barrier
In inflammatory keratinocyte and reconstructed epidermis models, a specific carbohydrate hydrolysate obtained from Ophiopogon japonicus tuberous roots was observed to reduce inflammation-related indicators, including thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), while maintaining the expression of certain barrier proteins. In another reconstructed human epidermis experiment, qualitative scanning electron microscopy observations showed that 0.15% of the active ingredient reduced the adhesion and biofilm formation of Staphylococcus aureus.[11]
These findings suggest that Ophiopogon japonicus carbohydrate active ingredients may help attenuate the interactions among barrier dysfunction, inflammation, and opportunistic microorganisms by supporting barrier structures and reducing the adhesion of specific bacteria.
Current evidence is derived mainly from cell, reconstructed epidermis, and single-bacterial-species models. It supports effects on Staphylococcus aureus adhesion and the barrier-related microenvironment, but does not demonstrate that Ophiopogon japonicus root extract can comprehensively alter the composition of the skin microbiota, increase microbial diversity, or restore the complete skin microbial ecosystem.
10 Classification and Applications of Chemicals Related to Ophiopogon japonicus Root Extract and Skin Barrier Research
Note: The following products are primarily used for carbohydrate structure identification, characteristic constituent analysis, natural moisturizing factor research, stratum corneum lipid modeling, or barrier-damage models. They are not equivalent to the standardized Ophiopogon japonicus active ingredients described in this article, nor does their inclusion indicate that all of them have been directly used in the skin-benefit studies of Ophiopogon japonicus discussed above.
Table 1 Products Related to the Study of Ophiopogon japonicus Fructans, Oligosaccharides, and Monosaccharide Composition
Classification | CAS No. | Aladdin Cat. No. | Name | Specification or Purity | Product Features and Applications |
Monosaccharide composition reference for fructans | 50-99-7 | D-(+)-Glucose | Anhydrous grade, UltraBio™, ≥99.5% (HPLC), sum of enantiomers | Used for the qualitative and quantitative determination of glucose in hydrolysates of Ophiopogon japonicus carbohydrates, monosaccharide composition analysis, and chromatographic method controls. | |
β-(2→1)-Fructan reference material | 9005-80-5 | Inulin | Biochemical reagent | Used as a reference for studying the carbohydrate-chain structure, degree-of-polymerization distribution, enzymatic hydrolysis behavior, hydration properties, and solution rheology of β-(2→1)-fructans. | |
Research material for fructooligosaccharide mixtures | 308066-66-2 | Fructooligosaccharides | Fructooligosaccharide content >90.0% | Used to study the degree-of-polymerization distribution, carbohydrate-chain composition, and hydration behavior of fructooligosaccharide mixtures and for comparison with fructan-rich fractions from Ophiopogon japonicus. | |
Sucrose-type fructan structural reference | 57-50-1 | GMP1520006 | Sucrose | USP, ChP, JP, European Pharmacopoeia (Ph. Eur.), ultra-low endotoxin | Used to study the initiating structure of sucrose-type fructans, fructosyl-transfer products, oligosaccharide composition, and chromatographic peak assignment. |
Monosaccharide composition reference for fructans | 57-48-7 | D-(−)-Fructose | UltraBio™, ≥99% (HPLC) | Used to study the fructose composition of Ophiopogon japonicus fructans, carbohydrate-chain hydrolysates, monosaccharide content, and chromatographic analytical methods. | |
Trisaccharide component of fructooligosaccharides | 470-69-9 | 1-Kestose | ≥99% | Used as a structural reference for fructooligosaccharides with a degree of polymerization of 3, chromatographic peak identification, component quantification, and analysis of fructan hydrolysis products. | |
Pentasaccharide component of fructooligosaccharides | 59432-60-9 | 1F-Fructofuranosylnystose | ≥98% | Used as a structural reference for fructooligosaccharides with a degree of polymerization of 5, chromatographic peak identification, carbohydrate-chain extension, and degree-of-polymerization distribution studies. | |
Tetrasaccharide component of fructooligosaccharides | 13133-07-8 | Nystose | ≥98% | Used as a structural reference for fructooligosaccharides with a degree of polymerization of 4, chromatographic peak identification, component quantification, and fructooligosaccharide fingerprint analysis. |
Table 2 Products Related to the Study of Characteristic Homoisoflavonoids and Steroidal Saponins of Ophiopogon japonicus
Classification | CAS No. | Aladdin Cat. No. | Name | Specification or Purity | Product Features and Applications |
Characteristic homoisoflavonoid constituent of Ophiopogon japonicus | 74805-92-8 | Methylophiopogonanone A | Moligand™, ≥98% | Used for peak identification, content analysis, extraction-process comparison, and isolated-compound activity studies of homoisoflavonoids in Ophiopogon japonicus root extract. | |
Characteristic homoisoflavonoid constituent of Ophiopogon japonicus | 74805-91-7 | Methylophiopogonanone B | ≥99% | Used for identifying the homoisoflavonoid composition of Ophiopogon japonicus, liquid chromatographic analysis, fingerprint establishment, and comparison of raw materials from different batches. | |
Characteristic homoisoflavonoid constituent of Ophiopogon japonicus | 74805-90-6 | Methylophiopogonone A | ≥99% | Used for peak identification, chromatographic–mass spectrometric analysis, content determination, and extract-composition studies of characteristic phenolic constituents from Ophiopogon japonicus. | |
Characteristic homoisoflavonoid constituent of Ophiopogon japonicus | 477336-75-7 | Ophiopogonanone C | ≥96% | Used for the identification of Ophiopogon japonicus homoisoflavonoids, chromatographic peak assignment, extract fingerprinting, and raw-material quality comparison. | |
Characteristic steroidal saponin constituent of Ophiopogon japonicus | 65604-80-0 | Ophiopogonin D′ | ≥99% | Used for identifying the steroidal saponin composition of Ophiopogon japonicus, liquid chromatographic analysis, comparison of extraction and purification processes, and mechanistic studies of isolated compounds. | |
Characteristic steroidal saponin constituent of Ophiopogon japonicus | 911819-08-4 | Ophiopogonin C | ≥98% | Used for peak identification, fingerprinting, compositional analysis, and comparison of Ophiopogon japonicus raw materials from different sources. | |
Characteristic steroidal saponin constituent of Ophiopogon japonicus | 41753-55-3 | Ophiopogonin D | ≥98% | Used for the qualitative and quantitative determination of saponins in Ophiopogon japonicus root extract, extraction-process evaluation, batch comparison, and isolated-compound activity studies. |
Table 3 Products Related to the Study of Filaggrin–Natural Moisturizing Factor Components
Classification | CAS No. | Aladdin Cat. No. | Name | Specification or Purity | Product Features and Applications |
Pyrrolidone carboxylate moisturizing component | 28874-51-3 | Sodium L-Pyrrolidone-5-Carboxylate | Oily, 50% | Used to study the hygroscopic and water-retaining properties of pyrrolidone carboxylates, stratum corneum hydration, natural moisturizing factor model systems, and formulation performance. | |
Natural moisturizing factor-related amino acid | 56-45-1 | L-Serine | Animal-origin-free, USP, Moligand™, European Pharmacopoeia (Ph. Eur.), ≥98.5% | Used to study the free-amino-acid composition of the stratum corneum, natural moisturizing factor content, and compound amino-acid moisturizing systems. | |
Natural moisturizing factor-related amino acid | 56-41-7 | L-Alanine | Moligand™, ≥99% | Used as a reference for studying the amino-acid composition of natural moisturizing factor, stratum corneum hydration, and compound amino-acid systems. | |
Natural moisturizing factor-related amino acid | 56-40-6 | Glycine | PharmPure™, USP, BP, European Pharmacopoeia (Ph. Eur.), ≥99% | Used for free-amino-acid analysis of the stratum corneum, natural moisturizing factor model systems, and studies of amino-acid water-retention properties. | |
Nitrogen-containing natural moisturizing factor component | 57-13-6 | Urea | PharmPure™, USP, BP, European Pharmacopoeia (Ph. Eur.), ≥99% | Used to study the urea component of natural moisturizing factor, hygroscopic hydration of the stratum corneum, protein interactions, and skin-dryness models. | |
Natural moisturizing factor-related amino acid | 56-86-0 | L-Glutamic Acid | Ultrapure grade, ≥99.5% (NT) | Used to study the free-amino-acid composition of the stratum corneum, natural moisturizing factor, and the hydration properties of amino acids. | |
Pyrrolidone carboxylic acid component | 98-79-3 | L-Pyroglutamic Acid | ≥99% | Used for the qualitative and quantitative determination of pyrrolidone carboxylic acid in natural moisturizing factor and for studies of hygroscopicity, water retention, and stratum corneum hydration. | |
Filaggrin-related amino acid | 71-00-1 | L-Histidine | UltraBio™, ≥99.5% (NT) | Used to study histidine associated with filaggrin degradation, the histidine-to-urocanic-acid conversion, and the origins of natural moisturizing factor components. | |
Natural moisturizing factor lactate component | 72-17-3 | Sodium DL-Lactate Solution | 73% in water | Used to study lactate hygroscopicity and water retention, stratum corneum hydration, osmotic regulation, and natural moisturizing factor model systems. | |
Natural moisturizing factor lactic acid component | 50-21-5 | DL-Lactic Acid | AR, 85–90% | Used to study lactic-acid-related hydration properties, the acid–base environment of the stratum corneum, conditions affecting desquamation enzymes, and formulation acidity. | |
Urocanic-acid-related small molecule | 104-98-3 | 4-Imidazoleacrylic Acid | ≥98% | Corresponds to trans-urocanic acid; used for the qualitative and quantitative determination of urocanic acid in natural moisturizing factor, trans–cis photoisomerization studies, and stratum corneum-related research. |
Table 4 Products Related to Stratum Corneum Lipids and Epidermal Barrier-Damage Models
Classification | CAS No. | Aladdin Cat. No. | Name | Specification or Purity | Product Features and Applications |
Long-chain saturated fatty acid of the stratum corneum | 57-10-3 | Palmitic Acid | Stearic acid ≤0.5% | Used to study free-fatty-acid composition, lipid-phase behavior, molecular organization, and water diffusion in simplified stratum corneum lipid models. | |
Long-chain saturated fatty acid of the stratum corneum | 57-11-4 | S298767 | Stearic Acid | Moligand™, C18: 98% | Used in ceramide–cholesterol–free fatty acid models and for studies of lipid lamellar organization and membrane order. |
Sterol component of the stratum corneum | 57-88-5 | C432975 | Cholesterol, from Lanolin | PharmPure™, JP, BP, European Pharmacopoeia (Ph. Eur.), NF, ultrapure grade | Used for stratum corneum lipid composite membranes and for studies of ceramide–fatty acid interactions, membrane phase behavior, and barrier permeability. |
Unsaturated fatty acid of the stratum corneum | 60-33-3 | Linoleic Acid | Moligand™, ≥99% (GC) | Used to study the unsaturated-fatty-acid composition of the stratum corneum, lipid oxidation, lipid-phase behavior, and barrier-lipid models. | |
Phytosphingosine backbone compound | 554-62-1 | Glycolipid (Phytosphingosine) | ≥98% | This product corresponds to phytosphingosine, a sphingoid long-chain base; used to study ceramide backbones, fatty-acid acylation, sphingolipid metabolism, and barrier lipids. | |
Ceramide 3B, Ceramide NP class | 178436-06-1 | Ceramide 3B | ≥95% | Used to study phytosphingosine-type ceramides, lipid aggregation, stratum corneum model membranes, lipid order, and water permeability. | |
Surfactant reagent for barrier-damage models | 151-21-3 | Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate (SDS) | Anhydrous grade, ACS, ≥99% | Used to establish surfactant-induced damage models in keratinocytes, reconstructed epidermis, or skin and to evaluate tight junctions, cell viability, transepidermal water loss, and barrier recovery. |
Note: The products listed above are representative Aladdin products related to scientific and formulation research. Additional product specifications, grades, and certificate of analysis information can be retrieved from the Aladdin website using the product name, CAS number, or catalog number.
References
[1] Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Ophiopogon japonicus (Thunb.) Ker Gawl. Plants of the World Online. Accessed July 27, 2026.
[2] Zhang Y, Chen B, Zhang H, Zhang J, Xue J. Extraction, purification, structural characterization, bioactivities, modifications and structure–activity relationship of polysaccharides from Ophiopogon japonicus: a review. Frontiers in Nutrition, 2024, 11: 1484865. DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2024.1484865.
[3] Mainzer C, Le Guillou M, Vyumvuhore R, Chadoutaud B, Bordes S, Closs B. Clinical efficacy of oligofructans from Ophiopogon japonicus in reducing atopic dermatitis flare-ups in Caucasian patients. Acta Dermato-Venereologica, 2019, 99(10): 858–864. DOI: 10.2340/00015555-3224.
[4] Lyu CG, Kang CZ, Kang LP, Yang J, Wang S, He YL, Deng AP, Wang HY, Huang LQ, Guo LP. Structural characterization and discrimination of Ophiopogon japonicas (Liliaceae) from different geographical origins based on metabolite profiling analysis. Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis, 2020, 185: 113212. DOI: 10.1016/j.jpba.2020.113212.
[5] Xu DS, Feng Y, Lin X, Deng HL, Fang JN, Dong Q. Isolation, purification and structural analysis of a polysaccharide MDG-1 from Ophiopogon japonicus. Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica, 2005, 40(7): 636–639. PMID: 16196271.
[6] Société Industrielle Limousine d’Application Biologique (SILAB). Cosmetic use of an Ophiopogon japonicus active principle. International Patent WO2009138702A2. Published November 19, 2009.
[7] Findley MK, Koval M. Regulation and roles for claudin-family tight junction proteins. IUBMB Life, 2009, 61(4): 431–437. DOI: 10.1002/iub.175.
[8] McAleer MA, Jakasa I, Raj N, O’Donnell CPF, Lane ME, Rawlings AV, Voegeli R, McLean WHI, Kezic S, Irvine AD. Early-life regional and temporal variation in filaggrin-derived natural moisturizing factor, filaggrin-processing enzyme activity, corneocyte phenotypes and plasmin activity: implications for atopic dermatitis. British Journal of Dermatology, 2018, 179(2): 431–441. DOI: 10.1111/bjd.16691.
[9] Kim BE, Leung DYM. Significance of skin barrier dysfunction in atopic dermatitis. Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Research, 2018, 10(3): 207–215. DOI: 10.4168/aair.2018.10.3.207.
[10] Furuse M, Hata M, Furuse K, Yoshida Y, Haratake A, Sugitani Y, Noda T, Kubo A, Tsukita S. Claudin-based tight junctions are crucial for the mammalian epidermal barrier: a lesson from claudin-1-deficient mice. Journal of Cell Biology, 2002, 156(6): 1099–1111. DOI: 10.1083/jcb.200110122.
[11] Société Industrielle Limousine d’Application Biologique (SILAB). Active ingredient obtained from Ophiopogon japonicus for the treatment of atopic dermatitis. United States Patent US11311596B2. Issued April 26, 2022.
[12] Hoober JK, Eggink LL. The discovery and function of filaggrin. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2022, 23(3): 1455. DOI: 10.3390/ijms23031455.
For more related articles, see below:
Trehalose: Physicochemical Characteristics, Manufacturing Processes, and Application Guidelines
Sources, Biological Functions, Isolation/Characterization, and Emerging Applications of Exosomes
Applicability Comparison of Vitronectin, Laminin and Fibronectin in Cell Culture Coating Systems
Ferulic Acid: Structural Features, Preparation Routes, and Key Points for Research Applications
Role of Sphingolipid Metabolic Remodeling in Apoptotic and Inflammatory Signaling
How to decipher the whitening code?
Niacin (Vitamin B3): Structural Features, Metabolic Roles, and Application Landscape
The "Six Key Checkpoints" of Skin Lightening
Tyrosinase: a key regulatory enzyme in melanin synthesis and its biological and applied significance
Enzymatic Hydroxylation Mechanism of Salicylate Conversion to Catechol
危险品化学品经营许可证（带存储）