TAGS: Sun Care
According to a study published in Nature Scientific Reports, methylene blue holds potential to be considered as a sunscreen active for UV radiation protection.
The researchers tested the effects of methylene blue on UVB ray-induced DNA double-strand breaks in primary human keratinocytes and found that the treatment reduced DNA damages caused by UVB irradiation and subsequent cell death.
Coral-safe UV Protection
The researchers also compared methylene blue with Oxybenzone, which is the most commonly used chemical active ingredient in sunscreens but recently proven to be hazardous to aquatic ecosystems, in particular to coral reefs.
At the same concentrations, methylene blue showed more effective UVB absorption ability than Oxybenzone and significantly outperformed Oxybenzone in the prevention of UVB-induced DNA damage and the clearance of UVA-induced cellular ROS.
Furthermore, unlike Oxybenzone, methylene blue-containing seawater did not affect the growth of the coral species Xenia umbellata. Altogether, the study suggests that methylene blue has the potential to be a coral reef-friendly sunscreen active ingredient that can provide broad-spectrum protection against UVA and UVB.
Source: Nature Scientific Reports