Review Article

Microbial Biosurfactant as an Alternate to Chemical Surfactants for Application in Cosmetics Industries in Personal and Skin Care Products: A Critical Review

Table 3

An overview of multiple studies conducted to investigate the broad spectrum of microbial surfactants and their possible uses in the cosmetic sector.

Biosurfactant type or producing organismResearch objective or applicationKey findingsReferences

N-dodecyl asparagine (AS), sodium N-dodecyl tryptophan (TS), and sodium N-dodecyl histidine (HS)To detect antimicrobial antidermatophyte properties activity AS, TS, and HS(i) Antimicrobial activity against Shigella dysenteriae, Bacillus cereus, E. coli, K. pneumoniae, S. aureus, Trichophyton mantigrophytes, Trichophyton rubrum, Candida albicans, Trichosporon cataneum, and Cryptococcus neoformansFawzy et al. [126]
Emulsion of mannosyl erythritol lipid (MEL) biosurfactant with Thymus vulgaris, Lippia sidoides, and Cymbopogon citratus essential oil emulsionsTo detect prepared emulsion antimicrobial activity(i) Antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Penicillium sp., Aspergillus flavus, fusarium oxysporum, and Candida albicansZanotto et al. [127]
CATASAN produced by Psychrobacter sp. TAE2020Antibiofilm and antibacterial(i) Antibiofilm and antibacterial against Staphylococcus epidermidis
(ii) Good emulsification activity in a wide range of pH and temperature
D'Angelo et al. [128]
Glycolipid-biosurfactant of Shewanella algae strain B12Antibiofilm and antibacterial(i) Antibiofilm and antibacterial against planktonic and biofilm forms of MRSA and antibiotic resistant Acinetobacter baumanniiAmirinejad et al. [129]
Rha-C10-C10 and Rha-Rha-C10-C10 of Pseudomonas aeruginosa SGΔrhlCAntimicrobial agents(i) Antimicrobial activity against B. wiedmannii H238, A. alternate G2Zhao et al. [130]
MA01 rhamnolipid of Pseudomonas aeruginosa MA01Antibiofilm and antibacterial(i) Shown positive Antibiofilm and antibacterial activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) ATCC6538 bacterial cellsSaadati et al. [131]
Sophorolipids of yeast Starmerella riodocensisAntimicrobial(i) Positive antimicrobial activity against Candida albicans hyphal and biofilm formationAlfian et al. [132]
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), acidic sophorolipids (ASLs)(i) Antibiofilm property against S. aureus
(ii) damages the cell membrane of Escherichia coli (E. coli)
Seena et al. [133]
Sophorolipids in combination with palmarosa essential oilAntiacne product(i) Biosurfacta shown antibacterial and antiacne activity against S. aureus, S. epidermidis and Cutibacterium acnes in cosmetic formulationsFilipe et al. [134]
Sophorolipids and rhamnolipidsAnticancer effects of glycolipids on skin cells(i) Detrimental effect on melanoma cell viability compared to healthy human keratinocytes (application in sunscreens)Adu et al. [135]
Lipopeptide biosurfactant surfactin (ITC/SF-LNC)Anticancer effects of lipopeptide for topical treatment of skin carcinogenesis(i) Suppressive effect on cytokeratins
(ii) tumor growth inhibition
(iii) recovery of skin architecture
El-Sheridy et al. [136]
Mannosylerythritol lipids (MELs) (MEL-A, MEL-B, MEL-C and MEL-D) of Pseudozyma aphidisAntimicrobial and skin moisturizer(i) S. aureus ATCC 6538 biomass disruption, reduction of the biofilm metabolic activity and a bacteriostatic/bactericidal effect
(ii) enhanced moisturizing property
Ceresa et al. [137]
Mannosylerythritol lipids (MELs) BGC of Moesziomyces antarcticusAntimicrobial and skin moisturizer(i) Antimicrobial and skin moisturizer due to LipA and LipB genesLiu et al. [138]
MELs (MEL-A, d-MEL-B, and MEL-C) of Pseudozyma Antarctica, P. aphidis, P. rugulosa and P. parantarcticaSkin moisturizer, restoring damaged cells(i) MEL-A exhibited excellent moisturizing performance
(ii) restored viability of the damaged cells
(iii) d-MEL-B and MEL-C also efficiently restored the viability of the cells
Kitamoto et al. [139]
Mannan-fatty acid of Candida tropicalisBiostimulation(i) Recognized as key antigenic determinantsKuraoka et al. [140]
BS1 and BS2 of bacilli strains and Lactobacillus pentosusAntimicrobial and cytotoxic activity(i) Antimicrobiala ctivity against gram-negative bacteria, not cytotoxic for fibroblasts (NCTC clone 929)
(ii) cell-bound biosurfactant from Lactobacillus pentosus boost the growth of the fibroblast up to 113%
Rodríguez-López et al. [141]
Lipopeptide(s) of pseudomonas sp. OXDC12 strainAntifungal, antibacterial, cytotoxic and antiproliferative activity(i) Antigungal against fusarium oxysporum, Candida albicans and Mucor sp.
(ii) antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus MTCC96, Salmonella typhimurium NCTC 74, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Escherichia coli MTCC1687
(iii) low-level cytotoxic and antiproliferative activities towards a few transformed cell lines, (i.e., RD, Hep-2 C, Vero and MCF-7) cell lines.
Chauhan et al. [142]
BS of Lactobacillus acidophillusCytotoxic activity, antibacterial(i) 23% cytotoxic effect on breast cancer (AMJ-13) cell line
(ii) have antibacterial activity against S. aureus and E. coli
Abdullah and Ismail [143]
Mannosylerythritol lipids (MELs) of Pseudozyma spp.Moisturizing effects(i) Moisturizing effects on human skin, moisturizing effects on human hairKitamoto et al. [139]
BS of Chenopodium quinoa and Pseudomonas aeruginosa UCP 0992Emulsifying agents(i) BS from Pseudomonas aeruginosa good performance, stability, and emulsificationBezerraa et al. [144]