2023-05-15 12:41:35
A study of international universities, including the University of Girona (UdG), has revealed the “key” role of the indoloquinonaa molecule found in melanin that has a protective function against solar radiation.
The results, published in ‘Nature Chemistry’, are the result of the collaboration of the Theoretical Chemistry of Biosystems (TCBioSys) group of the Institute of Computational Chemistry and Catalysis of the UdG with the McGill University of Montreal (Canada)) and the Ohio State University (United States), the UdG reported in a statement on Monday.
what is melanin
The study recalls that melanin is the natural substance that “protects animal organisms from the damage that solar radiation can cause“, as well as it is responsible for the color of the skin and hair and has antioxidant properties.
The researcher Lluís Blancafort has affirmed that it was believed that the protective function of melanin took place through very complex molecules, but that it has been discovered that “the structures could be much simpler than previously thought”.
In addition, he has ensured that “knowing these ingredients, the scientific community will have the opportunity to prepare new substances that have melanin-inspired functionsor to correct dysfunctions related to it”.
In scientific has added that melanin “could be related to Alzheimer’s or deafness“, and that from its structure it will be possible to design biocompatible electronic components.
“For this reason, the work has a double value: we have identified a very important ingredient, and we have opened the way to find more ingredients that are currently unknown,” he concluded.
#component #melanin #key #sun #protection #study