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The Benefits of The Silk Fibroin and Sericin

The document discusses the benefits of silk fibroin and sericin proteins. Silk fibroin is the main protein in raw silk fibers, and sericin is a glue-like substance surrounding fibroin that is removed during processing. Both proteins have anti-oxidative and biodegradable properties making them useful in medicine, especially surgery where silk was historically used for sutures due to its strength and ability to decrease infections. Silk fibroin and sericin are also used in optics, such as diffraction gratings and lenses. In cosmetics, sericin oil improves hair and skin properties as a hydrating and protective treatment.

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258 views2 pages

The Benefits of The Silk Fibroin and Sericin

The document discusses the benefits of silk fibroin and sericin proteins. Silk fibroin is the main protein in raw silk fibers, and sericin is a glue-like substance surrounding fibroin that is removed during processing. Both proteins have anti-oxidative and biodegradable properties making them useful in medicine, especially surgery where silk was historically used for sutures due to its strength and ability to decrease infections. Silk fibroin and sericin are also used in optics, such as diffraction gratings and lenses. In cosmetics, sericin oil improves hair and skin properties as a hydrating and protective treatment.

Uploaded by

Kittie Cat
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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The benefits of the silk fibroin and sericin

Fibroin is the raw silk protein fiber. It consists of glococol, alanine and tyrosine. It is obtained by
boiling the silk fibers with a very dilute solution of sodium hydroxide, which removes the glue
on silk thread (sericin), while fibroin remains undissolved. The benefits of silk fibroin and sericin
are extensive; the two silk proteins are used in medicine (especially in optics and surgery) due to
their anti-oxidative, controllable biodegradation and bio-adhesive properties that make them
valuable in healing injuries and post-surgical traumas.

The use of silk protein fibers in surgery

Surgeons in the XIXth century used silk fibers to suture open wounds and this method of
suturing postoperative wounds led to a significant decrease of infections. W. Halsted perfected
this method in 1913. In his article “Ligature and Suture Material: the employment of Fine Silk in
Preferense of Catgut”, published in the same year, he presented the results of his study on silk
proteins and stated that silk was the best of all known materials used in surgery at that time.

Due to its biomechanical properties, silk is considered the “golden standard” in surgery. A
sticky, amorphous substance called sericin surrounds the main component of natural silk – the
fibroin. Compared to other protein fibers, fibroin has few reactive groups capable of absorbing
water due to its amino acid composition. Later it was discovered that silk fibroin has a rate of
water absorption close to the nylon’s and way lower than the collagen’s. Nowadays, silk is still
used in surgery, in the make of surgical threads (setolin, which is highly absorbent) although it
has been partially replaced with synthetic materials.

The mechanical properties of silk yarn show an amazing combination of high tenacity,
extensibility and compressibility. Because of this, silk is the most resistant natural fiber. The
elongation at break of the silk fiber is 20 to 25% in the dry state and up to 30% in its wet state.
Silk is a hygroscopic material and can absorb up to 30% humidity. Silk fibers swell from water
penetration and shorten up to 20%. Together with the above qualities, silk is also very soft and
that allows the application of two nodes. The inflammatory response to silk is only slightly worse
than the catgut and can evolve up to aseptic necrosis formation. As mentioned already, it has an
increased capillary and can serve as a reservoir and route for the transmission of germs.

The use of fibroin and sericin in optics

As suspected, surgery is not the only field where the silk proteins have proved to be highly
valuable. The bioactive silk protein is used in the make of optical devices as well. The silk
protein can be found in the composition of diffraction gratings (instruments that split light with
different wavelengths, used for measuring the atomic spectra), telescopes, pattern generators and
different types of lenses.

The applicability of silk proteins in the cosmetic industry


The benefits of silk fibroin and sericin are widely used in the cosmetic industry. The sericin oil is
a very efficient treatment for hair and body. It is fat-free, non-tacky and water resistant and is
rapidly absorbed, creating a uniform protective film on skin and hair. Its ingredients improve the
hair structure and the damaged skin, offer protection and provide optimal hydration. The silk
proteins can also be found in hair masks, hydrating sericin serums for face and body, day and
night face creams and anti-wrinkle creams.

Dr. Mary Lupo of Tulane University recommends her patients to replace the cotton pillowcases
with silk ones. When you sleep on silk (or just wrap your hair in a silk scarf during the night), the
skin and hair are not subject to the friction, which usually leads to problems such as hair loss.

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