ENZIMAS PROTEOLÍTICAS: APLICAÇÕES SUSTENTÁVEIS NA ÁREA DA COSMÉTICA

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.22533/at.ed.16125161013

• Palavras-chave: Péptidos bioativos; proteases vegetais; cosmética; biotecnologia; economia circular; segurança.

• Keywords: Bioactive peptides; plant proteases; cosmetics; biotechnology; circular economy; safety.

• Abstract: Proteases are enzymes that break the peptide bonds of proteins and peptides. They are found in all living organisms and regulate various metabolic functions. These enzymes have been used since ancient times for a variety of purposes, such as food processing and the treatment of various diseases. Plants are important sources of proteases with significant activity and high thermal stability in the presence of various chemical agents. These requirements are essential for their cosmetic application. Moreover, in contrast to human-encoded enzymes, many plant proteases possess exceptional features such as higher stability, unique substrate specificity and a wide pH range for enzymatic activity. These valuable features make plant-derived proteolytic enzymes suitable for many biomedical applications, and furthermore, the plants can serve as factories for protein production. Plant proteases are already applied in the treatment of several pathological conditions in the human body. Some of the enzymes possess antitumor, antibacterial and antifungal activity. The collagenolytic activity of plant proteases determines important medical applications such as the healing of wounds and burn debridement. Plant proteases may affect blood coagulation processes and can be applied in the treatment of digestive disorders. The present review summarizes recent advances and possible applications for plant proteases in biomedicine and proposes the further development of plant-derived proteolytic enzymes in the biotechnology and cosmetic industries.