The present invention provides Dunaliella alga, and extracts thereof, comprising increased levels of 9-cis--carotene and/or increased levels of colourless carotenoids; and/or increased levels of -carotene, to processes for producing such Dunaliella alga, and to uses thereof.

The present invention provides Dunaliella alga, and extracts thereof, comprising increased levels of 9-cis--carotene and/or increased levels of colourless carotenoids; and/or increased levels of -carotene, to processes for producing such Dunaliella alga, and to uses thereof.

New extracts of halophytes and psammophilous plants are suggested, obtainable by treating said microalgae and plants with a solvent selected from the group consisting of C.sub.1-C.sub.4 aliphatic alcohols, ethyl acetate, water or their mixtures, removing the dissolved extracts from the residues and recovering the pure extracts from the solvent. The extracts show excellent activity as regulators of the metabolism of human sebaceous glands.

New extracts of halophytes and psammophilous plants are suggested, obtainable by treating said microalgae and plants with a solvent selected from the group consisting of C.sub.1-C.sub.4 aliphatic alcohols, ethyl acetate, water or their mixtures, removing the dissolved extracts from the residues and recovering the pure extracts from the solvent. The extracts show excellent activity as regulators of the metabolism of human sebaceous glands.

The present invention provides a method of preparing biomembrane, closed structure with biomembrane characteristics or cellular compartment, comprising the following steps: 1), acquire biological cells from natural tissues or natural biological species; 2), culture the cells obtained in step 1) massively in an appropriate environment; 3), acquire the lysates of cells in step 2), and extracting the biomembrane, closed structure with biomembrane characteristics and cellular compartment through differential centrifugation, density gradient centrifugation or dual-phase extraction individually or a combination of two methods or a combination of three methods thereof. The membrane is a natural biomembrane, closed structure with biomembrane characteristics and cellular compartment, which can be used for package of active ingredients in various fields.

The present invention provides a method of preparing biomembrane, closed structure with biomembrane characteristics or cellular compartment, comprising the following steps: 1), acquire biological cells from natural tissues or natural biological species; 2), culture the cells obtained in step 1) massively in an appropriate environment; 3), acquire the lysates of cells in step 2), and extracting the biomembrane, closed structure with biomembrane characteristics and cellular compartment through differential centrifugation, density gradient centrifugation or dual-phase extraction individually or a combination of two methods or a combination of three methods thereof. The membrane is a natural biomembrane, closed structure with biomembrane characteristics and cellular compartment, which can be used for package of active ingredients in various fields.

A method of treating skin is disclosed. The method can include topically applying to skin an effective amount of a composition that includes water, a Crithmum maritimum extract, and an Ulva lactuca extract.

The invention pertains to a method for synthesizing a product of interest by culturing a microalgal cell obtained from a subterranean habitat for producing the product of interest. The microalgal cell obtained from a subterranean habitat can be cultured in the dark, in light, in low nutrition, or nutrient rich conditions for at least a portion of production cycle. A combination of these conditions can be used to specifically manipulate a microalgal cell culture to produce a product of interest. The product of interest can be a water-soluble carotenoid, for example, a water-soluble carotenoid produced by culturing an algae belonging to the genus Haematococcus or a capsular exopolysaccharide produced by culturing an algae belonging to the genus Parachlorella. Compositions containing the water-soluble carotenoid, for example, as sunscreen and compositions containing the exopolysaccharide, for example, as moisturizing cream are also described.

New extracts of microalgae, halophytes and psammophilous plants are suggested, obtainable by treating said microalgae and plants with a solvent selected from the group consisting of C.sub.1-C.sub.4 aliphatic alcohols, ethyl acetate, water or their mixtures, removing the dissolved extracts from the residues and recovering the pure extracts from the solvent. The extracts show excellent activity as regulators of the metabolism of human sebaceous glands.

A method of treating skin is disclosed. The method can include topically applying to skin an effective amount of a composition that has water, an extract comprising Crithmum maritimum, and an extract comprising Ulva lactuca, wherein the extract comprising Ulva lactuca includes a hydrolysate of Ulva lactuca proteins.