Recently, many of us have encountered exosomes, which have made quite a splash especially in the field of medical aesthetics; besides their content and benefits, their source, sustainability, and future role are also being discussed and researched.
Exosomes have been discovered as a therapeutic material being used in many areas, from cancer treatment to skin aging, infertility to Alzheimer’s.
Although exosomes are not cells, they play a critical role in regulating intercellular communication throughout the body and in the cellular life cycle.
Because of our lifestyles (nutrition, sleep, radiation exposure, etc.), cellular-level damage occurs, leading to the deterioration of our organs and even our tissues. When we look into the details, we know that the main causes are increased oxidative stress and cellular inflammation, as well as the disruption of cellular barriers and communication.
Correcting the disrupted communication at the cellular level and strengthening cells, external exosome therapy is currently the most effective method. Exosomes are also frequently used in the body for skin repair, skin rejuvenation, and inflammation reduction. The content of exosome batches varies according to the cell that produces them. The source of exosomes used to combat oxidative stress is different, and the source used for cell regeneration is different.
Exosomes produced by human cells differ in content from those produced by plant cells.
So what should be the source of exosomes used in treatment? The first and easiest to produce?
Safe, effective, and standardizable?
So far, studies show that exosomes will be used in many areas of medicine in the coming years.
However, the safety issue that must be examined before any new product or treatment is implemented—where the appropriate source will be, and what disadvantages may arise while providing benefits—continues to be researched.
The authorities that follow such research and decide whether a product will be used are primarily the Health Ministries of those countries. However, it is also important that the discovered or applied product is accepted worldwide, not only in the country where it originates. For the necessary inspections and controls, globally applicable FDA or CE regulations are used.
No specific regulation on exosomes has been established worldwide yet, but especially in the dermocosmetic field, the common view is that a human or human‑derived source cannot be considered a raw material for any therapeutic purpose…
Because such a source would be unethical, the resulting product would not meet a standard, and a product that could cause many easy mutations like in humans could cause far greater damage to the human body, this type of source will not receive approval.
Even if they could be effective in treating many important diseases or problems today, it is still unknown what reactions human‑derived exosomes of uncertain ethical origin will cause years later, or what harms they may inflict on the human body.
For centuries, the source in treatments has been plants. As a result of studies, plant‑derived exosomes have begun to be accepted. The FDA has approved plant exosome therapies. Plant exosomes can be used in various areas such as skin whitening, scar treatment, skin rejuvenation, and hair treatment.
Now we return to the same question: What should be the source of exosomes? Not humans, but which plant? Our answer is simple: the plants whose content matches the treatment I want or the problem I have.