PHNQ is short for polyhydroxynaphthoquinone. It’s a mouthful, so here’s the simple version: PHNQs are the dark red-purple pigments that give sea urchin shells and spines their color, and they’re among the most potent antioxidants found in nature.
A family, not a single molecule
Urchins make several related PHNQs. The best known is Echinochrome A, which has been studied for decades and is approved abroad as the prescription drug Histochrome®. Its relatives, the spinochromes, work alongside it.
Most research has focused on Echinochrome A alone. Our patented process extracts the whole family together, so the compounds can work the way they do in the urchin.
Nature made a team. We kept it together.
What PHNQs do
- Neutralize free radicals from UV and pollution before they damage skin.
- Switch on skin’s own defenses by activating the Nrf2 pathway.
- Protect cellular energy by supporting mitochondria.
- Calm inflammaging, the low-grade inflammation behind visible aging.
Why you haven’t heard of them
Until now, there has been no Western commercial supply. UniVital is building the first one, sourced from California sea urchins.
