The effects of oral administration of Musa sapientum and Musa suerier on prevention of UVB induced skin damages were investigated in male ICR mice. Animals were orally administered 50mg/day ascorbic acid, or M. sapientum or M. suerier's fruit pulps at dose of 0.5, 1 or 1.5 mg/g body weight/day for 12 weeks. Concurrently, the shaved backs of animals were irradiated with UVB for 12weeks. The intensity of irradiation was progressively increased, from 54 mJ/cm(2) per exposure at week 1-126 mJ/cm(2) at week 11. A significant decrease (p<0.05) in skin elasticity (from 0.82±0.02 to 0.42±0.09) and total glutathione (from (193.6±18.7 to 152.7±7.8 ng/mg protein) as compared with the control group (water-administered UVB-irradiated mice) was observed after 12 weeks of UVB exposure. When L-ascorbic acid (0.72±0.01) or 1mg/g body weight/day M. suerier (0.84±0.06) were administered to UVB-irradiated mice, the reduction in skin elasticity was significantly inhibited (p<0.05). Moreover, the significant increase (p<0.05) in level of total glutathione was found in these groups (220.8±13.3 ng/mg protein for l-ascorbic acid and 224.9±20.1 ng/mg protein for M. suerier). These findings suggest the potential effect of daily consumption of M. suerier on prevention of skin damage from repeated UVB exposure.
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