Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer Phenolic Acid Extract Alleviates Ultraviolet B-Irradiation-Induced Photoaging in a Hairless Mouse Skin Photodamage Model

Zhenzhuo Li; Rui Jiang; Jianzeng Liu; Xiaohao Xu; Liwei Sun; Daqing Zhao

doi:10.1155/2021/9962007

Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer Phenolic Acid Extract Alleviates Ultraviolet B-Irradiation-Induced Photoaging in a Hairless Mouse Skin Photodamage Model

Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2021 Aug 2:2021:9962007. doi: 10.1155/2021/9962007. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Zhenzhuo Li^{1

2}, Rui Jiang², Jianzeng Liu¹, Xiaohao Xu^{1

2}, Liwei Sun^{2

3

4}, Daqing Zhao^{1

3}

Affiliations

¹ Jilin Ginseng Academy, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, Jilin 130117, China.
² Research Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital to Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, Jilin 130021, China.
³ Key Laboratory of Active Substances and Biological Mechanisms of Ginseng Efficacy, Ministry of Education, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, Jilin 130117, China.
⁴ Jilin Province Traditional Chinese Medicine Characteristic Health Product Research and Development Cross-Regional Cooperation Science and Technology Innovation Center, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, Jilin 130117, China.

Abstract

Here, we evaluated the in vivo skin-protective effects of topical applications of Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer extract (PG2) and its phenolic acid- (PA-) based components against UVB-induced skin photoaging. PG2 or PA applied to skin of hairless mice after UVB-irradiation alleviated UVB-induced effects observed in untreated skin, such as increased transepidermal water loss (TEWL), increased epidermal thickness, and decreased stratum corneum water content without affecting body weight. Moreover, PG2 and PA treatments countered reduced mRNA-level expression of genes encoding filaggrin (FLG), transglutaminase-1 (TGM1), and hyaluronan synthases (HAS1, HAS2, and HAS3) caused by UVB exposure and reduced UVB-induced collagen fiber degradation by inhibiting the expression of matrix metalloproteinase genes encoding MMP-1, MMP-2, and MMP-9. Meanwhile, topical treatments reduced cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) mRNA-level expression in photodamaged skin, leading to the inhibition of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) mRNA-level expression. Thus, ginseng phenolic acid-based preparations have potential value as topical treatments to protect skin against UVB-induced photoaging.