Ergostatrien-3β-ol (EK100), isolated from the submerged whole broth of Antrodia camphorata, has antidiabetic, hyperlipidemic, and hepatoprotective activities. However, the antiphotodamage activity of EK100 has still not been revealed. Inflammation and collagen degradation contribute to skin photodamage and premature aging. In the present study, in vivo experiments were designed to investigate the antiinflammatory and antiphotodamaging activities of EK100 in hairless mice by physiological and histological analysis of the skin. Results indicated that topical application of EK100 (25 and 100 μM) for 10 weeks efficiently inhibited ultraviolet B (UVB)-induced wrinkle formation, erythema, and epidermal thickness in the mice skin. EK100 also restored UVB-induced collagen content reduction in hairless mice skin. In addition, the immunohistochemistry results indicated that EK100 significantly inhibited the UVB-induced expression of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and nuclear factor kappaB (NF-κB) in the mouse skin. The expression of these proteins was similar to the Normal group after 100 μM EK100 treatment. EK100 inhibited collagen degradation in the skin through MMP-1 inhibition and antiinflammation. EK100 significantly reduced the transepidermal water loss (TEWL), indicating that EK100 protected skin from UVB-induced damage. Our findings strongly suggest that EK100 has significant beneficial antiinflammatory and antiphotoaging activities and that EK100 can be developed as an antiphotodamaging agent.
Keywords: ergostatrien-3β-ol; erythema; hyperplasia; nuclear factor kappaB; photodamage; transepidermal water loss.