Cistus L. is a genus of dicotyledonous perennial herbaceous plants. Cistus species have been commonly used in folk medicine in the Mediterranean region. In the present study, the biological activities of essential oils derived from Cistus species (Cistus laurifolius, C. monspeliensis, C. creticus, and C. salviifolius) were evaluated. Essential oils derived from C. laurifolius and C. monspeliensis were found to augment the expression of SIRT1, an anti-aging gene, in the normal culture of HaCaT cells. Furthermore, these essential oils increased the number and size of mitochondria and augmented their activity. These effects were thought to be caused by the up- and downregulated expression of MITOL and Drp1 in HaCaT cells, respectively, in response to the essential oil treatment. In addition, these essential oils were found to attenuate ultraviolet-B-induced mitochondrial damage and cellular senescence in HaCaT cells. These findings indicate that essential oils derived from C. laurifolius and C. monspeliensis may inhibit skin aging through mitochondrial regulation via SIRT1 activation.
Keywords: Cistus; HaCaT; SIRT1; anti-aging; essential oil; mitochondria.