Assessment of in vitro anti-skin aging activities of Phyllanthus indofischeri Bennet extracts for dermatological and aesthetic applications.

Giant Indian Gooseberry (GIG) or Phyllanthus indofischeri Bennet are commercially cultivated and commonly used herbs in Traditional medicine, especially in Thailand. The aim of this study was to assess the potential of the GIG extracts in anti-aging activities to be a dermatological application. The juice, meat residues, and seeds of GIG collected from Sra Kaeo Province, Thailand, were extracted by the Boiling method (B) and the Maceration process (M) by using 95% ethanol as a solvent. The GIG extracts gave the total phenolic, total flavonoid contents and quercetin contents, as well as exhibited anti-oxidative activities. The GIG-R-B extract inhibited tyrosinase activity and had the highest anti-melanogenesis activity on B16F10 cells at 31.63 ± 0.70%. The GIG-S-B, GIG-S-M, and GIG-R-M extracts demonstrated the highest collagen biosynthesis, which was comparable to vitamin C (p < 0.05), whereas the GIG-R-B extracts gave the highest stimulation of anti-aging genes (SIRT1 and FOXO1). All extracts at the concentration of 0.1 mg/mL showed no cytotoxicity on human skin fibroblasts. Therefore, the GIG-S-B extract was discovered to be a promising natural anti-aging agent for dermatological health and aesthetic applications that can be further developed in cosmetic, functional food and food supplement industries.

Guava (Psidium guajava L.) Leaf Extract as Bioactive Substances for Anti-Androgen and Antioxidant Activities.

Leaves of guava (Psidium guajava L.) have been used in Thai folk medicine without any supporting evidence as a traditional herbal remedy for hair loss. Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is chronic hair loss caused by effects of androgens in those with a genetic predisposition, resulting in hair follicle miniaturization. Our objectives were to provide the mechanistic assessment of guava leaf extract on gene expressions related to the androgen pathway in well-known in vitro models, hair follicle dermal papilla cells (HFDPC), and human prostate cancer cells (DU-145), and to determine its bioactive constituents and antioxidant activities. LC-MS analysis demonstrated that the main components of the ethanolic extract of guava leaves are phenolic substances, specifically catechin, gallic acid, and quercetin, which contribute to its scavenging and metal chelating abilities. The guava leaf extract substantially downregulated SRD5A1, SRD5A2, and SRD5A3 genes in the DU-145 model, suggesting that the extract could minimize hair loss by inhibiting the synthesis of a potent androgen (dihydrotestosterone). SRD5A suppression by gallic acid and quercetin was verified. Our study reveals new perspectives on guava leaf extract's anti-androgen properties. This extract could be developed as alternative products or therapeutic adjuvants for the treatment of AGA and other androgen-related disorders.

Collagen biosynthesis stimulation and anti-melanogenesis of bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea) extracts.

CONTEXT: Bambara groundnut (BG), originally from Africa, is widely distributed in Asian countries, especially in southern Thailand, and is used for food and functional foods. There is no report on the use of BG for ethnomedicine or cosmetics. OBJECTIVE: To investigate collagen biosynthesis stimulation and anti-melanogenesis of the BG extracts. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The hulls (H) and seeds (S) of BG were collected from Trang province, Thailand and extracted by Soxhlet (S) and maceration (M) using ethanol, and boiled with distilled-water (B). Total phenolic (TPC) and total flavonoid (TFC) contents were quantified. The three antioxidant and tyrosinase inhibition activities were determined by DPPH, FIC and FTC; and the modified dopachrome methods, respectively. The collagen biosynthesis and the anti-melanogenesis activities were investigated by Sirius-Red and the melanin content assay. RESULTS: The yields of BG extracts ranged from 1.72% to 9.06%. The BG-SS extract gave the highest TPC and TFC. The BG-HM extract showed the highest antioxidant activities (SC50 of 0.87 ± 0.02 mg/mL, MC50 of 1.83 ± 0.09 mg/mL and LC50 of 0.70 ± 0.06 mg/mL), tyrosinase inhibition activity (IC50 of 0.45 ± 0.23 mg/mL), and anti-melanogenesis activities (72.9 ± 0.08%), whereas the BG-SB extract exhibited the highest stimulation of collagen biosynthesis (18.04 ± 0.03%). All BG extracts at 0.1 mg/mL showed no cytotoxicity on human dermal fibroblasts. DISCUSSION: The biological activities of BG extracts might be from their phytochemicals, especially phenolic and flavonoid contents. CONCLUSION: The BG-HB and BG-HM extracts might be promising novel active sources for anti-aging and whitening cosmeceuticals.

Transdermal absorption enhancement of rice bran bioactive compounds entrapped in niosomes.

Niosomes composed of Tween 61 and cholesterol at 1:1 molar ratio were entrapped with the mixture of the three semi-purified rice (Oryza sativa L., Family Gramineae) bran bioactive compounds [ferulic acid (F), γ-oryzanol (O), and phytic acid (P)] at 0.5%, 1.5%, and 1.5%, respectively, by the supercritical CO(2) technique. The transdermal absorption by vertical Franz diffusion cells of the compounds entrapped in niosomes (Nio FOP), the unentrapped compounds (Mixed FOP), the compounds incorporated in gel and cream (Gel FOP and Cream FOP), and the compounds entrapped in niosomes and incorporated in gel and cream (Gel nio and Cream nio) was investigated. At 6 h, F and P from Nio FOP gave lower cumulative amount in viable epidermis and dermis (VED) than from Mixed FOP of 1.1 and 1.6 times, respectively, while O from Nio FOP exhibited higher cumulative amount in VED than from Mixed FOP of 2.4 times. The highest cumulative amount in VED of F, O, and P were from Gel nio, Cream nio, and Mixed FOP at 1.564 ± 0.052, 15.972 ± 0.273, and 25.857 ± 0.025 ng/cm(2), respectively. Niosomes enhanced the transdermal absorption of the hydrophobic compound O, while retarded the hydrophilic compounds F and P indicating the less systemic risk of F and P than O when entrapped in niosomes. Thus, transdermal absorption of F, O, and P appeared to depend on niosomal size, lipophilicity of the bioactive compounds, and types of formulations. These preclinical results can be applied for the design of the clinical study of the developed rice bran niosomal topical products.

Anti-aging efficacy of topical formulations containing niosomes entrapped with rice bran bioactive compounds.

CONTEXT: Rice [Oryza sativa L. (Gramineae)] bran is a rich source of phytochemicals. Its oil also contains several bioactive components that exhibit antioxidative properties such as ferulic acid (F), γ-oryzanol (O), and phytic acid (P) which can be a new source of cosmetic raw materials. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the anti-aging effects of the gel and cream containing niosomes entrapped with the rice bran bioactive compounds. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The semi-purified rice bran extracts containing F, O, and P which indicated the growth stimulation of human fibroblasts and the inhibition of MMP-2 by sulforhodamine B and gelatin zymography, respectively, were entrapped in niosomes by supercritical carbon dioxide fluid (scCO(2)) and incorporated in gel and cream formulations. The skin hydration, elasticity, thickness and roughness, and pigmentation in human volunteers after treated with these gel and creams were investigated by corneometer, cutometer, visiometer, and mexameter, respectively. RESULTS: Gel and cream containing the semi-purified rice bran extracts entrapped in niosomes gave no sign of erythema and edema detected within 72 h on the shaved rabbit skin by the closed patch test investigated by mexameter and visual observation, respectively. These formulations also demonstrated higher hydration enhancement and improvement of skin lightening, thickness, roughness, and elasticity on the skin of 30 human volunteers within the 28-day treatment not more than 9, 27, 7, 3, and 3 times, respectively. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: The formulations containing niosomes entrapped with the rice bran bioactive compounds gave superior clinical anti-aging activity which can be applied as a novel skin product.

Antioxidant activities and skin hydration effects of rice bran bioactive compounds entrapped in niosomes.

Bioactive compounds [ferulic acid (F), gamma-oryzanol (O) and phytic acid (P)] in rice bran have been widely used as antioxidants in skin care products. However, one of the major problems of antioxidants is the deterioration of their activities during long exposure to air and light. Niosomes have been used to entrap many degradable active agents not only for stability improvement, but also for increasing skin hydration. The objective of this study was to determine antioxidant activities [by in vitro ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity) and ex vivo lipid peroxidation inhibition assay] and in vivo human skin hydration effects of gel and cream containing the rice bran extracts entrapped in niosomes. Gel and cream containing the rice bran extracts entrapped in niosomes showed higher antioxidant activity (ORAC value) at 20-28 micromol of Trolox equivalents (TE) per gram of the sample than the placebo gel and cream which gave 16-18 micromolTE/g. Human sebum treated with these formulations showed more lipid peroxidation inhibition activity than with no treatment of about 1.5 times. The three different independent techniques including corneometer, vapometer and confocal Raman microspectroscopy (CRM) indicated the same trend in human skin hydration enhancement of the gel or cream formulations containing the rice bran extracts entrapped in niosomes of about 20, 3 and 30%, respectively. This study has demonstrated the antioxidant activities and skin hydration enhancement of the rice bran bioactive compounds when entrapped in niosomes and incorporated in cream formulations.