Role of Green Tea in Reducing Epidermal Thickness upon Ultraviolet Light-B Injury in BALB/c Mice

Snur M. A. Hassan,Adel J. Hussein,Azad K. Saeed

doi:10.1155/2015/890632

Snur M. A. Hassan, Adel J. Hussein + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/890632

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Abstract

The main environmental source for skin damage is ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Many adverse effects have been recognized as the result of prolonged cutaneous exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation, such as erythema, edema, apoptosis, hyperplastic responses, photo-aging, and skin cancer development. Green tea provides photo-protection against UV radiation through many mechanisms including anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and antioxidant properties. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of green tea in reducing epidermal thickness on mouse’s skin exposed to UVB irradiation. Thirty mice (Mus musculusspecies, BALB/c strain) underwent this study and were divided into 3 groups: control group (n=10mice), without UVB exposure and green tea administration; exposure group (n=10mice), which were exposed to UVB light only; and treatment group (n=10mice), which were exposed to UVB light and treated with 1 mL of green tea through oral gavage. Mice from both groups (exposure and treatment) were subjected to UVB irradiation 4 days/week (20 minutes/day, 4 weeks). It concluded that oral administration of green tea was provided photo-protection against UVB induced hyperplasia; therefore, it can be regarded as a natural alternative for photo-protection.

Highlights

The skin is comprised of the epidermis and the vascularized dermis
Skin is frequently exposed to a variety of environmental, chemical, and genotoxic agents that contribute to disease and carcinogenesis [3]
Animals were assigned into three groups: control group (n = 10), which were not exposed to Ultraviolet type-B (UVB) and not treated with green tea; exposure group (n = 10) which were exposed to UVB light only; and the remainder group (Treatment, n = 10), which were exposed to UVB and treated with green tea

Summary

Introduction

The skin is comprised of the epidermis and the vascularized dermis. It provides a vital self-protective barrier against environmental insults [1]. The main types of cell in the epidermis are keratinocytes that retain its function via a multifarious and tightly controlled program of proliferation and terminal differentiation [2]. Exposure of skin to ultraviolet (UV) light is a mutual source of skin damage and is the most important cause of skin cancer [4]. Ultraviolet type-B (UVB) is the main component of sunlight that leads to the great damage [5]. UVB is less penetrating and mainly acts in the epidermal basal cell layer of the skin [6]

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