Abstract
Because of its accessibility, skin was one of the first organs to be examined by gene technologies. Mircoarray/mRNA techniques have demonstrated the valuable aspects of this methodology for the elucidation of and the quantification for changes in human skin related-genes. It is important to review/understand how botanicals influence human skin gene expression (by stimulation or inhibition of certain genes) and to compare these biomarkers to the known mechanisms of skin aging. This review covers how human skin genes are modulated by 1) enhanced wound healing with an extract of a well-known medicinal plant in Asia, Angelica sinensis, 2) UV sunlight exposure that represents the main cause of photoaging or extrinsic skin aging and subsequent protection by a soy extract, 3) equol and their isomers that stimulate collagen and elastin while at the same time inhibit aging and inflammatory biomarkers and 4) resveratrol, the most high profile phytochemical known by the general public that displays some properties similar to equol with the additional benefit of stimulating the anti-aging surtuin or SIRT1 biomarker. Thus, the protective influences of botanicals/ phytochemicals elucidated herein provide potential applications to improve human skin health.
Highlights
This section outlines the scope for this review that covers: 1) a brief background on human skin characteristics, 2) a short historical description of how botanicals have been used for medicinal purposes, 3) a sketch on the advancements in scientific technology of dermal biology via gene expression, and 4) the different phytochemical materials tested as extracts or single compounds that display changes on human skin gene expression via biomarker endpoints using similar methodologies
While resveratrol has been studied in many different applications including treating human skin, it is surprising that this polyphenolic molecule had not been examined directly in a comprehensive manner quantifying the expression of human gene biomarkers such as the extracellular matrix proteins, like collagen, elastin and other important human dermal components
The reviewed studies demonstrate how human skin genes are modulated by 1) enhanced wound healing with an extract of a wellknown medicinal plant in Asia, Angelica sinensis, 2) UV sunlight exposure that represents the main cause of photo- or extrinsic skin aging and subsequent protection by a soy extract, 3) equol and their isomers that stimulate collagen and elastin while at the same time inhibited aging and inflammatory biomarkers and 4) resveratrol, the most high profile phytochemical known by the general public that displayed similar properties to equol with the additional benefit of stimulating the anti-aging surtuin or SIRT1 biomarker
Summary
This section outlines the scope for this review that covers: 1) a brief background on human skin characteristics, 2) a short historical description of how botanicals have been used for medicinal purposes, 3) a sketch on the advancements in scientific technology of dermal biology via gene expression, and 4) the different phytochemical materials tested as extracts or single compounds that display changes on human skin gene expression via biomarker endpoints using similar methodologies. This study by Sudel et al, confirmed the molecular changes in skin gene expression of human samples exposed to UV irradiation from young and old volunteers using in vivo and in vitro methodologies where several collagen types were inhibited and the enzymes (MMPs) that breakdown collagen and elastin were stimulated.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
