Wrinkle reduction using a topical herbal cream in subjects with greater yin (Tae- eumin) type: A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study

Abstract

IntroductionSkin aging can be caused by both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is the primary environmental factor which causes skin aging. Sasang constitutional medicine(SCM) is a unique type of traditional Korean medicine. In SCM, patients are treated with herbal drugs categorized according to their Sasang constitutional type based on the Yin-Yang theory. Scutellaria baicalensis and Raphanus sativus are herbal drugs exclusively used for Tae-eumin (TE)-type subjects. These drugs are constituents of the TE formula, which is effective for managing skin diseases such as urticaria and acne. This study investigated the potential of S. baicalensis and R. sativus (SR) herbal mixtures as active ingredients in wrinkle-care cosmetics. MethodsThe expression of matrix metalloprotease-1 (MMP-1) was measured in vitro with significant difference (p < 0.05). A 12-week placebo randomised double blind controlled trial was conducted to evaluate the safety and clinical efficacy of a cream containing SR mixtures for application to human skin. Women between the ages of 43 and 58 years who were TE-type subjects according to SCM were selected and cream containing SR mixtures was applied for 12 weeks. ResultsThe application of SR mixtures showed there was a significant improvement in both visual assessment and evaluation of wrinkle parameters (Rt; skin roughness, Rm; maximum roughness, Rz; average roughness, Rp; smoothness depth, and Ra; arithmetic average roughness) comparing the treatment group with the control group (p < 0.05). ConclusionsThe results of this study indicate that the cream containing SR mixtures may improve skin wrinkles in TE-type subjects.