|
UVB is an effective treatment for psoriasis, as it penetrates the skin and slows the growth of affected skin cells. But UVB is also the primary agent responsible for sunburns and excessive exposure may result in skin ageing and development of skin cancer and cataracts. UVB radiation causes mutation of DNA and initiates the formation of free radicals, resulting in activation of the inflammation process. Previous in-vivo and in-vitro studies have demonstrated that anthocyanins posses chemopreventive activity.
Dr. Cimino and co-workers at the University of Messina, Italy, explored the effect of cyanidin-3-glucoside, a phytochemical found in blackberry and other food products, in human keratinocytes exposed to UVB radiation. They found that UVB exposure of these cells resulted in changes in many biological processes involved in inflammation and apoptosis, such as increased translocation of transcription factors NF-kB and AP-1, overexpression of the proinflammatory cytokine IL-8, cleavage of procaspase-3 and DNA fragmentation. All these changes were inhibited when the keratinocytes were pretreated with the cyanidin glycoside. Pretreatment of the cells with 80 microM cyanidin-3-glucoside completely completely prevented the toxic effect of UVB dosed at 20 mJ/cm2.
The authors concluded that cyanidin-3-glucoside protects skin cells against the adverse effects of UVB radiation and suggest that the phytochemical might successfully be used as a cheap, non-toxic and natural photoprotective agent to be incorporated in sunscreens.
Source: Cimino F, Ambra R, Canali R, Saija A, Virgili F. Effect of cyanidin-3-O-glucoside on UVB-induced response in human keratinocytes.. J Agric Food Chem. 2006 May 31;54(11):4041-7
|
