Antiaging effects of the mixture of Panax ginseng and Crataegus pinnatifida in human dermal fibroblasts and healthy human skin

Abstract

Background: Human skin undergoes distinct changes throughout the aging process, based on both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. In a process called photoaging, UVB irradiation leads to upregulation of matrix metalloproteinase-1, which then causes collagen degradation and premature aging. Mixtures of medicinal plants have traditionally been used as drugs in oriental medicine. Based on the previously reported antioxidant properties of Panax ginseng Meyer and Crataegus pinnatifida, we hypothesized that the mixture of P. ginseng Meyer and C. pinnatifida (GC) would have protective effects against skin aging.

Methods: Anti-aging activity was examined both in human dermal fibroblasts under UVB irradiation by using Western blot analysis and in healthy human skin by examining noninvasive measurements.

Results: In vitro studies showed that GC improved procollagen type I expression and diminished matrix metalloproteinase-1 secretion. Based on noninvasive measurements, skin roughness values, including total roughness (R1), maximum roughness (R2), smoothness depth and average roughness (R3), and global photodamage scores were improved by GC application. Moreover, GC ameliorated the high values of smoothness depth (R4), which means that GC reduced loss of skin moisture.

Conclusion: These results suggest that GC can prevent aging by inhibiting wrinkle formation and increasing moisture in the human skin.

Keywords: Crataegus pinnatifida; Panax ginseng; antiaging; antiwrinkle; clinical study.

Fig. 1

Cell viability of treatment with PG, CP, and GC in UVB-irradiated cultured human dermal fibroblasts. Cells were irradiated with 144 mJ/cm² UVB and then incubated in the presence of PG, CP, and GC for 48 h. Data are presented as mean ± standard deviation. # and * indicate significant differences (p < 0.05) between UV (−) control and UV (+) control, respectively. ^#p < 0.05 versus normal control, *p < 0.05, **p < 0.001, ***p < 0.001 versus UVB-irradiated control. CP, Crataegus pinnatifida; GC, mixture of Panax ginseng and Crataegus pinnatifida; PG, Panax ginseng.

Fig. 2

Effects of PG, CP, and GC on (A) the protein expression of MMP-1 and procollagen type 1, and (B,C) results of densitometric analysis in UVB-irradiated cultured human dermal fibroblasts. Cells were irradiated with UVB (144 mJ/cm²) and treated with PG, CP, and GC at 100 μg/mL for 48 h. Western blot analysis was performed on 40 μg of total protein from cell lysates. β-Actin was used as an internal control. The densitometry analysis data are expressed as a percentage relative to the UVB-untreated control. Data are presented as mean ± standard deviation. # and * indicate significant differences (p < 0.05) between the UV (−) control and UV (+) control, respectively. ^#p < 0.05 versus the normal control; *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01 versus UV-treated control. CP, Crataegus pinnatifida; GC, mixture of Panax ginseng and Crataegus pinnatifida; MMP, matrix metalloproteinase; PG, Panax ginseng.

Fig. 3

Study flowchart of the participants describing trial progress.

Fig. 4

Representative pictures of prior to and after the treatment.

Fig. 5

Questionnaires following a 12-wk treatment with GC and placebo. The answer choices were as follows: A, excellent; B, good; C, moderate; D, poor; and F, bad. GC, mixture of Panax ginseng and Crataegus pinnatifida.