Ginseng and ginseng byproducts for skincare and skin health

Abstract

Ginseng is a traditional herbal medicine with a long history of use for the prevention and/or treatment of various diseases. Ginseng is used worldwide as a functional food to maintain human health. In addition, ginseng has been used as a raw ingredient in cosmetics with various applications, ranging from skin toning to anti-aging. Some cosmetic products contain ginseng extracts from Korea and other countries, as it is thought that ginseng can also exert beneficial effects on human skin. However, it remains unclear which ginseng component(s) could be the main active compound that directly contributes to skin health and/or prevents skin aging. It is also important to understand the mechanisms by which the ginseng component(s) exert their effects on the skin and skin health. This review describes recent in vitro and in vivo studies involving ginseng extracts, ginseng ingredients, and ginseng byproducts for skincare and skin health and discusses emerging evidence that ginsenosides, gintonin, and ginseng byproducts could be novel candidates for skincare and skin health applications ranging from anti-aging to the treatment of skin diseases such as atopic dermatitis and hypertrophic scars and keloids. The mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of ginseng components and byproducts on skin health are discussed. In addition, this review shows how ginseng components, such as gintonin, a newly identified ginseng component, might contribute to skin health and skin disease when used as a supplementary ingredient in cosmetics and further proposes a novel combination in cosmetic products containing both ginsenosides and gintonin.

Keywords: Cosmetic ingredients; Cosmetics; Ginseng; Ginsenosides; Gintonin; Lysophosphatidic acid.

Graphical abstract

Fig. 1

Ginseng extract- and ginsenoside-induced anti-oxidative stress and anti-inflammatory effects for skin cell protection. The protective effects of ginseng extract and ginsenosides on skin cells (i.e., human dermal fibroblasts, keratocytes, and melanocytes) are because of their anti-oxidative activity against diverse exterior factors ranging from allergens to UV radiation. Their anti-oxidative stress activities are further coupled with their anti-inflammatory effects via non-receptor–mediated pathways in various skin cells. Thus, ginseng extract- and ginsenosides-induced anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects finally contribute to skincare and skin health.

Fig. 2

Gintonin-mediated signaling pathways for skin cell protection, wound healing, and promoting hair growth. In contrast to ginseng extract and ginsenosides, gintonin-mediated skincare and skin health is primarily mediated via LPA1/3 receptors in skin cells. Thus, activation of LPA1/3 receptors by gintonin are coupled to the induction of a [Ca²⁺]_i transient via a membrane signaling transduction pathway. Gintonin-induced transient elevation of intracellular Ca²⁺, a second messenger, is linked to diverse skin cellular effects from cell proliferation to VEGF and Hb-EGF release. Other detailed signaling pathways of gintonin for skincare and skin health are also described. Activation of LPA receptors by gintonin is also coupled to transactivation of EGF receptor and release of Hb-EGF, which are also known as important growth factors for skincare and skin health. Gintonin-mediated EGF transactivation–related effects were not observed in ginsenosides and ginseng polysaccharides.

Fig. 3

Roles of ginseng byproducts, such as Korean red ginseng marc extract, Korean red ginseng marc polysaccharides, and Korean red ginseng marc gintonin, in skincare and skin health. In addition to ginseng extract, ginsenosides, and gintonin, recent studies showed that components derived from ginseng are also useful for skincare and skin health, as illustrated here, as they exhibit anti-skin aging effects, facilitate wound healing, and possess anti-wrinkling properties to the same extent as ginseng extract and ginsenosides. The detailed actions of ginseng components from Korean red ginseng marc are described.