Effects of ginseng saponins isolated from red ginseng on ultraviolet B-induced skin aging in hairless mice

• Published in: European journal of pharmacology Vol. 602; no. 1; pp. 148 - 156
• Main Authors: Kim, Young Gon, Sumiyoshi, Maho, Sakanaka, Masahiro, Kimura, Yoshiyuki
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 05.01.2009; Elsevier
• Subjects: Administration, Topical; Animals; Apoptosis; Apoptosis - drug effects; Apoptosis - physiology; Apoptosis - radiation effects; Biological and medical sciences; Cells, Cultured; Dermatology; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Epidermal hyperplasia; Fibroblasts - cytology; Fibroblasts - drug effects; Fibroblasts - radiation effects; Ginsenoside Rb 1; Humans; Keratinocytes - cytology; Keratinocytes - drug effects; Keratinocytes - radiation effects; Male; Medical sciences; Metalloendopeptidases - genetics; Metalloendopeptidases - metabolism; Mice; Mice, Hairless; Panax - chemistry; Panax ginseng; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 - genetics; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 - metabolism; Saponins - administration & dosage; Saponins - isolation & purification; Saponins - pharmacology; Skin Aging - drug effects; Skin Aging - radiation effects; Skin involvement in other diseases. Miscellaneous. General aspects; Ultraviolet B; Ultraviolet Rays; Wrinkle; Ginsenoside Rb 1; Epidermal hyperplasia; Wrinkle; Panax ginseng; Ultraviolet B; Apoptosis; Skin disease; Senescence; UVB radiation; Hyperplasia; Rodentia; Epidermis; Ginsenoside Rb1; Saponin; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Mouse; Cell death; Dicotyledones; Animal; Angiospermae; Spermatophyta; Skin; Ginseng; Araliaceae
• ISSN: 0014-2999; 1879-0712
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2008.11.021

It is well-known that chronic ultraviolet B (UVB) exposure at low-dose causes skin photoaging including increases in skin thickness and wrinkle formation and reduction in skin elasticity. This study examined the effects of total saponins and ginsenoside Rb 1 isolated from Red Ginseng roots on skin thickness, elasticity, and wrinkle formation caused by long-term, low-dose UVB irradiation in hairless mice. The topical application of total ginseng saponins (10 pg or 100 ng/mouse) and ginsenoside Rb 1 (100 fg, 10 pg, or 1 ng/mouse) significantly inhibited increases in skin thickness and wrinkle formation and the reduction in skin elasticity induced by long-term UVB irradiation. Furthermore, we examined the histological effects of total saponins and ginsenoside Rb 1 in the skin of UVB-irradiated hairless mice. The increases in apoptotic, Ki-67-, and 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine-positive cells induced by UVB exposure were prevented by the topical application of total saponins and ginsenoside Rb 1. Furthermore, total saponins and ginsenoside Rb 1 prevented the disruption of collagen fibers induced by the long-term UVB irradiation. Ginsenoside Rb 1 (100 fg, 10 pg, and 1 ng/ml) increased the Bcl-2 expression level in UVB-treated human keratinocytes. The protective effect of ginsenoside Rb 1 on UVB-mediated apoptosis may be due to the up-regulation of Bcl-2 expression. These results suggest that the protective effect of ginsenoside Rb 1 on skin photoaging induced by chronic UVB exposure may be due to the increase in collagen synthesis and/or the inhibition of matrix metalloproteinase expression in dermal fibroblasts.