Antioxidant in Berries prevents wrinkles

Worried about harsh summer taking a toll on your skin? Apply berry juice.

Researchers in Korea have found that an antioxidant present in berries helps contain skin damage due to ultraviolet (UV) rays.

"An antioxidant found in berries and nuts can act as potential sun block and shield skin from harmful UV rays," said Ji-Young Bae, lead researcher of the st

Ellagic acid acts as an anti-photoaging agent

The other mice, also exposed to UV light, did not receive ellagic acid.

The mice exposed to UV radiation without the ellagic acid treatment developed wrinkles and thickening of the skin while the exposed mice that received topical application of ellagic acid showed reduced wrinkle formation.

The results of the test were presented at the Experimental Biology 2009 meeting in New Orleans

blocking production of MMP (Matrix metalloproteinase enzymes) which breaks down collagen in damaged skin cells and reducing the expression of ICAM (a molecule involved in inflammation) both responsible for skin damage due to UV rays, Bae said.

For the research Bae experimented using both – the in-vitro and in-vivo applications. Bae used skin cells and hairless mice for this research.

For eight weeks, 12 mice were exposed to increasing ultraviolet radiation, such as that found in sunlight, three times a week, beginning at a level sufficient to cause redness or sunburn and increasing to a level that would have definitely caused minor skin damage to human skin.

During these eight weeks, half of the exposed mice were given daily topical applications of ellagic acid on their skin surface, even on the days in which they did not receive UV exposure.

udy conducted at the Hallym University in South Korea.

The antioxidant identified as ellagic acid is a polyphenol ingredient contained in lots of berries and nuts and performs a photoprotective function, Bae said in an email interview.

Found in numerous berries, including raspberries, strawberries, cranberries, pomegranates ellagic acid prevents collagen destruction and inflammatory response, major causes of wrinkles in human skin cells following a continued exposure to sun's skin-damaging ultraviolet radioactive rays.