Anti-aging Effects of Camellia Japonica flower extract on a pollutant-induced stress

Skin aging is influenced by many factors such as UV-radiation, age-related deterioration and air pollution. Air pollutants may induce severe interference of normal functions of lipids, DNA and/or proteins of the human skin via oxidative damage leading to skin aging, inflammatory or allergic conditions such as atopic dermatitis, psoriasis and acne, and skin cancer. Thus, the development of pollution protecting agents from natural source is important for anti-aging strategy. In this study, we investigate the anti-aging properties of Camellia Japonica flower extract (CJFE) in vitro and ex vivo model. CJFE showed that good scavenging capacity of 1,2-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals and ABTS⁺ in a concentration-dependent manner. CJFE presents a good anti-aging activity in relation to a pollution stress in ex-vivo model. It induces a slight decrease of pyknotic nuclei and it prevents the detachment of the dermo-epidermal junction induced by the pollutants which are composed of heavy metals and hydrocarbons. It also induces a slight increase of collagen density when compared to the batch treated with pollutants. In parallel it induces a quite clear increase of collagen I and a very clear decrease of MMP-1comparatively to the blank batch treated with pollutants. Finally it decrease MDA (lipid peroxidation marker) quantity in the culture medium when compared to the pollutants-treated batch. Without pollution stress, the product CJFE significantly reduces the basal oxidative stress level by 16%. These results suggest that CJFE may be considered as an active ingredient for anti-aging effects and pollution-protecting cosmetic products.