Research Article - Journal of Biochemistry and Biotechnology (2021) Volume 4, Issue 4
The rejuvenating effects of Astragalus membranaceus and Centella asiatica saponins on human skin.
Collagen and hyaluronic acid presented in skin cells play a critical role in how skin looks. Only a small portion of collagen and hyaluronic acid contained in skin products can be absorbed and utilized by skin cells. Topical skin care products containing collagen does not significantly improve the skin texture, as the collagen molecules cannot penetrate the epidermis, due to their high molecular weight. Topical skin care products with Astragalus membranaceus and Centella asiatica display a wide range of beneficial effects, such as improved wound healing, immunomodulation, and enhanced collagen stimulation. To evaluate the rejuvenating effects of a proprietary formulation of Astragalus membranaceus and Centella asitica Saponins (ACS) on human skin, in vitro and human experiments were performed. In vitro studies indicated that ACS increased the collagen and hyaluronic acid synthesis and secretion and decreased the MMP-1 synthesis induced by UVB in hacat and HDF cells. In addition, ACS enhanced the skin elasticity by increasing the proline and glucosamine absorption and significantly increased the telomerase activity. Moreover, ACS reduced wrinkles and melanin in human subjects. In conclusion, the in vitro and human studies demonstrated that ACS has a rejuvenating effect on human skin due to its efficacy in enhancing the skin cells’ ability to synthesize greater amounts of collagen and hyaluronic acid, as well as increasing the uptake of proline and glucosamine in hacat and HDF cells.
Author(s): Wen-Liang Chang, Su-Fen Huang, Ching-Hui Oh, Tsu-Chung Chang