Plant Stem Cells Culture — a New Tool for Skin Protection and Regeneration
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
REVIEW ARTICLE Łukasz Kazmierski1, Szymon Roszkowski2, 1Department of Tissue Engineering, Collegium Medicum, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Poland 2Fculty of Agronomy and Bioengineering, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Poland Plant stem cells culture — a new tool for skin protection and regeneration Corresponding author: ABSTRACT Szymon Roszkowski, Student Development of biotechnology, esthetic medicine and cosmetology can enable us to slow down or delay Faculty of Agronomy the skin aging process. Currently, much attention is aimed at treatments using substances of plant origin. and Bioengineerring, Poznan University of Life Sciences; They have been proven to exhibit antioxidant, antibacterial and antifungal properties, accelerate wound tel. +48 52 3743472; healing, moisturize the skin, enhance skin renewal processes and protect skin against UV radiation. Bio- e-mail: [email protected] logically active plant-derived compounds, however, are often produced by plants in very small amounts. A solution to this problem is an in vitro culture of callus tissue, representing plant stem cells. Both, in vitro and in vivo studies demonstrated beneficial effects of plants stem cell extracts on human skin in the battle Medical Research Journal 2019; against ageing. The aim of this paper was to provide a review of studies based on the use of plant stem Volume 4, Number 1, 52–57 cells in limiting skin ageing. DOI: 10.5603/MRJ.a2018.0030 phytotherapy; plant-derived compounds; plant stem cells; skin ageing Copyright © 2019 Via Medica Key words: ISSN 2451–2591 Med Res J 2019; 4 (1): 52–57 Introduction affecting the skin (eg. UV radiation, cigarette usage, pollution and stress [5–8]. The skin is the largest organ of the human body However, thanks to advances in many areas of bio- and performs many physiological functions, including technology and medicine, it is possible to slow down protection against the adverse effects of external factors, or significantly delay this complex process. Properly body temperature regulation, secretion and absorption selected nutrients as well as cosmetic care are of various agents [1–3]. The skin consists of a number crucial in the renewal and regeneration of skin and of specialized cells forming three layers: epidermis, increasing its resistance to external factors such as dermis and subcutaneous tissue. Each layer plays sudden changes in temperature, strong wind, pollu- a different, but very important role in maintaining the tion and UV radiation. Currently, a great amount of proper functions of the entire body [1]. Homeostasis of attention is paid towards treatments that may delay the skin (all of its layers) is possible by the presence of skin ageing and/or eliminate visible symptoms of various stem cell populations located mainly in the epi- this process. Among cosmetics based on natural dermis (interfollicular compartments, the bulge region raw materials (such as creams and lotions), cosme- of the follicle, sebaceous glands). Their presence and tological treatments (including facials and infusions), condition determine regeneration and skin cell renewal as well as various skin injections, surgery and laser while maintaining a balance between all layers [4]. It treatments, are used. Treatments with various kinds also allows for maintaining a healthy-looking skin, which of cosmetics (creams, facials) that contain a number is an attribute of each person. Unfortunately, over time of biologically active substances having anti-ageing, skin undergoes an inevitable ageing process which anti-wrinkle, bleaching properties, etc., are commonly is irreversible and affects every human being. Skin applied due to their ease of use and low risk of com- ageing is a result of overlapping multiple mechanical, plications or adverse side effects. For years, those biological, biochemical and molecular processes, which types of cosmetics, great importance was assigned begins around age 25–30. Depending on the causes, to regenerative properties of plants. They contain ageing can be both intrinsic and/or extrinsic [5–7]. ingredients that are necessary to carry out all met- The first one is determined genetically and hormonally abolic processes responsible for the renewal of the and is highly time-dependent. The second one, called epidermis, increasing the skin elasticity, scavenging free also photoaging, is caused by various external factors radicals and maintaining an adequate level of hydration. 52 www.journals.viamedica.pl/medical_research_journal Łukasz Kazmierski, Szymon Roszkowski., Serum bilirubin, iron status indicators and body composition The aim of this review was to provide an overview defensive processes of the skin. A deficiency of these of the studies concerning the use of plant stem cells in components in the skin, may cause severe skin diseas- the case of limiting the skin ageing. es such as eczema [24]. It also leads to the reduction in hydration, which in turn results in reduced flexibility and accelerated the formation of wrinkles [21, 25]. Due to Plant compounds in cosmetics the presence of multiple bonds unsaturated fatty acids exhibit antioxidant activity, reducing the risk of formation Plants are a natural resource, used for centuries for of free radicals that accelerate the ageing process and cosmetic and therapeutic purposes. There are many can lead to skin cancers. Unsaturated fatty acids are cosmetics, of which the active compounds are the main achieved mainly from vegetable oils contained, inter base. These compounds are obtained by extraction with alia, in black cumin seed [26], avocado [27], primrose various kinds of solvents from selected plants. They af- [28] or hemp oil [25]. fect preferably the condition of the skin and prevent the loss of elasticity by stimulating synthesis of collagen and Saponins elastin fibres. They also exhibit antioxidant, antibacterial and antifungal properties, accelerate wound healing, Saponins are a group of compounds belonging to moisturize the skin, enhance skin renewal processes the glycoside. They exhibit properties similar to soap and protect skin against the harmful effects of UV ra- since they have the ability to decrease the surface ten- diation [9]. There are a number of substances of plant sion and cause the foaming process [29]. These make origin which positive effects on the skin were confirmed. them useful in cosmetic products designed for skin These are vitamins, unsaturated fatty acids, saponins, cleaning and toning such as tonics, make-up removers phytohormones, flavonoids, alkaloids and carotenoids. or cleaning gels. Another, very important, the feature of saponins is the ability to penetrating through the lipid Vitamins layer of the skin due to the presence of a lipophilic aglycone in their structure. This property facilitates the Vitamins serve as antioxidants, support the renew- absorption of other active substances contained in al of damaged collagen and elastin fibres. Vitamin C cosmetics by increasing membrane permeability [30]. serves one of the most important roles, it is a potent Scientific studies have shown that saponins applied to antioxidant that protects skin from free radicals created the skin exposure to UV radiation, inhibit the appear- inter alia by UV radiation — photoprotection [10, 11]. ance of wrinkles and increasing the thickness of the Vit. C plays also a key role in the synthesis of colla- skin and loss of their elasticity. This made them highly gen [11, 12] since its presence is necessary for the effective photoprotective compounds [30]. Saponins proper functioning of proline hydroxylase and lysine are mainly found in the leaves of plants such as ginseng hydroxylase. These enzymes are responsible for the [30], acacia [31], soybeans and spinach [29]. formation of the correct collagen molecule, the main protein responsible for maintaining the skin mechan- Phytohormones ical properties [12–14]. There have also been reports demonstrating the specific role of tocopherol (vitamin Phytohormones serve an excellent alternative to the E) in scarring and wound healing processes [15]. This human hormones (such as estrogen) which are used in compound is also involved in the stabilization of bio- many types of beauty products. Scientific studies have logical membranes and, is also a strong antioxidant. Its shown the positive effects of estrogen skin on regen- deficiency, in turn, can severely accelerate the aging eration. It also decreases the aging process [32, 33]. processes [14]. Fruits and vegetables are a rich source However, the use of such compounds has been banned of vitamins [10], ones with a high overall vitamin content because they caused too many side effects, unlike their are primarily: rosehips [16, 17], blackcurrant [18, 19], plant counterparts [34]. Plant hormones prevent cell chokeberry [19], tomatoes, kiwi [20], avocado [21], membranes damage and its oxidation. Phytohormones strawberries, papaya and broccoli [11]. exhibit inhibitory activity of collagenase, elastase and hy- aluronidase — enzymes that cause water loss and reduce Unsaturated fatty acids the skin elasticity, making it more susceptible to the aging processes [35]. In in vivo studies, a cream containing Unsaturated fatty acids are one of the components phytohormones caused a reduction in wrinkle depth after of the most external layer of the epidermis (Stratum a few weeks of use [36]. In addition, it has been shown corneum), and it’s built of corneocytes [22, 23]. They that phytohormones can reduce the deposition of fat so increase the flexibility