Summary Background Acne vulgaris is a common skin disease characterized by increased sebum production, inflammation, and colonization of Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes) on pilosebaceous follicles. Aims To determine the efficacy of two different plant extracts against P. acnes and to analyze the gene expression levels of IL‐1α, SRD5A1, and TNFα in HaCaT cells treated with these plant extracts. Methods Anti‐acne extract 1 (AE1) consisted of Juglans regia (walnut husk), Myrtus communis (myrtle leaves), Matricaria chamomilla (chamomilla flowers), Urtica dioica (stinging nettle leaves), and Rosa damascena (rose flowers). Anti‐acne extract 2 (AE2) contained Brassica oleracea var. botrytis (broccoli) and B. oleracea var. italica (cauliflower). The antimicrobial activities of the extracts were tested on two different P. acnes strains: the reference strain of P. acnes (ATCC 51277) and the clinical isolate from a patient. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the extracts was determined using the broth dilution method. Human keratinocyte cells were used for in vitro tests. Gene expression analyses were performed with RT‐qPCR. Results The MIC values of the extracts were below 1/2048 µg/mL. In the gene expression analysis, AE1 increased the expression level of TNFα (1.1719, P < 0.0001), suppressed the expression level of IL‐1α, SRD5A1 (0.0588, P = 0.0231; 0.3081, P = 0.0351), respectively. AE2 suppressed gene expression level of IL‐1α, SRD5A1, TNFα (0.3815, P = 0.0254; 0.3418, P = 0.0271; 0.1997, P = 0.0623). Conclusions Both herbal extracts demonstrated strong antibacterial and anti‐inflammatory activity in this preliminary trial. In conclusion, the topical application of these botanical extracts can be good candidates for local acne treatment.

We aimed to test the anti-inflammatory and angiogenic properties of two different thermal waters at the cellular level in human keratinocyte cells in the present study. Two different thermal waters, thermo-mineral BJ1 (Bursa, Turkey) and oligomineral BG (Bolu, Turkey), were tested in human keratinocyte (HaCaT) cell line. HaCaT cells were incubated for 3 days with thermal waters; RNA isolation was carried out in the treated and untreated cells. The gene expressions of TNFα, IL-1α, and VEGF were measured using the RT-qPCR. The tested thermal waters significantly decreased the expression of IL-1α (BJ1 93% p = 0.0024 and BG 38% p = 0.0303). BJ1 and BG thermal waters downregulated the expression of TNFα (59% p = 0.0001 and 23% p = 0.0238 respectively). Furthermore, BJ1 and BG significantly downregulated the gene expression of VEGF (98% p = 0.0430 and 15% p = 0.0120). The observed decrease in the gene expression of TNFα and IL1α could be interpreted as an anti-inflammatory effect of mineral waters on HaCaT cells. Moreover, the suppressed VEGF expression might be an indicator of the antiangiogenic effect on human keratinocytes. Therefore, we hypothesized that depending on their specific chemical composition such as silica (128 mg/L) in BJ1 and hydrogen sulfide (1.2 mg/L) in BG, thermal waters suppress pro-inflammatory cytokines and angiogenic growth factor. These preliminary findings might give insight on the underlying mechanisms of the therapeutic benefits observed in some skin diseases such as rosacea and psoriasis.

Topical Fc leaf extract may be beneficial for some inflammatory disorders and androgen-dependent disorders of the skin such as androgenetic alopecia.

Genetic inheritance, geographical location of a person's settlement, daily physical activities, and availability of rich polyphenolic food sources contribute, to some extent, to the overall outcome of aging. Since there is a basic relationship among oxidation, inflammation, and aging, the administration of adequate amounts of antioxidants in the diet may improve the immune function, decreasing the oxidative stress, and may subsequently extend the longevity of a person. Antioxidant rich nutrition together with moderate aerobic exercise may repair the damage induced by oxidative stress of aging. In this chapter, we conclude that antioxidants strongly contribute to antiaging by preventing oxidative stress at the cellular level and downregulating the expression of genes related to inflammatory pathways. The best way of utilizing antioxidants is regular consumption of a plant-based diet. In addition, adopting a Mediterranean diet will be a plus. Coffee, tea, olive oil, berries, and other fruits all seem to afford the antiaging process not only for a younger skin, but also for better cognitive abilities. Daily hydrolysed-collagen intake should also be considered for healthier joints and a smoother skin.