This article describes free radical-scavenging activities of extracts of several plants harvested in Sri Lanka through the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. These plants have traditionally been used in the indigenous systems of medicine in Sri Lanka, such as Ayurveda, as described below. (English name, “local name in Sri Lanka,” (scientific name)).bougainvillea plant, “bouganvilla,” (Bougainvillea grabla), purple fruited pea eggplant,”welthibbatu,” (Solanum trilobatum) [1], country borage plant, “kapparawalliya,” (Plectranthus amboinicus) [2], malabar nut plant, “adhatoda,” (Justicia adhatoda) [3], long pepper plant,”thippili,” (Piper longum) [4], holy basil plant, “maduruthala,” (Ocimum tenuiflorum) [5], air plant, “akkapana,” (Kalanchoe pinnata) [6], plumed cockscomb plant, “kiri-henda,” (Celosia argentea) [7], neem plant,”kohomba,” (Azadirachta indica) [8], balipoovu plant, “polpala,” (Aerva lanata) [9], balloon-vine plant, “wel penera,” (Cardiospermum halicacabum) [10], emblic myrobalan plant, “nelli,” (Phyllanthus emblica) [11], indian copperleaf plant, “kuppameniya,” (Acalypha indica) [12], spreading hogweed plant, “pita sudu sarana,” (Boerhavia diffusa) [13], curry leaf plant, “karapincha,” (Murraya koenigii) [14], indian pennywort plant, “gotukola,” (Centera asiatica) [15], jewish plum plant, “ambarella,”(Spondias dulcis) [16].

This data article provides gene expression profiles, determined by using real-time PCR, of fibroblasts and keratinocytes treated with 0.01% and 0.001% extracts of neem plant (Azadirachta indica), local name “Kohomba” in Sri Lanka, harvested in Sri Lanka. For fibroblasts, the dataset includes expression profiles for genes encoding hyaluronan synthase 1 (HAS1), hyaluronan synthase 2 (HAS2), hyaluronidase-1 (HYAL1), hyaluronidase-2 (HYAL2), versican, aggrecan, CD44, collagen, type I, alpha 1 (COL1A1), collagen, type III, alpha 1 (COL3A1), collagen, type VII, alpha 1 (COL7A1), matrix metalloproteinase 1 (MMP1), acid ceramidase, basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), fibroblast growth factor-7 (FGF7), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1α), cyclooxygenase-2 (cox2), transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β), and aquaporin 3 (AQP3). For keratinocytes, the expression profiles are for genes encoding HAS1, HAS2, HYAL1, HYAL2, versican, CD44, IL-1α, cox2, TGF-β, AQP3, Laminin5, collagen, type XVII, alpha 1 (COL17A1), integrin alpha-6 (ITGA6), ceramide synthase 3 (CERS3), elongation of very long chain fatty acids protein 1 (ELOVL1), elongation of very long chain fatty acids protein 4 (ELOVL4), filaggrin (FLG), transglutaminase 1 (TGM1), and keratin 1 (KRT1). The expression profiles are provided as bar graphs.

Hyaluronic acid is a major component of the extracellular matrix, which is important for skin hydration. As aging brings skin dehydration, we aimed to clarify the mRNA expression of hyaluronic acid-related proteins in human skin fibroblasts from donors of various ages (range 0.7-69 years). Previously, we reported that cyclic phosphatidic acid (cPA), a unique phospholipid mediator, stimulated the expression of HAS2 and increased hyaluronic acid synthesis in human skin fibroblasts (donor age: 3 days). In this study, we measured the mRNA expression of hyaluronic acid-related proteins: hyaluronan synthase (HAS) 1-3, hyaluronidase-1, -2, and hyaluronic acid-binding protein (versican). In addition, we tested whether cPA could increase hyaluronic acid synthesis in skin fibroblasts derived from donors of various ages. The expression of HAS1, 3, hyaluronidase-1, and -2 did not change with aging. However, the mRNA expression of versican decreased with aging. Although it is thought that the amount of hyaluronic acid in the dermis decreases with aging, the mRNA expression of HAS2 was increased. But the amount of hyaluronic acid secreted by fibroblasts did not increase with aging. This suggests that the activity and/or protein expression of HAS2 decrease with aging. Furthermore, we observed that cPA caused the increase of hyaluronic acid synthesis at any age, and this effect was increased with aging. These results suggest that aging made the fibroblasts more sensitive to cPA treatment. Therefore, cPA represents a suitable candidate for the health maintenance and improvement of the skin by increasing the level of hyaluronic acid in the dermis.

This data article provides gene expression profiles, determined by using real-time PCR, of fibroblasts and keratinocytes treated with 0.01% and 0.001% extracts of holy basil plant (Ocimum tenuiflorum), sri lankan local name “maduruthala”, 0.1% and 0.01% extracts of malabar nut plant (Justicia adhatoda), sri lankan local name “adayhoda” and 0.003% and 0.001% extracts of emblic myrobalan plant (Phyllanthus emblica), sri lankan local name “nelli”, harvested in Sri Lanka. For fibroblasts, the dataset includes expression profiles for genes encoding hyaluronan synthase 1 (HAS1), hyaluronan synthase 2 (HAS2), hyaluronidase-1 (HYAL1), hyaluronidase-2 (HYAL2), versican, aggrecan, CD44, collagen, type I, alpha 1 (COL1A1), collagen, type III, alpha 1 (COL3A1), collagen, type VII, alpha 1 (COL7A1), matrix metalloproteinase 1 (MMP1), acid ceramidase, basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), fibroblast growth factor-7 (FGF7), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1α), cyclooxygenase-2 (cox2), transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β), and aquaporin 3 (AQP3). For keratinocytes, the expression profiles are for genes encoding HAS1, HAS2, HYAL1, HYAL2, versican, CD44, IL-1α, cox2, TGF-β, AQP3, Laminin5, collagen, type XVII, alpha 1 (COL17A1), integrin alpha-6 (ITGA6), ceramide synthase 3 (CERS3), elongation of very long chain fatty acids protein 1 (ELOVL1), elongation of very long chain fatty acids protein 4 (ELOVL4), filaggrin (FLG), transglutaminase 1 (TGM1), and keratin 1 (KRT1). The expression profiles are provided as bar graphs.

This article describes the effects of extracts of several plants collected in Sri Lanka on the cell number of human skin fibroblasts. This study especially focuses on the plants traditionally used in indigenous systems of medicine in Sri Lanka, such as Ayurveda, as described below (English name, “local name in Sri Lanka,” scientific name). Bougainvillea plant, “bouganvilla,” Bougainvillea grabla (Nature׳s Beauty Creations Ltd., 2014) [1], purple fruited pea eggplant,”welthibbatu,” Solanum trilobatum (Nature׳s Beauty Creations Ltd., 2014) [2], country borage plant, “kapparawalliya,” Plectranthus amboinicus (Nature׳s Beauty Creations Ltd., 2014) [3], malabar nut plant, “adhatoda,” Justicia adhatoda (Nature׳s Beauty Creations Ltd., 2014) [4], long pepper plant,”thippili,” Piper longum (Nature׳s Beauty Creations Ltd., 2014) [5], holy basil plant, “maduruthala,” Ocimum tenuiflorum (Nature׳s Beauty Creations Ltd., 2014) [6], air plant, “akkapana,” Kalanchoe pinnata (Nature׳s Beauty Creations Ltd., 2014) [7], plumed cockscomb plant, “kiri-henda,” Celosia argentea (Nature׳s Beauty Creations Ltd., 2014) [8], neem plant,”kohomba,” Azadirachta indica (Nature׳s Beauty Creations Ltd., 2014) [9], emblic myrobalan plant, “nelli,” Phyllanthus emblica (Nature׳s Beauty Creations Ltd., 2014) [10]. Human skin fibroblast cells were treated with various concentration of plant extracts (0–3.0%), and the cell viability of cells were detected using calcein assay. The cell viabillity profiles are provided as line graphs.