A Pilot Study of the Photoprotective Effects of Strawberry-Based Cosmetic Formulations on Human Dermal Fibroblasts

Abstract

Strawberry polyphenols have been extensively studied over the last two decades for their beneficial properties. Recently, their possible use in ameliorating skin conditions has also been proposed; however, their role in preventing UVA-induced damage in cosmetic formulation has not yet been investigated. Skin is constantly exposed to several environmental stressors, such as UVA radiation, that induce oxidative stress, inflammation and cell death via the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In the present study, we assessed the potential photoprotective capacity of different strawberry-based formulations, enriched with nanoparticles of Coenzyme Q10 and with sun protection factor 10 (SPF10), in human dermal fibroblasts (HuDe) exposed to UVA radiation. We confirmed that strawberries are a very rich source of polyphenols, anthocyanins and vitamins, and possess high total antioxidant capacity. We also showed that strawberry extracts (25 μg/mL–1 mg/mL) exert a noticeable photoprotection in HuDe, increasing cell viability in a dose-dependent way, and that these effects are potentiated by the presence of CoQ10red (100 μg/mL). We have demonstrated for the first time that the topical use of strawberry extract may provide good photoprotection, even if more in-depth studies are strongly encouraged in order to evaluate the cellular and molecular effects of strawberry protection.

A Review of the Potential Benefits of Plants Producing Berries in Skin Disorders

“…Gasparrini et al [ 31 ] included different concentrations of methanolic strawberry extract (0.025–1 mg/mL, cultivar “Alba”),reduced CoQ10 (25–100 μg/mL) or oxidized CoQ10 (25–100 μg/mL), alone or combined with a SPF10 sun protective formulation, not in contact with cells but spread onto quartz-bottom petri dishes on top of the wells. The formulations containing higher concentrations of strawberry extract obtained a significantly greater viability of UVA-exposed (27.5 J/cm 2 ) primary human fibroblasts (up to 28% for the highest concentration of strawberry) compared to UVA condition.…”

Protective Effect of Strawberry Extract against Inflammatory Stress Induced in Human Dermal Fibroblasts

“…HDF were Human Dermal Fibroblasts isolated from adult skin provided by GIBCO ® Invitrogen cell. HDF were plated into a T-75 flasks and cultured as previously described [ 48 ]. Cells were maintained in HeraCell CO 2 incubator at 37 °C with 5% CO 2 and the medium was changed every 2–3 days.…”

Exploring the Applications of the Photoprotective Properties of Anthocyanins in Biological Systems

“…Additionally, the photoprotective effects of strawberry-based formulations enriched with Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) were tested in UV exposed human dermal fibroblasts. Cells treated with the formulations with higher concentrations of strawberry extract, containing pelargonidin and cyanidin glycosides as the most representative anthocyanin components, were able to protect the cells from UV radiation harmful effects, restoring the cellular viability to similar values of those observed in non-irradiated cells, demonstrating that the topical use of strawberry extract may provide good photoprotection [ 92 ].…”