Comparison of Single and Combined Use of Ergothioneine, Ferulic Acid, and Glutathione as Antioxidants for the Prevention of Ultraviolet B Radiation-Induced Photoaging Damage in Human Skin Fibroblasts

Abstract

Ultraviolet B (UVB) irradiation can cause human skin damage or skin aging and wrinkle formation through photochemical reactions. Antioxidative substances may ameliorate UV damage. In this study, the anti-photoaging activity of three antioxidants—ergothioneine, ferulic acid, and glutathione—was investigated after UVB irradiation of Hs68 human skin fibroblast cells. The cells treated with these three antioxidants appeared similar to unirradiated control cells. UVB irradiation decreased cell viability by 26% compared to that of unirradiated control cells. However, the addition of either single or combined antioxidants enhanced cell viability after UVB irradiation. These three antioxidants can inhibit the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) induced by the UVB irradiation of the Hs68 cells. Ergothioneine showed a greater inhibitory effect on matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) performance than the other two antioxidants. IL-1 alpha was not detected in the Hs68 cells after exposure to a radiation dose of 150 mJ/cm2. Ergothioneine showed better restoration of type 1 procollagen than either ferulic acid or glutathione. Based on these results, the addition of two antioxidants was expected to restore type Ι procollagen production. In summary, these results demonstrate that the three tested antioxidants protect the skin against UVB-induced damage. The single and combined use of ergothioneine, ferulic acid, and glutathione has the potential for development as anti-photoaging materials in cosmetic applications.

Effects of an ergothioneine-rich Pleurotus sp. on skin moisturizing functions and facial conditions: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

“…Meanwhile, EGT inhibits the production of these ROS (28)(29)(30)(31), reduces UV-induced oxidative damage to cell components, and decreases apoptotic responses in keratinocytes (15). Additionally, The effects of hiratake on skin moisture content among participants with a low baseline EGT concentration (< 3. in cultured UV-irradiated skin fibroblasts, EGT alleviates the decrease in collagen production (17,32); increase in expression of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (17,32), a major collagenolytic enzyme; and increase in gene expression of cellular communication network factor 1 (17), which is associated with diminished skin barrier function and reduced moisture (33). Therefore, EGT may have the potential to mitigate UV-induced oxidative stress and disruption of extracellular matrix homeostasis in the skin.…”

Safe and Effective Antioxidant: The Biological Mechanism and Potential Pathways of Ergothioneine in the Skin

“…The specific effect of EGT on the antioxidant network remains unclear; however, it has been shown that EGT can improve the stability of other antioxidant substances and even play a synergistic role in the body. Gregory et al [ 66 ] confirmed the excellent antioxidant properties of EGT using the three antioxidants (EGT, ferulic acid, and GSH) separately and in combination. EGT had stronger antioxidant properties when 50 μM EGT was combined with 100 μM ferulic acid, which prevented oxidative damage and photoaging of skin cells.…”

Determination of L-Ergothioneine in Cosmetics Based on Ultraperformance Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry

“…As the best known dietary sources of EGT, mushrooms and cyanobacteria have good nutritional value, medicinal value, and cosmetic value [19], mainly because their components have good antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects [20][21][22], antioxidant capacity of EGT accounts for about 25% of the total antioxidant capacity of fungi extracts [23]. For the excellent free radical scavenging ability, excellent light, heat, and acid-base stability, it had shown good antioxidation, whitening [4,24], and antiphotoaging functions when EGT was applied to cosmetics [25,26]. Due to the excellent effect of EGT, it has become a gimmick for highend cosmetics publicity.…”