In Vitro Cultured Melissa officinalis Cells as Effective Ingredient to Protect Skin against Oxidative Stress, Blue Light, and Infrared Irradiations Damages

Abstract

Skin is being increasingly exposed to artificial blue light due to the extensive use of electronic devices, which can induce cell oxidative stress, causing signs of early photo aging. The Melissa officinalis phytocomplex is a new standardized cosmetic ingredient obtained by an in vitro plant cell culture with a high content of rosmarinic acid. In this study, we examine the activity of the Melissa officinalis phytocomplex to protect skin against blue light and infrared damages, evaluating the ROS (Radical Oxygen Species) level in keratinocyte cell line from human skin (HaCaT) and Nrf2 (Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2), elastin, and MMP1 (Matrix Metalloproteinase 1) immunostaining in living human skin explants ex vivo. This phytocomplex demonstrates antioxidant activity by reducing ROS production and thus the oxidant damage of the skin caused by UV and blue light exposure. In addition, it inhibits blue light-induced Nrf2 transcriptional activity, IR-induced elastin alteration, and IR-induced MMP-1 release. This Melissa officinalis phytocomplex is a new innovative active ingredient for cosmetic products that is able to protect skin against light and screen exposure damages and oxidative stress.

Protective Effects of Mogroside V on Oxidative Stress Induced by H2O2 in Skin Fibroblasts

“… 38 By reducing ROS production, Melissa officinalis extract reduced oxidative damage to the skin caused by ultraviolet radiation and blue light. 39 Atractyligenin, a terpenoid isolated from coffee silverskin, reduced UVA-induced oxidative damage by inhibiting intracellular ROS production. 40 Red and white wine extracts were shown to have significant antioxidant and anti-aging activity in H 2 O 2 -treated fibroblasts exposed to stressors, as reflected by CAT and β-galactosidase activities.…”

Physicochemical Performance of Collagen Modified by Melissa officinalis Extract

“…Melissa officinalis exhibits several properties which can be used in biomaterial preparation [53,54]. The increasing attention of topical application of Melissa officinalis extracts and oils as novel antimicrobial and antiviral pharmaceuticals induce research on the incorporation of Melissa officinalis in natural biomaterials, which will be compatible with human skin, and comprise a matrix for the active substance.…”

“…The above results show that the addition of melissa to collagen does not improve the mechanical properties of collagen film. However, melissa is known for its antioxidant properties [53][54]. In the next step, the antioxidant properties of melissa-incorporated collagen films were assessed.…”

Undifferentiated In Vitro Cultured Actinidia deliciosa as Cell Factory for the Production of Quercetin Glycosides

“…Moreover, flavonoids accumulate, in general, at low levels in plant cell cultures. Probably for this reason, while anthocyanins and hydroxycinnamic acids (e.g., caffeic acid) together with their derivatives (e.g., echinacoside, rosmarinic acid, teupolioside, verbascoside), have been already exploited for industrial production [1,26,27], exploitation of quercetin or other individual flavonoids by PCTC has never been reported. Within a project aimed to generate and screen plant cell lines for the production of valuable metabolites, three cell lines generated from Actinidia deliciosa (kiwifruit tree) showed the ability to accumulate good amounts of several quercetin glycosides.…”

“…Moreover, flavonoids accumulate, in general, at low levels in plant cell cultures. Probably for this reason, while anthocyanins and hydroxycinnamic acids (e.g., caffeic acid) together with their derivatives (e.g., echinacoside, rosmarinic acid, teupolioside, verbascoside), have been already exploited for industrial production [1,26,27], exploitation of quercetin or other individual flavonoids by PCTC has never been reported.…”