Kinkéliba (Combretum micranthum) Leaf Extract Alleviates Skin Inflammation: In Vitro and In Vivo Study

Abstract

Kinkéliba (Combretum micranthum, Seh-Haw in Wolof) is a popular bush tea in West African countries. Although the kinkéliba plant’s leaves have been widely consumed for its nutritional and medicinal properties, its benefits on skin health potential have been practically untouched. In human epidermal primary keratinocytes, vitexin and isovitexin-rich kinkéliba extract treatment significantly (p < 0.001) enhanced up to 39.6% of the cell survival rate decreased by UV radiation irritation. The treatment of kinkéliba leaf extracts also reduced the production of UV-induced pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and IL-8 by 57.6% and 42.5%, respectively (p < 0.001), which cause skin redness and skin barrier dysfunction, as well as wrinkles and collagen degradation. The anti-inflammation efficacy of kinkéliba leaf extracts might involve significant inhibition on the levels of cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) (−70.8%, p < 0.001) and nitrotyrosine (−56.9%, p < 0.05). Further topical applications of kinkéliba leaf extract gel were found to reduce sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS)-induced skin inflammation: at D7, the skin trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and skin redness (a* value) were both reduced by 59.81% (p < 0.001) and 22.4% (p < 0.001), compared with D0. In vitro and in vivo data support a new topical application of the kinkéliba leaf as an effective active ingredient for the treatment of skin inflammation, as well as subsequent barrier dysfunction and inflammaging.

Combretum micranthum G. Don (Combretaceae): A Review on Traditional Uses, Phytochemistry, Pharmacology and Toxicology

“…Hu Shuting et al . (2023) validated in their study the ability of C. micranthum to reduce UV exposure generated by the pro‐inflammatory cytokines IL‐6/8 and to relieve skin inflammation [69] …”

“…[68] Hu Shuting et al (2023) validated in their study the ability of C. micranthum to reduce UV exposure generated by the proinflammatory cytokines IL-6/8 and to relieve skin inflammation. [69] 4.5. Antihypertensive Activity Seck et al (2017) showed the potential antihypertensive property of C. micranthum leaves.…”

Metabolite Profiling and Molecular Network Shows Kinkeloids as Promoting of Collagen Synthesis from Combretum micranthum

“…For biological activities, fractions were tested at equivalent concentrations found in the crude extract, using in tubo assays for antioxidant and depigmenting properties (already reported in the literature for crude aqueous CM [19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29], and next, using in vitro cellular assays for anti-inflammatory activity [12] and collagen I synthesis, an activity never before reported for CM.…”

“…No response for anti-inflammatory activity was observed for the butylene glycol CM extract or its kinkeloid enriched fraction; this anti-inflammatory activity is only observed for the aqueous CM-MO extract. This surprising response, given the literature on antiinflammatory activity and CM extracts, especially aqueous extracts [19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29], suggests three main hypotheses: Firstly, kinkeloids alone have no anti-inflammatory effect and require the highest presence of other components such as favonoids (found in the aqueous extract), as shown in Figure 5. Secondly, the possible antagonistic effect of the residual butylene glycol blank solvent on the expected anti-inflammatory response.…”

“…Scientific studies [9,10] have highlighted the pharmaceutical benefits of C. micranthum, demonstrating its nephroprotective [11], anti-inflammatory [12], antioxidant [9][10][11][12][13][14], antimicrobial [15], antiviral [16], antimalarial [17], and antidiabetic properties [5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18]. Furthermore, the cosmetic applications of C. micranthum are beginning to be explored due to its depigmenting [19], moisturizing, anti-inflammatory, and repair of UV-induced damage properties [20]. Only a dozen cosmetics brands use CM extract in combination with other botanical extracts for around 53 products launched over the last 20 years.…”