Active compounds extracted from Angelica actilova effectively remove harmful aging cells in the dermis and provide anti-aging effects.
Scientists have discovered that ligustilide, an active ingredient in traditional Chinese medicine, Angelica Aktilova When tested on mice, it was able to reduce and even reverse signs of skin aging.
Like many medicinal plants, Angelica Aktilova It is known to reduce or reduce inflammation. Kento Takatani is a professor in the Department of Plastic Surgery at Keio University School of Medicine in Tokyo and the lead author of the study published in 2006. advanced biology He explained that he decided to study the effect of the extract on the skin because, in addition to its anti-inflammatory properties, it had been previously reported to have a protective effect against sun exposure and act as an antioxidant. did.
In addition to inflammation and damage from free radicals from the sun and pollution, another cause of visible aging is the accumulation of senescent cells. These cells are not functioning properly because they have stopped all division and are known to release substances that can harm other healthy cells nearby. They are thought to be associated with the formation of wrinkles and sagging skin.
Promising new active
Other studies have shown that extracts of plants such as Deschampsia Antarctica and Goldenrod To block the harmful effects of senescent cells, Takatani and colleague Kazuo Kishi Angelica Aktilova You’re likely to get similar, if not better, results.
“We believe that the search for new anti-aging drugs that are cheap and safe is important. Angelica Aktilova It’s one of the alternatives,” Takeda said.
As a benchmark, they first compared the extract to a synthetic molecule called navitoclax, an anti-cancer drug currently under investigation. This synthetic molecule has previously been shown to kill aging cells in the skin while keeping healthy cells alive. Potential applications in dermocosmetics are currently being investigated.
Scientists are treating senescent cells grown in the lab with Navitoclax or Angelica Aktilova Examination of the root extracts revealed that in both cases senescent cells were killed in a dose-dependent manner.
To better understand which of the herb’s active ingredients kill senescent cells, the pair analyzed two of the plant’s known components: ligustilide and butylphthalide. Again, in senescent cells grown in the laboratory, ligustilide was found to be the only culprit.
Then, to assess safety, the researchers treated healthy, non-senescent cells with the compound and observed minimal cell death. These preliminary results are promising because they show that ligustilide can specifically target senescent cells while leaving healthy cells unaffected.
To test whether inflammation caused by senescent cells could also be reduced with ligustilide, we found that senescent cell cultures treated with bioactive substances had reduced levels of proteins produced by senescent cells that promote inflammation. It turns out.
Finally, to test ligustilide in a biological environment, mice treated with this compound showed a decrease in senescent cells in the dermal layer of the skin and a positive effect on collagen levels, which is important for maintaining skin elasticity. It turned out to have an impact.
Good start, but there are hurdles to overcome
Professor Shiro Kageyama of the Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Meijo University, who was not involved in the study, says the results are promising, although preliminary. Ligustilide has the potential to fill a gap in the skin care industry, as there are currently no other anti-aging cosmetics on the market.
“[In this context,] “The discovery that ligustilide showed senescent cell-killing activity is good news in terms of using this compound as a skin care product,” said Kageyama.
Takatani hopes that ligustilide’s anti-inflammatory properties could potentially serve as an alternative to existing skin care active ingredients such as vitamin A and its derivatives. Although effective, vitamin A and its derivatives can be irritating and difficult to use for people with sensitive skin.
“[Although] skin irritation Angelica Aktilova We need to consider ligustilide in the future. [we expect that] These are a type of herb and have the potential to be a more hypoallergenic alternative,” Takaya said. There are still hurdles to overcome and more data needed to be collected, including testing in humans, before this can happen. There is also the additional challenge of getting ligustilide to penetrate the skin barrier.
This is a common challenge in skin care and can make it difficult to use as a topical cream. Tests conducted during the study used injections to deliver the compound to the dermis. In response to this question, Mr. Takatani replied, “We are considering developing it as an oral drug or supplement.”
“The authors think that [also need to] This compound is known to be chemically unstable, so consider ways to keep ligustilide stable,” Kageyama added. “Combination with other bioactive compounds is also possible.”
In previous research, Kageyame and his colleagues showed that saclipin, a molecule produced by Japanese cyanobacteria, may be able to reduce its potential by inhibiting a process called saccharification, in which the molecule binds to collagen, making it stiff and inflexible. It has been shown to have antioxidant and anti-aging effects. Contributes to signs of aging. “For example, ligustilide-containing extracts improved collagen density in the dermis, so they may have a synergistic effect when combined with sacripin.”
Reference: Kento Takatani and Kazuo Kishi, Ligustilide, a novel senolytic compound isolated from the roots of Angelica Acutilova, Advanced Biology (2024). DOI: 10.1002/adbi.202300434
