Pomegranate Juice Extract Protects Against UVB-Induced Skin Damage

by | Feb 11, 2020 | 2019, Fruits and Vegetables, Skin Health, Uncategorized

Written by Joyce Smith, BS. Daily oral pomegranate consumption may lead to enhanced protection from UV photodamage.

fruits and vegetablesBoth in vitro and in vivo studies have validated the ability of pomegranate to reduce UVB-induced skin damage when applied topically or consumed. The  effect of ultraviolet (UV) radiation of skin can lead to degenerative age-related changes in the skin and even skin cancer 1. Overexposure of UVA (ultraviolet radiation in the 315-400nm wavelength) and to a lesser extent UVB (290-320nm wavelength) promote tanning and contribute to aging of the skin. They are responsible for oxidative stress and the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), causing lipid peroxidation of cell membranes, DNA damage and skin cell death 2. In addition ROS triggers the expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) which breaks down collagen (the primary component of extracellular matrix of the skin) that maintains cell and skin integrity 3. Pomegranate fruits, high in ellagitannins as well as anthocyanins and other polyphenols, may increase antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity 4, inhibit acne – producing bacteria 5 and alter the skin microbiota to increase pigment forming bacteria for better UVB protection 6.

This current study hypothesizes that pomegranate extract (PomX) or pomegranate juice (PomJ) can decrease UVB-induced skin photoaging and alter inflammatory markers and skin microbiota. In a randomized controlled, parallel, three-arm, open label study 7, Henning and colleagues randomly assigned (1:1:1) seventy-four women (30-45 years) with Fitzpatrick skin type 11-1V to receive 1000 mg of PomX, 8 ounces of PomJ, or placebo for 12 weeks. To determine the minimal UVB dose that induces visible erythema or reddening (MED), the inner arm skin of all women was exposed to increasing UVB doses and exposure times. They found that MED was significantly higher for PomX (p=0.011) or PomJ (p=0.038) groups compared to the placebo group. Also evident was a non-significant trend to increase in time of UVB exposure (PomX p = 0.08 and PomJ p = 0.088) and a non-significant decrease in melanin formation (PomJ p = 0.16).

Using 165rRNA sequencing, the team then analyzed participants’ skin microbiota composition to assess whether PomX and PomJ can alter the skin microbiota composition. Skin samples collected at baseline showed no difference in the skin microbiota composition of the three groups of women; however, skin samples collected after 12 weeks of UVB exposure and pomegranate consumption, revealed significant differences in family and genus levels of bacterial composition within the three groups. Bacteria from the Aerococcaceae, Methylobacteriaceae and Campylobacteraceae families were altered in the groups that consumed pomegranate extract and juice compared to the group that received a placebo (p=0.032, p=0.05, and p-0.05 respectively). Bacteria belonging to the Methylobacteriaceae family are known to produce UVA-absorbing metabolites, which might contribute to UVB skin protection. However, researchers were unable to establish a direct correlation between increased MED and bacterial abundance.

Researchers were not able to sample skin sites shortly after UV exposure. They recommend that future studies should collect skin samples near the UV exposure site to evaluate the mechanism of skin UVB protection from UVB-induced photodamage to better determine a potential role of microbiota in UVB protection.

Consumption of both PomX and PomJ increased skin protection to UVB exposure as witnessed by an increase in MED and a trend to decrease melanin formation, indicating enhanced UVB protection. In future studies, sample collections near exposed sites are necessary to determine whether any changes in gene expression and composition of skin microbiota might contribute to the UVB protection afforded by pomegranate consumption.

Source: Henning, Susanne M., Jieping Yang, Ru-Po Lee, Jianjun Huang, Mark Hsu, Gail Thames, Irene Gilbuena et al. “Pomegranate Juice and Extract Consumption Increases the Resistance to UVB-induced Erythema and Changes the Skin Microbiome in Healthy Women: a Randomized Controlled Trial.” Scientific reports 9, no. 1 (2019): 1-11.

© The author(s) 2019. This is an Open Access article licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.

Click here to read the full text study.

Posted February 11, 2020.

Joyce Smith, BS, is a degreed laboratory technologist. She received her bachelor of arts with a major in Chemistry and a minor in Biology from  the University of Saskatchewan and her internship through the University of Saskatchewan College of Medicine and the Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. She currently resides in Bloomingdale, IL.

References:

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