Effect of A. polygama APEE (Actinidia polygama ethanol extract) or APWE (Actinidia polygama water extract) on wrinkle formation in UVB-irradiated hairless mice.

Background: Actinidia polygama (silver vine) is considered a medical plant which has been used in oriental medicine. It has been used for the treatment of pain, gout, rheumatoid arthritis, and inflammation. Few studies reported on the effect of Actinidia polygama (silver vine) on skin photoaging.

Objective: To evaluate the anti-photoaging effect of the ethanol and water extracts of A. polygama (APEE and APWE, respectively) in UVB-irradiated hairless mice.

Methods: SKH-1 hairless mice were exposed to UVB irradiation (30-60 mJ/cm ), following orally APEE or APWE oral administration for 10 weeks. We examined the effect on winkle improvement by a measuring Fullscope, PRIMOS, Craniometer, and Cutometer. Furthermore, we analyzed histological changes in mouse dorsal skin through hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and Masson's trichrome (MT) staining. The expression of matrix metalloproteinase (1, 3, and 9) was analyzed by immunoblotting.

Results: Oral administration of APEE or APWE at 100 or 200 mg/kg in UVB-irradiated mice alleviated the symptoms of skin aging, such as wrinkling, epidermal hyperplasia, and water loss. In addition, the APEE or APWE oral administration increased skin elasticity by enhancing the production of type I collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid synthase and downregulating matrix metalloproteinase (1, 3, and 9) expression.

Conclusion: Based on results for our study, APEE or APWE could protect the UVB-mediated skin wrinkle and is new target for the developing anti-wrinkle cosmetics.