Black ginseng, a unique processed product of the ginseng root, can be used to alleviate inflammatory aging based on its mechanism of action, according to a new study published in the Journal of Dermatologic Science and Cosmetic Technology.
Black ginseng is made from fresh ginseng after nine rounds of steaming and drying, leading to hydrolysis of conventional ginsenosides. Research suggests that the increased content of rare ginsenosides in black ginseng give the extract unique pharmacological effects, such as anti-tumor, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. This ingredient is currently used widely in the food and nutraceutical industries, but little research has been done on its impact on cosmetics.
The researchers developed models of inflammatory aging in human foreskin fibroblasts, cells involved in producing and maintaining connective tissues, and a reconstructed 3D skin model to demonstrate black ginseng’s impact. The 3D model allowed the research team to mimic the structure and behavior of human tissue.
According to the results of the study, expression of Matrix Metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1), which is involved in the degradation of skin collagen, was reduced at a concentration of 4 μg/mL of black ginseng extract. Further, at a concentration of 0.1%, black ginseng extract both inhibited the secretion of Prostaglandin E2 (PGE-2) and promoted the expression of TIMP-1.
“In this study, we for the first time validated the mitigating effects of black ginseng extract on skin inflammatory aging and investigated the binding capacity of rare ginsenosides in black ginseng with inflammatory and aging target proteins at the molecular level,” the researchers stated in their conclusion.
The researchers also performed molecular docking studies and found that the rare ginsenosides present in black ginseng extract had strong binding with target proteins of inflammation and aging. Further research is needed to determine which rare ginsenosides in the extract specifically play a role in improving skin inflammatory aging.
