Diet and skin health: The good and the bad

Potential Role of Dietary Antioxidants During Skin Aging

The skin is the largest organ of the human body in contact with the outside world. Different are its functions: body temperature regulation, mechanical barrier, coating, and sensory activity are just to name a few. Like any other part of the human organism, it too undergoes the phenomenon of aging, a complex biological process classified as chronological aging. Although this is a natural and inevitable physiological process, certain external factors have been shown to have an important impact. One of these, much discussed in recent years, is diet. The relevance of diet to the clinical features of skin aging, particularly the biochemical and histological changes that occur in it, is now well established. Lately, there has been a growing focus on which foods can be considered skin-friendly and which cannot. Açai berries, Moringa oleifera, and spirulina are just some of the emerging nutrients that counteract skin aging because of their potent antioxidant properties. Conversely, foods high in trans-fatty acids, refined sugars are related to accelerated skin aging as they are associated with the production of advanced glycation end products. Due to the interest generated in recent years on the subject, a subspecialty of anti-aging medicine called "nutricosmetics" has even emerged. This review aims to highlight the studies emerging in the last five years regarding what can be considered "skin-friendly" foods in contrast to what can be considered "skin-unfriendly" habits, taking into consideration studies regarding the innovations recently developed in terms of nutrients and skin aging strategies.

A prospective multicenter phase III clinical trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of silk elastin sponge in patients with skin defects

Silk elastin sponge, a novel recombinant protein used for wound healing, has been shown to be effective in promoting macrophage migration, epithelial growth, granulation, and angiogenesis in both preclinical (in vitro and in vivo) and clinical studies. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of silk elastin sponges in the treatment of chronic and acute wounds. A prospective multicenter, single-arm, uncontrolled clinical trial included 20 patients with chronic wounds and five with acute wounds, applying the sponge after debridement. The primary endpoints were the percentage of patients with chronic wounds and well-prepared wound beds after 14 days of treatment. The safety of the procedure was also assessed. The results showed that 90.0% of chronic wound patients had well-prepared wound beds by day 14, and 24 out of 25 patients completed the treatment, with one case discontinued due to local infection. This study concluded that silk elastin sponges may be an effective new option for wounds that are unresponsive to existing treatments.Trial registration: jRCT2052210072. Registered on 11 July 2023 in the Japan Registry of Clinical Trials ( http://jrct.niph.go.jp ).

Recent Progress and Opportunities of Wearable Non-Invasive Epidermal Sensors for Skin Disease Diagnosis

With deteriorating environment and increased stress in modern life, skin diseases have become the fourth leading cause of nonfatal and chronic diseases. An early diagnosis might improve the chances of a successful treatment. Wearable epidermal sensors have been emerged as new non-invasive tools for clinical practice and research in dermatology, which can act as a complement to the otherwise mostly visual and tactile judgments. This review discusses the recent progress and opportunities of wearable epidermal sensors for skin disease diagnosis. The configuration, material choice, and fundamental platforms of wearable epidermal sensors are first summarized. Then, their emerging application in monitoring skin diseases is demonstrated by detecting skin hardness, skin hydration, and biomakers. With the advances highlighted here and the ongoing research efforts, the continuous breakthrough in wearable epidermal sensors and their attractive application in skin disease management is foreseeable in the future.

Garcinia flavonoids for healthy aging: Anti-senescence mechanisms and cosmeceutical applications in skin care

Cellular senescence, the irreversible arrest of cell division, is a hallmark of aging and a key contributor to age-related disorders. Targeting senescent cells represents a promising therapeutic approach to combat these ailments. This review explores the potential of Garcinia species, a genus rich in flavonoids with established antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, as a source of natural anti-senescence agents. We investigate the intricate connections between aging, cellular senescence, and oxidative stress, highlighting the detrimental effects of free radicals on cellular health. Furthermore, we analyze the diverse array of flavonoids identified within Garcinia and their established cellular mechanisms. We critically evaluate the emerging evidence for the anti-senescence potential of flavonoids in general and the limited research on Garcinia flavonoids in this context. By identifying existing knowledge gaps and paving the way for future research, this review underscores the exciting potential of Garcinia flavonoids as natural anti-senescence agents. These agents hold promise for not only promoting healthy aging but also for the development of cosmeceutical products that combat the visible signs of aging.

Nutritional Dermatology: Optimizing Dietary Choices for Skin Health

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

Youthful, smooth skin is highly desired in modern society. Individuals invest in cosmetics, plastic surgeons, and dermatologists in pursuit of perfect skin. However, many do not seek out dietary changes to improve skin health. Although research has been conducted on the role of nutrition and select nutrients and phytonutrients on skin health, there is a lack of healthy food recommendations for clear skin.

METHODS

The literature was assessed to determine which nutrients and phytonutrients play a significant role in the protection and maintenance of skin health. Key compounds were highlighted as there is evidence to suggest they have a significant role in skin health: vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, zinc, omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, polyphenols/flavonoids, copper, selenium, and silicon. USDA FoodData Central and FooDB (food database), were utilized to select foods and food groups containing the key nutrients and phytonutrients.

RESULTS

A skin-healthy dietary pattern is proposed in addition to a scoring system to assess diet. A sample skin-healthy daily diet was designed, using only whole foods, that met the Daily Values for vitamins and minerals and contained key compounds for skin health.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a clear link between nutrition and skin health, or nutritional dermatology; however, more research needs to be done to find the intersection between both disciplines.

Wearable solid-phase microextraction sampling for enhanced detection of volatile analytes in human ears

BACKGROUND

Investigating ear at molecule level is challenging task, since there is a lack of molecular detection by traditional diagnosis techniques such as otologic endoscopy, ear swab culture, and imaging diagnostic technique. Therefore, new development of noninvasive, highly sensitive, and convenient analytical method for investigating human ears is highly needed.

RESULTS

We developed a wearable sampling device for extracting trace analytes in ear by fixing solid-phase microextraction fibers into modified earmuffs (SPME-in-earmuffs). After sampling, SPME fiber was coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) for identification and quantification of extracted analytes. Enhanced detection of various analytes such as volatile metabolites, exposures, and therapeutic drugs of ears were demonstrated in this work. Particularly, sport-induced metabolic changes such as fatty acids, aldehyde compounds and oxidative produces were found from human ears using this method. Acceptable analytical performances were obtained by using this newly developed method for detecting ear medicines, e.g., low limit of detection (LOD, 0.005-0.021 ng/mL) and limit of quantification (LOQ, 0.018-0.071 ng/mL), excellent linear dynamic responses (R2 > 0.99, ranging from 0.050-8.00 ng/mL), good relative standard deviations (RSDs, 13.19 % ∼ 21.40 %, n = 6) and accuracy (84.43-150.18 %, n = 6) at different concentrations.

SIGNIFICANCE

For the first time, this work provides a simple, convenient, and wearable microextraction method for enhanced detection of trace volatiles in human ears. The enclosed space between ear and earmuff allows headspace SPME sampling of volatile analytes, and thus provides a new wearable method for monitoring ear metabolites and human exposures, showing potential applications in human health, disease diagnosis, and sport science.

Skin Aging and the Upcoming Role of Ferroptosis in Geroscience

The skin is considered the most important organ system in mammals, and as the population ages, it is important to consider skin aging and anti-aging therapeutic strategies. Exposure of the skin to various insults induces significant changes throughout our lives, differentiating the skin of a young adult from that of an older adult. These changes are caused by a combination of intrinsic and extrinsic aging. We report the interactions between skin aging and its metabolism, showing that the network is due to several factors. For example, iron is an important nutrient for humans, but its level increases with aging, inducing deleterious effects on cellular functions. Recently, it was discovered that ferroptosis, or iron-dependent cell death, is linked to aging and skin diseases. The pursuit of new molecular targets for ferroptosis has recently attracted attention. Prevention of ferroptosis is an effective therapeutic strategy for the treatment of diseases, especially in old age. However, the pathological and biological mechanisms underlying ferroptosis are still not fully understood, especially in skin diseases such as melanoma and autoimmune diseases. Only a few basic studies on regulated cell death exist, and the challenge is to turn the studies into clinical applications.

Cytotoxicity and Multi-Enzyme Inhibition of Nepenthes miranda Stem Extract on H838 Human Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells and RPA32, Elastase, Tyrosinase, and Hyaluronidase Proteins

The carnivorous pitcher plants of the genus Nepenthes have long been known for their ethnobotanical applications. In this study, we prepared various extracts from the pitcher, stem, and leaf of Nepenthes miranda using 100% ethanol and assessed their inhibitory effects on key enzymes related to skin aging, including elastase, tyrosinase, and hyaluronidase. The cytotoxicity of the stem extract of N. miranda on H838 human lung carcinoma cells were also characterized by effects on cell survival, migration, proliferation, apoptosis induction, and DNA damage. The cytotoxic efficacy of the extract was enhanced when combined with the chemotherapeutic agent 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), indicating a synergistic effect. Flow cytometry analysis suggested that the stem extract might suppress H838 cell proliferation by inducing G2 cell cycle arrest, thereby inhibiting carcinoma cell proliferation. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) enabled the tentative identification of the 15 most abundant compounds in the stem extract of N. miranda. Notably, the extract showed a potent inhibition of the human RPA32 protein (huRPA32), critical for DNA replication, suggesting a novel mechanism for its anticancer action. Molecular docking studies further substantiated the interaction between the extract and huRPA32, highlighting bioactive compounds, especially the two most abundant constituents, stigmast-5-en-3-ol and plumbagin, as potential inhibitors of huRPA32's DNA-binding activity, offering promising avenues for cancer therapy. Overall, our findings position the stem extract of N. miranda as a promising source of natural compounds for anticancer therapeutics and anti-skin-aging treatments, warranting further investigation into its molecular mechanisms and potential clinical applications.