Inhibitory Effects of Fermented Red Ginseng on Photoaging Skin Induced by Ultraviolet B

Hoil Kim
Department of Oriental Medicine, Graduate School, Woosuk University (Directed by Prof. Chang-Hyun Lee, Ph.D)

Abstract
Long-term exposure to ultraviolet-B (UVB) radiation causes premature skin aging (photoaging), manifested as sunburn, wrinkle formation, altered pigmentation, immune suppression and loss of skin tone. This study was performed to investigate whether fermented Red Ginseng (RG) has anti-photoaging effects, by using hairless mice. The animals were divided into non-treated group (normal), UV-radiated group (control), non-fermented RG (NRG) treated group, fermented RG (FRG) treated group, and fortified fermented RG (FFRG) treated group.
Latter three groups of mice were treated with both oral administration (6 mg/mouse/day) and topical application (100 ul/mouse/day) for 4 weeks. Anti-photoaging effects of fermented Red Ginseng (RG) were evaluated by stereomicroscopic and microscopic observations. The expression of photoaging related molecules including proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), cytokeratin, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) -2, -3, -9, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was examined by immunohistochemical staining.
Treatment of NRG, FRG or FFRG prevented the wrinkle formation as well as the disruption of collagen induced by UVB radiation. It also reduced the MMP-3, -9, and VEGF expression in the UVB irradiated dorsal skin. Furthermore, it decreased the number of mast cells and photoaging-related inflammatory molecules such as myeloperoxidase, neutrophil elastase in the UVB irradiated dermis.
This study also found that treatment of NRG, FRG or FFRG reduced the intracellular reactive oxygen species production in the UVB stimulated HaCaT cells. Moreover, gelatinolytic activity of MMP-9 was also reduced by high dose of NRG or FRG (300 ug/ml).
From these results, this study suggests that fermented red ginseng (FRG and FFRG) can be a potent drug that protects against UVB mediated photoaging.