Substances present in grapes help in protection of skin cells against ultraviolet radiation

Specialists of the University of Barcelona and The Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) have established that some substances present in grapes help in protection of skin cells against ultraviolet (UV) radiation of the sun.

Solar УФ-rays are the major cause of skin diseases, such as cancer, burns and erythema, as well as premature aging. They affect the skin, activating "Reactive oxygen species" (ROS). The species oxidize macromolecules, such as lipids and DNA, stimulating certain reactions and enzymes (JNK and p38MAPK), which cause cellular death.

Specialists have demonstrated that some polyphenols (flavonoids), excreted from grapes, may decrease ROS formation in human epidermis cells, which have been exposed to the action of long-wave and medium-wave ultraviolet. And the more the degree of polymerization and formation of substances containing gallic acid was, the greater was their photo protective properties. 

These promising results can be used in clinical pharmacology and cosmetology for development of new means of protection against the sun on the basis of polyphenol extracts.

Adopted from: Eurolab