58 SKIN CARE
countering the facets of ageing, the modern consumer has shown a preference for naturally derived active ingredients. Thus, finding ameliorative substances derived from botanical sources that can address the desires of well- ageing and skin longevity are highly sought after. Here, we introduce a novel ingredient that is
co-extracted from two different plant sources: Rumex acetosella and Pinus massoniana (Figure 2) that synergize in a combinatorial extract to impact multiple features of skin health. R. acetosella, more commonly known as
field sorrel or red sorrel, has been established in the archives of herbal medicine to have several health benefits. Native to multiple regions of the northern hemisphere, reports suggest that extracts of this plant can alleviate conditions as varied as skin erythema (redness), eczema, and psoriasis.5 Furthermore, antimicrobial activity has been
attributed to topical mixtures containing R. acetosella potentially suggesting the capacity for microbiome modulation that could address the ageing hallmark of microbial dysbiosis. As with R. acetosella, P. massoniana also has a storied history detailing multiple ameliorative impacts. Frequently called ‘Masson’s Pine’, the beneficial health effects of extracts of this plant have been chronicled in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Indigenous to much of the Asian continent, TCM suggests that solutions infused with Masson’s Pine exert antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti- diabetic activities.6,7 The combination of such distinctive
properties from these two botanical sources promises a truly powerful active ingredient. Through a proprietary high-yield extraction
process, the two botanical sources were co-extracted into a material containing approximately 59 compounds that were consistently liberated from batch-to-batch. The mass spectrometry chromatograms that detected this panoply of molecules
A Botanical Co-Extraction Induction of Collagen Expression
140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0
10 ng/ml TGFβ1 ■ 0.075% |(v/v|) active ingredient ■
activity in a combined co-extracted material. The botanical co-extraction product was tested on monolayers of normal human dermal fibroblasts (NHDF cells). The cells were treated with the material at various concentrations over the course of three days. At that time, cells were harvested, lysed,
and analysed by Western blot probing for changes in the abundance of proteins considered to be critical to skin resiliency such as the much discussed collagen fibres.8 The first finding presented from the in vitro
experiments showed a boost in the expression of two specific collagen genes in skin: COL3A1 and COL4A1 (Figure 3A). Type III collagen (COL3A1) represents a fibrillar collagen that coalesces with type I collagen fibres to construct a formidable lattice work that buttresses the skin against physical insults. Expression of the COL3A1 gene diminishes
Figure 2: Rumex acetosella and Pinus massoniana. Photographs of the two plants are shown in a composite image: Rumex acetosella (left) and Pinus massoniana (right)
became the signature ‘fingerprint’ of the co- extract of R. acetosella and P. massoniana. These compounds included a variety of phytochemicals that are unable to be synthesized commercially. Truly mother nature at her finest.
Pathway to longevity – in vitro and ex vivo EVIDENCE R. acetosella and P. massoniana have both been investigated individually, but here we explored the possibility of synergizing their
B Botanical Co-Extraction Induction of Elastin Expression
over an individual’s life span, which is often accelerated from extended UV exposure. In contrast, the type IV collagen gene (COL4A1) product is not fibrillar in nature, but forms a supportive meshwork at the basement membrane of the DEJ. From these early results, we considered that this material could potentially reverse loss of proteostasis, one of the key hallmarks of ageing where the normal homeostatic levels of key protein factors are disrupted to the point of inducing structural instability in the ECM and at the DEJ. To that end, the relative abundance of other critical protein molecules was tested in similar fashion. Similar to the collagen protein levels,
there was also a dose-dependent increase in elastin (ELN) protein expression (Figure 3B). As their name suggests, these proteins are vital contributors to the elasticity of the skin, allowing for it to be stretched and return to its original shape much like the action of a rubber band.9 They are first secreted from dermal
fibroblast cells in the form of soluble tropoelastin that is subsequently crosslinked by lysyl oxidase enzymes into insoluble, durable fibre complexes. The induction of their synthesis represents a critical step to restoring and maintaining skin resiliency to frequent stretching and recoiling. In addition to boosting important fibre
COL3A1 COL4A1
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proteins in the ECM, the co-extraction product augmented the expression of three enzymes belonging to the lysyl oxidase like (LOXL) family of enzymes: LOXL 1, 2, and 3 (Figure 4). These enzymes are responsible for crosslinking both collagen and elastin fibres, which is an essential activity for sustaining the structural and tensile strength of skin tissue. Additionally, it has been observed that
0.038 0.075 0.15 Concentration of Active (% v/v)
Figure 3: Induction of collagen and elastin protein expression. A. COL3A1 and COL4A1. B. Elastin. Normal human dermal fibroblasts (NHDF) were treated with the botanical co-extracted material for 3 days after which the cells were harvested, lysed, and examined by Western blot probing with antibodies specific for type III and type IV collagen as well as elastin. Band intensity was quantified using Image J software
PERSONAL CARE September 2025
LOXL levels diminish with age, contributing to increases in skin fragility and wrinkle formation.10,11
Thus, a boost in their expression
levels alongside the augmented levels of collagen and elastin will collectively enhance youthful features of skin. Subsequently, a cellular-based
examination of the anti-inflammatory potential of this material was examined. Normal human keratinocytes were stimulated
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