ANTI-WRINKLE ACTIVITY AND UPLC-MS/MS METABOLIC PROFILING OF POMEGRANATE AND GRAPE SEEDS EXTRACTS

UV irradiation is one of the main causes of what is known as photoaging characterized by loss of skin elasticity and the appearance of wrinkles. In this study, the anti-wrinkle activity of grape seed extract (GSE) and Pomegranate seed extract (PSE) was studied through evaluation of their in-vitro antioxidant, anti-tyrosinase and in-vivo anti-wrinkle activity in UVB-irradiated mice through topical application of PSE and GSE at 50 mg/kg/twice a week for 15 weeks. The total phenolic content of PSE and GSE was 2.1375 and 5.9625 mg GAE/g extract, respectively. PSE and GSE also showed DPPH scavenging activity with IC₅₀ of 37.9 and 29.9 µg/mL, respectively. PSE and GSE showed anti-tyrosinase activity with IC₅₀ of 115 and 107.75 μg /mL, respectively, while that of Kojic acid is 17.45 μg /mL. In UVB-irradiated mice, the increased expression of metaloproteinase (MMP-2) was significantly inhibited by PSE and GSE where their activities exceeded that of the standard turmeric extract (TME). The topical application of PSE, GSE, and TME of the UVB radiated groups prevented the increase in the thickness of the epidermis induced by UVB. UPLC-MS/MS profiling of both extracts led to the identification of 43 phenolic compounds of different classes. We can conclude that the anti-wrinkle activity of both extracts was attributed to their high phenolic content and the antioxidant potential of both extracts. Therefore, the seeds of pomegranate and grapes, which are considered as waste products, could be incorporated in cosmeceutical skincare products after further clinical trials.