Genus Paeonia is an important ornamental and medicinal crop . The flowers of Paeonia are rich in flavonoids , and flavonoids have excellent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, which have the potential to slow down skin aging. In this study, flavonoids from whole flowers of six popular Paeonia cultivars were extracted using three different solvents. The composition and content of peony flowers flavonoids extracted with three solvents were determined by high performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry / mass spectrometry (HPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS) and HPLC-diode array detection (DAD). A total of 26 flavonoids were isolated and identified, and 60 % ethanol showed the highest extraction efficiency. Not only flavonoids composition but also the content was significantly different in different peony flowers, among which ‘Hei Tian E’ had the most abundant composition (17 flavonoids) and the highest total content of flavonoids (57.75 mg/g DW by using 60 % ethanol). After that, the anti-skin photoaging effects of the 60 % ethanol extracts of the six Paeonia cultivars flowers were evaluated by UVR-Fulkutis and UVA-Fibroblasts photoaging models. Under exposure to UV radiation, some Paeonia flowers’ extracts can prevent the decrease of skin surface thickness and reduce the loss of Collagen IV and VII. In addition, the production and accumulation of ROS, MMP-1 and MMP-3 in fibroblasts were inhibited, indicating the attenuation of skin photoaging by the extracts. Among the six samples tested, ‘Hei Tian E’ whole flower extract (BH-HT) had the best comprehensive effect. Finally, the correlations between components and anti-photoaging efficacy were analyzed. We speculate that the anti-photoaging effect was significantly related to its richness in quercetin 3- O -di-glucoside, quercetin 3- O -glucoside, isorhamnetin 3- O -galloyl arabinoside, cyanidin 3,5-di- O -glucoside, cyanidin 3- O -glucoside, and peonidin 3- O -glucoside. In general, the results show that Paeonia flowers have potential for development of anti-photoaging herbal essence products.
Skin aging is characterized by a loss of collagen. Collagen stimulates the secretion of extracellular matrix (ECM) components by skin fibroblasts, contributing to anti-wrinkle and skin-firming effects in cosmetic applications. However, the skin barrier poses a significant challenge to collagen absorption, hindering its dermal functionality. Rapid advancements in synthetic biology have enabled the development of recombinant human collagen (RHC) with controllable sequence and molecular weight, enhancing its potential cosmetic applications. Nonetheless, research on the ability of RHC to penetrate the skin and exert anti-aging effects remains limited, and its underlying mechanisms are largely unexplored. To address this gap, we selected low molecular weight recombinant human collagen peptide (LRHC) and evaluated its skin permeability and anti-aging mechanisms. Findings indicated that LRHC significantly promoted fibroblast proliferation and enhanced the transcription of collagen types I and type III. Furthermore, in photoaged nude mouse models, LRHC upregulated the expression of key basement membrane components, including collagen type IV (COL4), collagen type VII (COL7), collagen type XVII (COL17), integrin β4 (ITGB4), and laminin-332 (LN332, formerly LN5), resulting in increased collagen fiber density. Notably, LRHC demonstrated a dermal permeability rate of 74.7 ± 14.2% after 8 hours. Transcriptome sequencing revealed that LRHC may maintain cytoskeletal structure through activation of adherens junction signaling pathways and promote extracellular matrix (ECM) production through activation of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) signaling pathways, thereby achieving anti-aging efficacy.. These findings confirm that LRHC can penetrate the dermis and exert anti-aging effects on skin, potentially through mechanisms mediated by adherens junction signaling pathways. As a functional active ingredient with anti-aging properties, LRHC holds significant potential for cosmetic applications.
危险品化学品经营许可证（带存储）