A blackberry-dill extract combination synergistically increases skin elasticity

Area of Science:

• Dermatology and Cosmetology
• Biochemistry of Extracellular Matrix
• Plant-derived Bioactives

Background:

• Aging diminishes skin elasticity due to reduced structural elastin, leading to sagging and loss of firmness.
• Unlike collagen and hyaluronic acid, elastic fibers are not continuously synthesized and require cross-linking by lysyl oxidase-like (LOXL) enzymes, which decline with age.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the synergistic elastogenic effects of a combined blackberry and dill extract.
• To assess the extract combination's ability to stimulate elastin synthesis, promote fiber cross-linking, and inhibit degradation.

Main Methods:

• In vitro testing of blackberry and dill extracts (alone and combined) on human skin explants and dermal fibroblasts.
• Assays included elastase activity, ELISA, quantitative real-time PCR, and spectrofluorometry.
• A double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical study evaluated skin elasticity using Cutometer and histological analysis.

Main Results:

• Blackberry extract upregulated elastin gene expression and inhibited matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-mediated elastic fiber degradation.
• Dill extract promoted elastin and collagen gene expression, alongside LOXL1, enhancing fiber cross-linking.
• The combination treatment demonstrated synergistic pro-elasticity effects clinically, outperforming individual extracts and placebo.

Conclusions:

• Blackberry and dill extracts exhibit complementary bioactivities for skin elasticity.
• The combined extracts synergistically induce elastogenesis, offering a potent natural solution for age-related skin laxity.