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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Nov 17, 2025

Pharmacologic Induction of Epidermal Melanin and Protection Against Sunburn in a Humanized Mouse Model

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Published on: September 7, 2013

Ursodeoxycholic Acid May Inhibit Environmental Aging-Associated Hyperpigmentation.

Ik Jun Moon¹, Hanju Yoo^1,2, Seung Hwan Paik³

¹Department of Dermatology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul 05505, Korea.

Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)

|February 12, 2021

Summary

Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) can combat skin aging caused by UV light and pollution. It reduces dark spots by inhibiting melanin production and cellular aging, offering a potential treatment for hyperpigmentation.

Keywords:

antioxidant environmental aging fibroblasts hyperpigmentation particulate matter photoaging ultraviolet light ursodeoxycholic acid

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Area of Science:

Dermatology and Skin Aging Research
Molecular Biology and Cellular Processes

Background:

Extrinsic skin aging, driven by UV light and pollution, leads to hyperpigmentation via increased melanogenesis in aged skin.
Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), a known antioxidant, is used for liver diseases and may possess skin-protective properties.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate UDCA's effects on cellular aging in human skin cells.
To determine if UDCA can reduce melanin synthesis and mitigate UV-induced skin damage.

Main Methods:

Human dermal fibroblasts were exposed to UV radiation with or without UDCA treatment.
Measurements included reactive oxygen species (ROS), inflammatory cytokines (IL-1α, IL-8, TNF-α), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), collagen, and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs).
Melanin levels and melanogenesis pathways were assessed in normal human melanocytes co-cultured with skin cells.

Main Results:

UDCA significantly decreased UV-induced ROS, senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), and pro-inflammatory cytokines.
UDCA treatment led to a reduction in melanogenesis in co-cultured melanocytes.
UDCA demonstrated inhibitory effects on key markers of cellular aging and inflammation.

Conclusions:

UDCA exhibits anti-aging properties relevant to skin health.
UDCA effectively reduces UV-induced cellular damage and melanogenesis.
UDCA shows potential as a therapeutic agent for environmental aging-associated hyperpigmentation.