Natural Trichomes as a Functional Biomaterial Platform With Photoprotective and Regenerative Properties

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Dermatology
• Regenerative Medicine

Background:

• Effective skin repair and photoprotection necessitate advanced biomaterials.
• Natural tea trichomes (TH) are abundant, plant-derived microfilaments with potential as multifunctional biomaterials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate tea trichomes (TH) as a sustainable biomaterial for skin repair and photoprotection.
• To investigate the regenerative and photoprotective capabilities of TH.

Main Methods:

• Characterization of TH morphology and polyphenol content.
• In vitro antioxidant assays (ABTS+, DPPH) and in vivo hemostasis/hemolysis tests.
• Assessment of TH in a murine wound model and on UV-exposed skin, including histological and molecular analyses.

Main Results:

• TH possess high polyphenol content and potent radical scavenging activity.
• TH demonstrated effective hemostasis, biosafety, and significantly accelerated wound closure (88.9% vs 77.6%) by modulating macrophage polarization, collagen deposition, and hair follicle neogenesis.
• TH provided significant photoprotection against UV-induced skin damage, reducing epidermal hyperplasia, collagen degradation, and inflammatory markers.

Conclusions:

• Tea trichomes (TH) are a sustainable, multifunctional biomaterial with significant potential for skin regeneration and photoprotection.
• TH promote wound healing through enhanced tissue regeneration mechanisms.
• TH offer effective protection against UV-induced skin damage, highlighting their dual functionality.