Pistacia lentiscus fruit oil reduces oxidative stress in human skin explants caused by hydrogen peroxide

Abstract

We investigated the efficacy of Pistacia lentiscus fruit oil (PLFO) for protecting human skin from damage due to oxidative stress. PLFO contains natural antioxidants including polyphenols, sterols and tocopherols. We compared the antioxidant potential of PLFO with extra virgin olive oil (EVOO). Explants of healthy adult human skin were grown in culture with either PLFO or EVOO before adding hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂). We also used cultured skin explants to investigate the effects of PLFO on lipid oxidation and depletion of endogenous antioxidant defense enzymes including glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) one day after 2 h exposure to H₂O₂. We found that PLFO scavenged radicals and protected skin against oxidative injury. PLFO exhibited greater antioxidant and free radical scavenging activity than EVOO. Skin explants treated with PLFO inhibited H₂O₂ induced MDA formation by inhibition of lipid oxidation. In addition, the oil inhibited H₂O₂ induced depletion of antioxidant defense enzymes including GPx, SOD and CAT. We found that treatment with PLFO repaired skin damage owing to its antioxidant properties.

Key words::

• catalase
• fruit oil
• glutathione peroxidase
• human
• malondialdehyde
• organ culture
• oxidative stress
• Pisiacia lentiscus
• skin
• superoxide dismutase

Acknowledgments

Our research was supported by the Tunisian Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research via Sfax University. We thank Mr. Mohamed Abdelmoula, chief maxillofacial charge service to the Hospital Habib Bourguiba Sfax Tunisia, for his excellent technical assistance.

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this paper.