Yunnan Botanee Bio-Technology Group Co., Ltd.

Vascular aging is a principal driver of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, and effective prevention of age-related vascular pathologies depends on interventions that target fundamental molecular and cellular aging pathways. The present study investigated the anti-vascular aging activity of AL-VI10, a novel bioactive peptide derived from amphibian skin, together with the underlying mechanism. Notably, AL-VI10 exhibited excellent biosafety, with no detectable cytotoxic or hemolytic activity, and showed potent free radical scavenging capacity, enhanced antioxidant enzyme activity, and reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation. In a D-galactose-induced mouse model of aging, AL-VI10 significantly attenuated vascular aging-associated phenotypes, including increased medial thickness, elevated expression of inflammatory cytokines, and up-regulation of matrix metalloproteinase levels, while simultaneously promoting autophagy. In hydrogen peroxide (H ₂O ₂)-induced senescent human umbilical vein endothelial cells, AL-VI10 reduced senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal) activity, down-regulated senescence markers p53 and p21, enhanced endothelial proliferation and migration, and increased endothelial nitric oxide synthase expression. Mechanistic analyses showed that AL-VI10 up-regulated silent information regulator 1 (SIRT1) and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2). Pharmacological inhibition of SIRT1 suppressed AL-VI10-induced Nrf2 activation and weakened its anti-senescence effects, whereas inhibition of Nrf2 reversed ROS reduction and impaired endothelial recovery. Further analysis demonstrated direct binding of AL-VI10 to the extracellular domain of leukocyte differentiation antigen CD44 (CD44), and CD44 knockdown abolished activation of the SIRT1-Nrf2 axis and eliminated the anti-senescence activity of AL-VI10. These findings indicate that AL-VI10 alleviates vascular aging through CD44-dependent activation of SIRT1-Nrf2 signaling and identify amphibians as a promising source of bioactive compounds for anti-aging therapy.

Buddleja officinalis Maxim., a prominent medicinal plant from the Scrophulariaceae family, is extensively distributed throught China, Korea, Vietnam, and Myanmar. This phytotherapeutic agent has demonstrated significant clinical efficacy in treating various ophthalmic disorders, such as xerophthalmia, infectious conjunctivitis, keratopathies, corneal ulcerations, and neuropathic ocular pain.

To explore the potential photoprotective effects of Buddleja officinalis Maxim. extract (BOE) against UVB-induced oxidative damage in human immortalized keratinocytes.

In this study, we analyzed BOE components using HPLC and evaluated scavenging activities against 2, 2'-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2-azinobis 3-ethylbenzothiazoline 6-sulfonate (ABTS), and Superoxide anion (O₂^·-) through biochemical assays. Cell viability was assessed with cell counting kit-8 assay (CCK-8) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) kits, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were quantified by flow cytometry, and cellular antioxidant enzyme activities were determined using commercial assay kits. To investigate specific antioxidant pathways, qPCR and Western blot analyses were performed.

The biochemical assays demonstrated that BOE possesses significant antioxidant activity. Additionally, BOE significantly alleviated the adverse effects of UVB exposure (30 mJ/cm²), which were characterized by decreased cell viability, elevated LDH activity, increased intracellular ROS levels, reduced activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), decreased the levels of reduced glutathione (GSH), and increased Malondialdehyde (MDA) content. And the BOE modulates the antioxidant defense pathway by upregulating the mRNA and protein expression levels of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2(NRF2), heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), and NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1).

Our findings indicate that the photoprotective efficacy of BOE makes it a promising candidate for incorporation as a natural component in pharmaceutical and cosmetic formulations.

Natural plant extracts have gained significant attention in research due to their low toxicity, and potent antioxidant, and anti-aging properties. The present study investigated the phytochemical composition of a fermented rose extract (FRE), and evaluated its antioxidant, skin whitening, and anti-aging activities in vitro. The results showed that the FRE was rich in polyphenols and flavonoids. A total of 13 major compounds were identified by Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS), with astragalin as the primary component. In vitro, analysis of antioxidant activity showed that FRE effectively eliminated 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals and 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radicals and dose-dependent reduced intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. The FRE dose-dependent inhibited tyrosinase, collagenase, and hyaluronidase activity, reduced intracellular melanin synthesis, up-regulated the expression of collagen type I alpha 1 (COL1A1) and collagen type III alpha 1 (COL3A1), and down-regulated matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) expression. Additionally, treatment with FRE significantly downregulated the expression of mitogen-activated protein kinase 1 (MAPK1), suggesting that FRE may modulate MAPK signaling pathways for skin anti-aging.