Skin aging is a genetically programmed (intrinsic) physiological process linked to the passage of time (chronobiological), which can be considered as a deterioration of biological functions and skin structures with consequent decrease in vitality, decrease in power antioxidant and repair processes and increased vulnerability to damage caused by internal and external insults and to wear and tear due to the passing of the years.
The main causes responsible for the progressive aging of the skin are the involution and structural modifications of the connective tissue, especially the loss of collagen and the degeneration of the elastic fibers, and the non-repairable damage to the delicate cellular constituents.
There are many factors that can alter and damage this vital structure and among them the most certainly prevail UV radiation and the action of free radicals, true biological killers, which are formed for various causes in our organism (chemical, mechanical, physical and similar attacks) [4].
From what has been said, it is clear that in the fight against skin aging, the ability to have access to is of great importance antioxidant substances able to effectively counteract the formation of free radicals and minimize the biological damage they cause.
On the skin, especially in the horny layer of the epidermis, a very efficient "antioxidant system" is expressed, composed of enzymes, or high molecular weight antioxidants, and low molecular weight, non-enzymatic antioxidants, among which the most important are the ascorbic acid, or vitamin C, α-tocopherol, or vitamin E, ubiquinone, or coenzyme Q, glutathione (GSH), thioredoxin polypeptide, lipoic acid and melatonin [4].
As the years progress in many tissues of the body, including the skin, there is an increase in oxidative stress and, at the same time, a progressive reduction of the antioxidant power, which lead to a gradual and irreversible physiological aging. To delay its appearance or, in any case, to treat skin aging, various ways can be taken, including the oral administration of substances with a high content of antioxidants or the topical application of molecules capable of penetrating into the stratum corneum and with good antioxidant power [4]. From in vitro and in vivo studies, MELATONIN, formulated to be applied to the skin, has proven to be a valid anti-aging treatment to prevent the formation of ROS, as well as limiting the damage caused by UV exposure. In conclusion, the topical application of MELATONIN, in addition to preventing photo-aging induced by excessive exposure to UV radiation [2], also has an "antiaging" action, delaying the appearance of signs of skin degradation, such as wrinkles, wilting, loss elasticity, dehydration, skin thinning and the like, thanks to its ability to neutralize free radicals responsible for oxidative stress. Therefore, it could be used as a functional substance in formulations for topical use in the therapeutic and / or cosmetic field.
FROM MELATONIN TO PHYTHOMELATONIN
The latest research concerns melatonin extracted from “PHYTHOMELATONIN” plants, a natural alternative in the dermatological field.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
- Solominski A., Wortsman J & Tobin DJ The cutaneous serotoninergic / melatoninergic system: securing place under the sun FASEB J 2005; 19: 176-194
- Solominski A., Fisher TW, Zmijewski M, A, Wortsman J, Semac I., Zbytek B., Slominski RM & Tobin DJ on the role of melatonin in skin physiology and pathology Endocrine 2005; 27 (2): 137-148.
- Reiter RJ & Robinson J. Melatonin; Bantam Books 1995
- Podda M & Grundmann-Kollmann M. Low molecular weight antioxidants and their role in skin aging Clin and Exp Dermatol 2001; 26: 578-82
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