Pomegranate Compound May Protect Skin

Previously, studies have proposed a preventative role for ellagic acid, a polyphenol compound richly present in the pomegranate fruit as well as berries, in a variety of chronic diseases. Ji-Young Bae, from Hallym University (Korea), and colleagues examined the photoprotective effects of ellagic acid on collagen breakdown and inflammatory responses in UV (ultraviolet)-B irradiated human skin cells, finding that ellagic acid attenuated the UV-B-induced toxicity of these cells, while also preventing the degradation of collagen that is associated with wrinkle formation. Additionally, in a lab animal study, the team revealed that ellagic acid reduced the production of the pro-inflammatory compounds interleukin-1beta (IL-1b) and IL-6.  Proposing that: “These results demonstrate that ellagic acid prevented collagen destruction and inflammatory responses caused by UV-B,” the research ers u rge that: “Dietary and pharmacological interventions with [foods] rich in ellagic acid may be promising treatment strategies interrupting skin wrinkle and inflammation associated with chronic UV exposure leading to photoageing.”