10 replies to this topic

[lynx]

J Am Acad Dermatol. 2004 Dec;51(6):910-8. Related Articles, Links 

 
Oral Polypodium leucotomos extract decreases ultraviolet-induced damage of human skin.

Middelkamp-Hup MA, Pathak MA, Parrado C, Goukassian D, Rius-Diaz F, Mihm MC, Fitzpatrick TB, Gonzalez S.

Wellman Laboratories of Photomedicine, Department of Dermatology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA.

BACKGROUND: UV radiation induces damage to human skin. Protection of skin by an oral photoprotective agent would have substantial benefits. Objective We investigated the photoprotective effect of oral administration of an extract of the natural antioxidant Polypodium leucotomos (PL). METHODS: A total of 9 healthy participants of skin types II to III were exposed to varying doses of artificial UV radiation without and after oral administration of PL (7.5 mg/kg). At 24 hours after exposure the erythema reaction was assessed and paired biopsy specimens were obtained from PL-treated and untreated skin. RESULTS: A significant decrease in erythema was found in PL-treated skin (P < .01). Histologically, PL-treated biopsy specimens showed less sunburn cells (P < .05), cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (P < .001), proliferating epidermal cells (P < .001), and dermal mast cell infiltration (P < .05). A trend toward Langerhans cell preservation was seen. CONCLUSION: Oral administration of PL is an effective systemic chemophotoprotective agent leading to significant protection of skin against UV radiation.

PMID: 15583582 [PubMed - in process]

[bacopacabana]

That's interesting, a web search turned up a product called Heliocare, available outside the US.

[eternaltraveler]

I would think something like melanotan would be best (the tanning hormone the aussies are currently researching).

Assuming you don't mind being tan that is.

[lynx]

Actually, after I posted this at sci.lifeextension Tim or Michael Price pointed out that other anti-oxidants in combination, like C&E do the same thing.

[stellar]

There's also curcumin, green tea and silymarin.

[DukeNukem]

Green tea and Pycnogenol each have sun protective properties like a mild sunscreen. And of course for the eyes you definitely want Lutein and Zeaxanthin, two carotenoids that accumulate in the back of the eye where they absorb UV radiation.

[treonsverdery]

I wrote this to LEF would like to try phytoene

another idea, thats nifty is to use GI bacteria to make UV absorbing carotenoids that the body absorbs. One carotenoid canthra ann is an FDA approved food color that is published at creating spf 2 or 3 with oral use. It turns people orange. Idea:An engineered carotenoid that absorbs at UV will make a pill that creates age reducing SPF 20 or higher: Much better with GI bacteria that make the carotenoid to confer ageing minimized dermis during one's lifetime. Tomato source Phytoene (perhaps also phytofluene) is a colorless UV absorber. Crustacyanin is the blue pigment of lobsters. As a UV absorber people retain whatever their chosen skin tone is. Aging researchers are able to compare thigh side to facial dermis to quantify the kind of UV changes that are conquerable. I've been reading fashion magazines where I've learned that people like being beautiful

[scottl]

Green tea and Pycnogenol each have sun protective properties like a mild sunscreen.  And of course for the eyes you definitely want Lutein and Zeaxanthin, two carotenoids that accumulate in the back of the eye where they absorb UV radiation.

Out of curiousity why would you ever use pycnogenol when it is like twice as expensive as grape seed extract and to my knowledge offers the same benefits (it is basically the same stuff).

Pycnegenol:
http://www.pdrhealth.../pyc_0321.shtml

The term pycnogenol refers to a specific mixture of procyanidins extracted from the bark of the French maritime pine, Pinus maritima. The French maritime pine grows in Bay of Biscay in the Landes de Gascogne in France. Although the term pycnogenol is now confined to procyanidins from the French maritime pine, the term was originally intended to serve as scientific name for this class of flavonoids.

Procyanidins are derivatives of the flavan-3-o1 class of flavonoids. This class includes epicatechin and catechin. Procyanidins consisting of dimers of catechin and oligomers of epicatechin and catechin are found in pycnogenol. Pycnogenol has a high amount of oligomers containing 5 to 7 units. Procyanidin oligomers are also known as oligomeric procyanidins (OPC) oligomeric proanthocyanidins (also OPCs) and procyanidolic oligomers (PCOs). In addition to OPCs, pycnogenol contains catechin, epicatechin and taxifolin, and such phenolic acids as caffeic, ferulic and para-hydroxybenzoic acids as minor constituents. It also contains glycosylation products of flavonols and phenolic acids as minute constituents. Pycnogenol is abbreviated PYC.

GSE:
http://www.pdrhealth.../gra_0129.shtml

Grape seed proanthocyanidins refer to procyanidin mixtures extracted from grape (Vitis vinifera) seeds. Procyanidins are derivatives of the flavan-3-o1 class of flavonoids. This class includes (+)-catechin, commonly referred to as catechin, and (-)-epicatechin, commonly referred to as epicatechin. Procyanidins are dimers and oligomers of catechin and epicatechin and their gallic acid esters. Procyanidins are widely distributed in the plant kingdom and, in addition to being found in grape seeds, are found in cocoa and chocolate, apples, peanuts, almonds, cranberries, blueberries and in the bark of pines, among other plant sources.

Grape seed proanthocyanidins are mainly comprised of dimers, trimers and tetramers of catechin and epicatechin and their gallates. They also contain smaller amounts of pentamers, hexamers and heptamers of these flavan-3-o1s and their gallates. The procyanidin dimers and oligomers are also known as oligomeric procyanidins (OPCs) and procyanidolic oligomers or PCOs. Grape seed proanthocyanidins comprise approximately 60 to 70% of the polyphenol content of grapes. The procyanidins are colorless in their pure state.

[DukeNukem]

Scottl, they each have unique procyanidins, with different benefits. Cinnamon and chocolate (cocoa), too, are jammed packed procyanidins.

[lemon]

If you know you're going to be exposed to UV do what you can to boost endogenous superoxide dismutase levels. Every other antioxidant pales in comparison. The most basic and damaging free radical is superoxide. Superoxide radicals go on a rampage chewing up and spitting out dietary antioxidants like PCOs, EGCG's, vitamins E and C. For example, Superoxide dsmutase is approximately three thousand five hundred times more potent at dismutating superoxide into hydrogen peroxide than vitamin C.

[johnmk]

I guess it's a good thing I'm taking deprenyl daily. I've cut my dose to 2.5mg/day till I research things more thoroughly.