Ameliorative effects of Diospyros lotus leaf extract against UVB-induced skin damage in BALB/c mice

The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effect of Diospyros lotus leaf extract (DLE) on UVB-induced skin damage in mice. UVB irradiation of mice skin incurred significant damage to mice skin; increased thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance level; decreased superoxide dismutase; and glutathione levels in mice skin tissues. More so, UVB irradiation led to collagen degradation and infiltration of mast cell and neutrophils into mice skin leading to inflammation. However, topical application of DLE significantly reversed these conditions with the result comparable to l-ascorbic acid. Myricitrin, gallic acid, astragalin, myricetin-3-O-glactosside, and myricetin through high-performance liquid chromatography analysis were further determined to be the primary active compounds in DLE. In conclusion, our study showed that DLE has potentials as local therapeutic materials against skin damage by inhibiting oxidative stress and UVB-induced skin damage.