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A water soluble extract from Uncaria tomentosa (Cat's Claw) is a potent enhancer of DNA repair in primary organ cultures of human skin
Author(s) -
Mammone Thomas,
Åkesson Christina,
Gan David,
Giampapa Vincent,
Pero Ronald W.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
phytotherapy research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.019
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1099-1573
pISSN - 0951-418X
DOI - 10.1002/ptr.1827
Subject(s) - pyrimidine dimer , dna , dna repair , human skin , biology , organ culture , biochemistry , microbiology and biotechnology , in vitro , genetics
Cat's Claw ( Uncaria tomentosa ) water extracts, essentially free of oxindole alkaloids, have been shown to possess a broad spectrum of biological activity including DNA repair enhancement and antiinflammatory properties. These two biological mechanisms are key molecular targets to develop treatments that protect skin exposed to ultraviolet light from the sun. Because C‐Med‐100, a Cat's Claw water extract, is the only documented natural source of components that can up‐regulate simultaneously both DNA repair and antiinflammation, its ability to modulate DNA repair in human skin organ cultures was undertaken. For this purpose skin cultures were treated with or without 5 mg/mL C‐Med‐100, irradiated with 0–100 mJ/cm 2 UVB, and microscopically analysed for necrosis as well as the level of pyrimidine dimers using immunofluorescent TT‐dimer antibody staining. The data clearly demonstrated that co‐incubation with C‐Med‐100 reduced skin cell death from UV exposure, and this protection was accounted for by a concomitant increase in DNA repair. Based on these results, it was concluded that C‐Med‐100 was a natural plant extract worthy of further consideration as a sunscreen product. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.