Skin aging and pigmentation disorders are fundamentally driven by oxidative stress, which is often accelerated by external environmental factors such as UV irradiation and air pollutants. This leads to the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that initiate molecular damage, resulting in the breakdown of structural components like collagen and elastin, impairment of the skin barrier, and stimulation of melanogenesis. These events manifest as visible skin alterations, including wrinkles, sagging, and hyperpigmentation. Addressing these complex issues requires ingredients that can neutralize ROS and regulate key enzymes responsible for dermal degradation and melanin synthesis, such as collagenase, elastase, hyaluronidase, and tyrosinase.
There is a growing demand in cosmetic science for safe, natural, and multifunctional ingredients that exhibit antioxidative, skin-whitening, and anti-aging effects. The Rosaceae family is recognized as a rich source of phytochemicals—specifically phenolic acids, flavonoids, and tannins—which possess well-established antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties. Rosa lucieae Franch. & Rochebr. ex Crép., or memorial rose, is a species native to East Asia known for its vigor and ability to persist in harsh coastal environments, such as littoral sandbanks and rocky seashores, characterized by exposure to intense UV radiation and salt spray. The necessity for the plant to adapt to these severe abiotic stressors suggests it produces unique secondary metabolites with strong biological activities. However, compared to other members of the Rosa genus, the bioactive profile of R. lucieae has been insufficiently studied. Consequently, this investigation was designed to systematically explore the cosmeceutical potential of a R. lucieae extract as a promising source for natural, multifunctional ingredients.
Methods
A 70% ethanol extract of the fresh aerial parts of R. lucieae was prepared via ultrasonication. Quantitative analysis confirmed the total polyphenol and flavonoid content using colorimetric methods. Comprehensive phytochemical profiling was performed using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography–quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF/MS), tentatively identifying 21 metabolites. The extract’s functional capacity was then assessed in vitro via standard assays for antioxidant activity (DPPH, ABTS, FRAP), anti-melanogenic activity (tyrosinase and DOPA oxidation inhibition), and anti-aging enzyme inhibition (collagenase, elastase, and hyaluronidase).
Key Findings
• Rich Phytochemical Profile: The extract displayed high measured content of total polyphenols (224.19 ± 0.73 mg/g) and flavonoids (51.57 ± 0.15 mg/g).
• Identified Skin-Protective Compounds: UPLC-Q-TOF/MS tentatively identified 21 metabolites, including several compounds known for skin-protective effects, such as phenolic acids (gallic acid, ellagic acid, corilagin), various flavonoids (catechin, rutin, quercetin, hyperoside, quercitrin), and glycosidic derivatives (e.g., phlorizin).
• Potent Antioxidant Capacity: The extract demonstrated strong radical scavenging abilities in the DPPH assay (IC50: 8.47 ± 0.02 µg/mL) and ABTS assay (IC50: 2.91 ± 0.01 µg/mL). The ferric reducing ability (FRAP assay) also increased concentration-dependently.
• Anti-Melanogenic Activity: The extract showed inhibitory effects against tyrosinase activity (IC50: 591.45 ± 3.46 µg/mL) and suppressed DOPA oxidation (IC50: 918.02 ± 11.42 µg/mL), suggesting its potential in inhibiting melanin biosynthesis.
• Significant Anti-Aging Enzyme Inhibition: Marked inhibition was observed against the key dermal degradation enzymes: collagenase (IC50: 80.46 ± 0.21 µg/mL), elastase (IC50: 96.94 ± 11.81 µg/mL), and especially hyaluronidase (IC50: 12.03 ± 0.17 µg/mL).
• Multifunctional Mechanism: The observed activities stem from the synergistic interplay of the diverse phenolic and flavonoid metabolites, such as catechins acting as anti-collagenase/elastase agents and quercetin/rutin contributing to tyrosinase inhibition.
The study successfully established the potent multifunctional activities of the 70% ethanol extract of R. lucieae, encompassing strong antioxidant effects, moderate tyrosinase inhibition, and marked suppression of collagenase, elastase, and hyaluronidase. The novelty of this research lies in providing a systematic, integrated explanation for the biological effects of R. lucieae by linking its specific phytochemical profile, identified via UPLC-Q-TOF/MS, to its wide range of cosmeceutical activities. This comprehensive approach reinforces the extract’s potential as a valuable natural resource, particularly given that this species, adapted to harsh, UV-intensive environments, was previously underrepresented in bioactivity studies.
Future research should focus on isolating the specific active compounds, clarifying their precise molecular mechanisms of action, and validating both the efficacy and safety of the extract through targeted cellular, in vivo, and clinical investigations to transition it into marketed topical products.
Link to the study: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/14/10/1177
