To search for natural materials that protect human skin from damage caused by ultraviolet-B (UV-B) irradiation, we prepared water extracts of the following four dry berries: lowbush blueberry (LBB) (Vaccinium angustifolium L.), highbush blueberry (HBB) (Vaccinium corymbosum L.), cranberry (CB) (Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait.) and grape (Vitis vinifera L.). Normal human epidermal keratinocytes (NHEKs) were pretreated with each of the extracts and then subjected to transient UV-B irradiation (15.0 W m-2) for 80 s. The results showed that pretreatment of NHEKs with LBB extract significantly attenuated UV-B-induced damage. The concentrations of proanthocyanidins, total flavonoids and total polyphenols in LBB extract were higher than those in the other three berry extracts. Therefore, these compounds might mediate the protection of NHEKs from UV-B-induced damage.
Key words: flavonoids, normal human epidermal keratinocytes (NHEKs), polyphenols, proanthocyanidins, ultraviolet-B (UV-B).
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