Stress-induced sebaceous hyperactivity is a key driver of acne and seborrheic dermatitis; however, research investigating the pathway-specific mechanisms through which stress exerts its effects and the suppression of sebum production via targeting stress signaling remains relatively limited. In this study, we investigated whether Camellia nitidissima flower extract (CNF) could counteract stress-induced sebaceous dysfunction and its underlying mechanisms. Using a cortisone-stimulated SZ95 human sebocyte model, we evaluated lipid accumulation, cortisol production, signaling pathway activation, and apoptotic markers. CNF treatment dose-dependently suppressed cortisone-induced lipid production, reducing triglyceride, cholesterol, and free fatty acid levels by up to 35.44%, 38.02%, and 46.39%. Mechanistically, CNF inhibited 11β-HSD1 expression (17.17% reduction) and cortisol secretion (32.84% decrease), thereby blocking local cortisol reactivation. This upstream interception subsequently attenuated PI3K/Akt/mTOR hyperphosphorylation, downregulated lipogenic transcription factors (SREBP-1, PPARγ, LXRα, C/EBP-α) and their target enzymes (FAS, ACC, DGAT). Beyond lipid synthesis inhibition, CNF reversed cortisone-induced apoptosis resistance by reducing the Bcl-2/Bax ratio and suppressing PCNA-mediated hyperproliferation, thereby decreasing sebocyte number. These findings demonstrate that CNF exerts dual oil-control effects: reducing lipid production per cell and reducing lipid-producing cell abundance. Collectively, CNF represents a promising multi-target botanical agent for managing stress-related sebaceous disorders and cosmetic sebum regulation.

OBJECTIVES:Oxidative agents used in conventional hair perming damage hair fibres. This study proposes a novel perming approach employing 1,4-butylenediamine bismaleimide (1,4-BB) as a cross linking agent via thiol-Michael click chemistry to avoid oxidative harm. The perming performance and effects on hair fibre properties were investigated and compared. METHODS:1,4-BB was synthesized via an acylation reaction and evaluated for cytotoxicity using the MTT assay. Perming efficiency was compared on reduced hair cross linked by 3 wt% H2O2, 6 wt% NaBrO3 and 0.5 wt% 1,4-BB, respectively. Chemical changes during different perming methods were analysed via Raman spectroscopy, fluorescence microscopy, XRD and FT-IR characterization. Perming efficiency and durability were evaluated and explained by calculating the -SH connection ratio via X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Mechanical properties, colour and surface properties of hair samples permed by different methods were evaluated and compared. RESULTS:1,4-BB was successfully prepared and exhibited no cytotoxicity over a wide concentration range. Click perming using 1,4-BB exhibited comparable perming efficiency and superior durability compared to oxidative perming methods. Higher α-helix keratin content and reduced sulfonate formation contributed to the preservation of hair mechanical properties. Click perming also benefited from the preservation of hair colour and surface properties, including morphology and hydrophobicity. CONCLUSION:Thiol-Michael click perming offers a non-oxidative alternative with reduced hair damage and enhanced perming durability.

BACKGROUND:Oily skin not only threatens people with aesthetic and hygienic discomfort but also confronts them with annoying skin problems. To explore new skin care ingredients from herbal or plant extracts and understand their underlying mechanism for sebum control would assist in the discovery of desirable sebosuppressive agents, though it is still a deserving and challenging task. AIM:To explore the effect of Camellia saponin (CS) on modulating the lipogenesis of human sebocytes. Moreover, to explore the underlying mechanism of CS on oleic acid/linoleic acid (OL) mixture stimulated lipid accumulation. METHODS:The lipid accumulation model of cells was constructed by OL-induction in vitro. The lipid synthesis in SZ95 sebocytes was detected by Oil Red O, Nile Red and BODIPY staining and the distribution of lipid droplets and autophagosomes were evaluated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Fluorescence staining, immunofluorescence and western blot (WB) were used to characterize the spatial localization of lipid droplets (LDs)/autophagosome/lysosome, the levels of LC3 and P62 proteins related to intracellular autophagy, as well as the pH of lysosome. RESULTS:CS treatment significantly relieved OL-induced lipid accumulation in SZ95 sebocytes. Furthermore, CS maintained lysosomal acid environment to promote the fusion of autophagosome and lysosome, thus recovering the OL-induced blockage of autophagy flow. We also found that CS activated AMPK, and down-regulated mTOR in SZ95 sebocytes. CONCLUSION:CS was able to relieve OL-stimulated sebum accumulation in cultured human SZ95 sebocytes through lipophagy, in which process CS maintained lysosomal acid environment and activated the AMPK/mTOR pathway.

Plant-based colorants in hair dyeing are popular due to their lower toxicity for health and the environment compared to conventional chemically synthesized dyes. However, the application of plant colorants in hair dyeing is limited due to their low adsorption and poor fastness. In this study, we aimed to enhance the hair dyeing performance of a plant-based colorant (curcumin) by prelinking thiol groups (referred to as "click dyeing") and investigated the dyeing effect and restorative function. The results demonstrated that click dyeing significantly improved curcumin's coloring ability and color fastness, with the retention ratio of color reaching 80% after seven shampoo washes. Additionally, click dyeing enhanced the mechanical properties of the bleached hair and reduced keratin loss. Fluorescence labeling experiments confirmed that curcumin reacted with the introduced thiol groups through a thiol-Michael click reaction. After click dyeing, the mechanical properties of the hair fibers were repaired due to the formation of chemical bonds during the click reaction, resulting in a 9.81% increase in tensile strength compared to bleached hair before the hair dyeing process. The mechanism behind this enhancement lies in the restoration of the keratin conformation by click dyeing, bringing various properties back to their original state. Furthermore, the study verified curcumin's ability to resist photoaging through xenon arc lamp radiation and electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE:Diabetic ulcers represent a chronic condition characterized by prolonged hyperglycemia and delayed wound healing, accompanied by endocrine disorders, inflammatory responses, and microvascular damage in the epidermal tissue, demanding effective clinical treatment approaches. For thousands of years, ancient Chinese ethnopharmacological studies have documented the use of Poria cocos (Schw.) Wolf in treating diabetic ulcers. Recent research has substantiated the diverse pharmacological effects of Poria cocos (Schw.) Wolf, including its potential to alleviate hyperglycemia and exhibit anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immune regulatory properties, which could effectively mitigate diabetic ulcer symptoms. Furthermore, being a natural medicine, Poria cocos (Schw.) Wolf has demonstrated promising therapeutic effects and safety in the management of diabetic ulcers, holding significant clinical value. Despite its potential clinical efficacy and applications in diabetic ulcer treatment, the primary active components and underlying pharmacological mechanisms of Poria cocos (Schw.) Wolf remains unclear. Further investigations are imperative to establish a solid foundation for drug development in this domain.AIM OF THE STUDY AND MATERIALS AND METHODS:In this study, we aimed to identify the active compounds and potential targets of Poria cocos (Schw.) Wolf using UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS and TCMSP databases. Additionally, we attempt to identify targets related to diabetic ulcers. Following enrichment analysis, a network of protein-protein interactions was constructed to identify hub genes based on the common elements between the two datasets. To gain insights into the binding activities of the hub genes and active ingredients, molecular docking analysis was employed. Furthermore, to further validate the therapeutic effect of Poria cocos (Schw.) Wolf, we exerted in vitro experiments using human umbilical vein vascular endothelial cells and human myeloid leukemia monocytes (THP-1). The active ingredient of Poria cocos (Schw.) Wolf was applied in these experiments. Our investigations included various assays, such as CCK-8, scratch test, immunofluorescence, western blotting, RT-PCR, and flow cytometry, to explore the potential of Poria cocos (Schw.) Wolf triterpenoid extract (PTE) in treating diabetic ulcers.RESULTS:The findings here highlighted PTE as the primary active ingredient in Poria cocos (Schw.) Wolf. Utilizing network pharmacology, we identified 74 potential targets associated with diabetic ulcer treatment for Poria cocos (Schw.) Wolf, with five hub genes (JUN, MAPK1, STAT3, AKT1, and CTNNB1). Enrichment analysis revealed the involvement of multiple pathways in the therapeutic process, with the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway showing significant enrichment. Through molecular docking, we discovered that relevant targets within this pathway exhibited strong binding with the active components of Poria cocos (Schw.) Wolf. In vitro experiments unveiled that PTE (10 mg/L) facilitated the migration of human umbilical vein vascular endothelial cells (P < 0.05). PTE also increased the expression of CD31 and VEGF mRNA (P < 0.05) while activating the expressions of p-PI3K and p-AKT (P < 0.05). Moreover, PTE demonstrated its potential by reducing the expression of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and NF-κB mRNA in THP-1 (P < 0.05) and fostering M2 macrophage polarization. These results signify the potential therapeutic effects of PTE in treating diabetic ulcers, with its beneficial actions mediated through the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway.CONCLUSIONS:PTE is the main active ingredient in Poria cocos (Schw.) Wolf that exerts therapeutic effects. Through PI3K-AKT signaling pathway activation and inflammatory response reduction, PTE promotes angiogenesis, thereby healing diabetic ulcers.

BackgroundSapindus mukurossi extract (SME) is a kind of natural surface active ingredient with potential applications in cleansing products. However, the polyphenols and pigments contained in the extract may cause color browning of the products during storage especially at elevated temperatures, affecting its high level addition in the products.ObjectiveTo explore a decolorization process suitable for industrialization realize the high level addition of SME and explore the potential of SME in the field of controlling sebum esters.Materials and MethodsSME was prepared by adsorbing polyphenols on the D301 resin and oxidation decoloring oxidation. Investigated its sebum-control efficacy by SZ95 model and clinical study.ResultsThe results demonstrate that the D301 resin displays the best adsorption selectivity for polyphenols in SME, and the polyphenol adsorption ratio of D301 resin (5wt%) can reach 83.6%; The optimal decolorization conditions are pH=7.8, temperature 73℃ and decolorization time 5.7h when H2O2 content is 6%, The prepared SME shows no obvious changes in color and retain stable during the high temperature (50oC) test period of 28 days. 4μg/mL of SME decreases the lipid synthesis of SZ95 cells by 24.8%. The clinic efficacy of the shampoo containing 10% SME (by dry extract weigh) is further evaluated. No significant changes in the skin moisture content and transepidermal water loss (TEWL) are observed within four weeks after using the product, while the scalp sebum level is significantly reduced.ConclusionIn this study, we prepared a light-colored, highly stable SME, enabled its high-level addition in cleansing and care products and found its sebum-control efficacy.

ObjectivesConventional hair permanent waving (PW) and permanent straightening processes typically involve two steps: reduction, for breaking -S-S- bond in cystine into cysteine and oxidation for -S-S- bond reconnection. However, it is known that the hair incurs damage during the oxidation step. In this work, we proposed a novel strategy to reconnect reduced disulfide bonds in hair via the thiol-Michael click reaction, by using a symmetric Michael reagent.MethodsVirgin black Chinese hair was reduced using 8% wt thioglycolic acid and employed as model hair containing a high content of broken disulfide bonds. The reduced hair was treated with 1,4-n-butylene dimaleate. Raman spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) were used to verify the chemical changes occurred in untreated and treated hair fibre. Single-fibre mechanical properties and thermal properties of the hair were evaluated using tensile testing and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), respectively.ResultsThe 1,4-n-butylene dimaleate could reconnect free thiol groups generated by disulfide bond reduction via thiol-Michael click reaction and significantly improve the mechanical strength of hair compared to that of the reduced hair. Secondary conformational resolution analysis of FT-IR results revealed that the content of alpha-helix structure could be restored after treatment with 1,4-n-butylene dimaleate. The intermolecular forces established by the newly generated C-S bonds compensate the broken disulfide bonds and enhance the fracture strength of the hair compared to that of reduced hair. Michael reagents of similar structure also showed similar performance in restoring the mechanical properties of reduced hair.ConclusionsOur data suggest that 1,4-n-butylene dimaleate can restore the mechanical properties of reduced hair by reconnecting reduced disulfide bonds and restoring the secondary conformation of hair keratin. ObjectifsLes processus classiques d'ondulation permanente (OP) et de lissage permanent des cheveux impliquent generalement deux etapes : la reduction, pour rompre la liaison -S-S- de la cystine en cysteine, et l'oxydation, pour reconnecter la liaison -S-S-. Cependant, on sait que les cheveux subissent des dommages pendant l'etape d'oxydation. Dans ce travail, nous avons propose une nouvelle strategie pour reconnecter les liaisons disulfures reduites dans les cheveux via la reaction de thiol-Michael, en utilisant un reactif de Michael symetrique.Des cheveux noirs vierges chinois ont ete reduits a l'aide d'acide thioglycolique a 8 % en poids et utilises comme modele de cheveux contenant une grande quantite de liaisons disulfures cassees. Les cheveux reduits ont ete traites avec du dimaleate de 1,4-n-butylene. La spectroscopie de Raman et la spectroscopie infrarouge a transformee de Fourier (FT-IR) ont ete utilisees pour verifier les changements chimiques survenus dans les fibres capillaires non traitees et traitees. Les proprietes mecaniques a fibre unique et les proprietes thermiques des cheveux ont ete evaluees a l'aide d'un test de traction et d'une calorimetrie differentielle a balayage (Differential Scan Calorimetry, DSC), respectivement.ResultatsLe dimaleate de 1,4-n-butylene pourrait reconnecter les groupes thiol libre generes par la reduction des liaisons disulfures via la reaction de thiol-Michael et ameliorer de maniere significative la resistance mecanique des cheveux par rapport a celle des cheveux reduits. L'analyse de la resolution conformationnelle secondaire des resultats de la FT-IR a revele que le contenu de la structure en helice alpha pouvait etre restaure apres un traitement avec le dimaleate de 1,4-n-butylene. Les forces intermoleculaires etablies par les nouvelles liaisons C-S compensent les liaisons disulfures cassees et ameliorent la resistance a la rupture des cheveux par rapport a celle des cheveux reduits. Les reactifs de Michael de structure similaire ont egalement montre des performances similaires dans la restauration des proprietes mecaniques des cheveux reduits.Nos donnees montrent que le dimaleate de 1,4-n-butylene peut restaurer les proprietes mecaniques des cheveux reduits en reconnectant les liaisons disulfures reduites et en restaurant la conformation secondaire de la keratine des cheveux. The 1,4-butanediol dimaleate can improve the mechanical properties of hair by reconnecting broken disulfide bonds and modulating the secondary conformation of keratin via the thiol-Michael click reaction.image

Biosurfactants are attracting much interest due to their potential application as therapeutic agents in the medical and cosmetic field. Previous studies have demonstrated that biosurfactant such as sophorolipid (SL) exhibits immunomodulatory effects. In this article, we found the potential of sophorolipid for inhibiting histamine-induced itch and preliminarily explored its molecular basis. First, behavioral tests indicated that SL can remit the histamine-induced scratching behaviors of mice. Second, SL can suppress the the calcium influx induced by histamine, HTMT and VUF8430 in HaCaT cells. RT-PCR analysis showed that the histamine-induced upregulation of mRNA levels of phospholipase Cγ1, 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor (IP3R), and protein kinase Cα can be inhibted by SL, suggesting that SL may impede the PLC/IP3R signaling pathway activated by histamine. In further tests, the capsaicin-induced calcium influx can also be inhibited by SL. The immunofluorescence and molecular docking analysis indicated that SL acts as an inhibitor of transient receptor potential vanilloid-1 (TRPV1) activation to decrease calcium influx against stimuli. In summary, these results revealed that SL may inhibit histamine-induced itch by decreasing PLC/IP3R signaling pathway activation and modulating TRPV1 activity. This paper indicates that SL can be a useful treatment for histamine-dependent itch.

Camellia seed cake is a by‐product of Camellia oleifera Abel seed after oil extraction. Washing hair with Camellia seed cake extract is a traditional Chinese custom that has lasted for over one thousand years. However, the hair growth‐promoting effects of Camellia seed cake extract were not investigated so far. This work examined the effects of de‐saponinated Camellia seed cake extracts (DS‐CSE) on hair growth, using in vitro and in vivo models.