A pilot study of the photoprotective effects of strawberry-based cosmetic formulations on human dermal fibroblasts

Strawberry polyphenols have been extensively studied over the last two decades for their beneficial properties. Recently, their possible use in ameliorating skin conditions has also been proposed; however, their role in preventing UVA-induced damage in cosmetic formulation has not yet been investigated. Skin is constantly exposed to several environmental stressors, such as UVA radiation, that induce oxidative stress, inflammation and cell death via the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In the present study, we assessed the potential photoprotective capacity of different strawberry-based formulations, enriched with nanoparticles of Coenzyme Q10 and with sun protection factor 10 (SPF10), in human dermal fibroblasts (HuDe) exposed to UVA radiation. We confirmed that strawberries are a very rich source of polyphenols, anthocyanins and vitamins, and possess high total antioxidant capacity. We also showed that strawberry extracts (25 μg/mL-1 mg/mL) exert a noticeable photoprotection in HuDe, increasing cell viability in a dose-dependent way, and that these effects are potentiated by the presence of CoQ10red (100 μg/mL). We have demonstrated for the first time that the topical use of strawberry extract may provide good photoprotection, even if more in-depth studies are strongly encouraged in order to evaluate the cellular and molecular effects of strawberry protection.