Pomegranate Flower Complex a Novel Anti-ageing Active

This multi-active complex based on pomegranate flowers was developed to address the growing demand for botanical-based anti-ageing actives. It is a multi-functional active designed to reduce the visible signs of ageing by increasing skin density and decreasing the appearance of wrinkles. Skin ageing is the result of two processes, intrinsic or chronological ageing and extrinsic ageing, which is due to environmental factors, the most important being exposure to UV. It is the balance between these two processes which plays a crucial role in the process of skin ageing. Environmental factors acting on the skin and genetically-determined processes cause an increase in collagen breakdown and at the same time a reduction in the synthesis of new collagen, which results in the increased appearance of wrinkles. One of the enzymes responsible for the breakdown of collagen is matrix metalloproteinase 1 (MMP-1). It was demonstrated that an extract of pomegranate flowers (PGFE) reduced MMP-1 mRNA gene expression in UVA irradiated and non-irradiated primary human dermal fibroblasts. The pomegranate flower extract (PGFE) was then combined with sodium ascorbyl phosphate (SAP), a derivative of vitamin C and a well-known antioxidant and collagen booster, into a single product (PGFE/SAP). The combined product (PGFE/SAP) was shown both to successfully promote collagen synthesis and to inhibit its breakdown resulting in measurably and visibly reduced depth of facial wrinkles and increase in skin density.