Two Novel Natural Extracts Improve Pore Appearance | Happi (2024)

Figure 1: Inhibition of NF-κB by CSLE. Bar graph shows mean ± SEM (n = 6), *;
p < 0.05 (Student’s t-test), †; p < 0.05 vs control (NF-κB +) (Dunnett’s test)

Artichoke extract strongly suppressed NF-κB, which induces inflammation, to inhibit abnormal keratinization of keratinocytes and proliferation of melanocyte. In human clinical test, the artichoke extract was found to significantly improve cone-shaped and darkened pores. In addition, four-leaf clover extract promoted the production of both tropoelastin and Fibulin-5 which are involved in forming mature elastin. In human clinical test, clover extract improved skin elasticity, resulting in significant improvement of sagging pores.

In February 2022, we conducted a beauty-related survey on 325 men and 321 women aged between 15 and 69 years-old living in Japan. We discovered that “pores” is the facial issue that women in their teens to thirties are mostly concerned about. When online meetings became commonplace during the pandemic, people frequently see themselves onscreen. As a result, they became self-conscious about their skin appearance. That concern is propelling interest in pore appearance. Specific examples are open pores, keratotic plugs, darkened pores, poor makeup application due to them, and more noticeable pores as foundation falls into pores.

Furthermore, in general, pores on men tend to be more noticeable than women as they have more developed sebaceous glands, and larger amounts of sebum is secreted. As men’s makeup is attracting more attention lately, development of topical products for the skin to improve pore conditions is expected in order to make the skin looking beautiful regardless of gender.

One of the reasons for many different types of pore-related concerns is a wide variation of pores. Cone-shaped pores caused by sebum and other factors tend to bother relatively younger generations; darkened pores caused by keratotic plugs clogging pores and dirt on keratinocytes; and sagging pores that become prominent with aging (Figure 1). They have different shapes, factors and measures.

In this article, we will detail artichoke extract and four-leaf clover extract—two plant-origin raw materials that are useful to improve the appearance of these pores.

Cone Shaped Pores & Darkened Pores

Pores open due to excessive sebaceous secretion and abnormal keratinization occurs around pore openings, resulting in cone-shape depressed and enlarged pores. This depression increases with age and many people in their 30s start to become concerned about noticeable open pores.¹

Darkened pores occur due to keratotic plugs clogging pores and dirty keratinocytes that make pores look darker. Furthermore, darkened areas become even darker due to pigmentation of melanin produced by melanocytes inside pores due to UV exposure.

What Is Artichoke?

Artichoke is a member of the Cynara genus of the Asteraceae family, and its receptacle and involucre contain cynarin, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, protein, carotene and vitamin C, as well as other nutrients. The leaves, receptacle and involucre have known pharmacological effects such as being diuretic, tonic, choleretic, lowering blood cholesterol, and choleroprotective. We have discovered that Cynara Scolymus (Artichoke) Leaf Extract (CSLE) suppresses Nuclear Factor-kappa B (NF-κB), a transcription factor involved in inflammation, and have commercialized it as Biobenefity, a cosmetic ingredient that claims to prevent photoaging of the skin. Both the abnormal keratinization that induces “cone-shaped” pores and the increase in melanocytes/melanin production that induces “darkened” pores are believed to be associated with excessive activation of NF-κB.

Working Mechanism of CSLE

NF-κB is one of the important proteins involved in inflammation and is also present in epidermal keratinocytes and dermal fibroblasts of skin. Excessive expression of NF-κB enhances the production of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) which has a cell growth effect as well as Matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) which is an extracellular matrix degrading enzyme.² This results in excessive epidermal keratinocytes, thickening of the epidermis due to abnormal keratinization, pigmentation due to proliferation of melanocytes and loss of skin elasticity due to degradation of dermal collagen. CSLE has a strong suppressive effect on NF-κB (Figure 1A), and cynaropicrin has been identified as its active substance. CSLE and cynaropicrin were expected to improve “cone-shaped” pores by suppressing excessive production of bFGF and MMP-1 via suppression of NF-κB transcriptional activity and by suppressing overgrowth and abnormal keratinization of epidermal cells (Figure 1B). In addition, when the culture supernatant of epidermal keratinocytes with overexpressed NF-κB was collected and added to the culture medium of untreated normal melanocytes, the promotion of melanocyte proliferation was confirmed (Figure 1B). This was thought to be the result of over-secreted bFGF from epidermal keratinocytes stimulating melanocytes. On the other hand, when CSLE or cynaropicrin was added to the epidermal keratinocyte incubation medium in advance, proliferation of melanocytes was suppressed (Figure 1B). Accordingly, CSLE was expected to improve “darkened pores” through the suppression of the transcriptional activity of NF-κB in epidermal keratinocytes.

Improved Pore Appearance

Figure 2. Improvement of pores by CSLE. Red dots show pores recognized by Vectra H1.

Figure 3. Happy clover’s four-leaf appears higher than usual. (A) Elastin production effect by TRE. (B) Bar graph shows mean ± SEM (n = 3), *; p < 0.05, **; p < 0.01 vs control (Dunnett’s test).

We evaluated the influence of CSLE on “cone-shaped” pores and “darkened” pores in a clinical human trial on 15 healthy males and females in their 20s to 40s who were concerned about their pores. In this trial, a half-face method was carried out on the same subjects (Right side of face: Lotion containing 5% CSLE, Left side: Control lotion). The lotions were applied twice a day for two months. The number of noticeable pores on the areas from the nose to cheek was counted using a Roboskin Analyzer RSA-50 (Infoward) before application as well as one and two months after the test began. As a result of analysis, application of CSLE significantly reduced noticeable pores on nine subjects out of 15 (Figure 2) and a tendency toward improvement was seen on other three subjects as well.

Sagging Pore & Four-Leaf Clover Effects

“Sagging” pores indicate a state where pores have deformed from round to oval due to sagging skin and are also called oval pores or teardrop-shaped pores. It has been reported that as the elasticity of skin declines with aging, pores expand in the direction of gravity, becoming larger both in area and depth.³ Recently, we launched HappiClov (INCI: Trifolium Repens Extract (TRE), which improves sagging. HappiClov is made of an ingredient of natural origin, the four-leaf clover, which is considered to symbolize good fortune and happiness all over the world.

Four-leaf clovers are rare, as their creation involves various external factors in the growth process before leaves are formed as well as mutation. Since the probability of four-leaf clover growing naturally is generally considered to be 1 in 10,000 or 100,000, it is extremely difficult to find. Interestingly, there is a white clover strain where a four-leaf clover occurs at high percentages in Tahara City, Aichi Prefecture and it is cultivated with the name “Happy Clover” (Figure 3A). The strain is leafy and more than half have at least four leaves. A stable production system was established through long-term research. In Tahara City, a company started the “happy four-leaf project” using this leafy strain. HappiClov is a cosmetic ingredient developed using the unnecessary parts from the “Happy Clover” when it is cultivated for ornamental purposes while considering efficient use of resources and reducing waste. Furthermore, “Happy Clover” is cultivated in a facility for people with disabilities is used as part of the ingredient. This Sustainable Development Goals-conscious product supports social welfare and contributes to community vitality.

TRE Mechanism

Figure 4. Lift-up effect and Improvement of pores by TRE. Lift-up effect in 30’s woman (A). Improvement of pores in 30’s woman (B)

Elastin fibers exist in human skin, lungs and blood vessels in large amounts, and are responsible for the stretchability of these tissues. However, deteriorate and fracture of them due to aging and UV exposure are also causes of sagging skin. In the dermis, although the amount of elastin fibers is small as compared to other components, they have an important role in generating skin’s elasticity. Elastin fibers are formed when tropoelastin secreted from cells bind on microfibrils then lysine residues of tropoelastin are cross-linked by lysyl oxidase. In this process, Developmental Arteries and Neural Crest EGF-like/Fibulin-5 is important factors to promote elastin binding with microfibrils and cross-linking after that^4,5 and they also have essential functions for the formation of elastin fibers.^6,7 It has been reported that elastin fibers decrease faster than other components such as collagen due to the influence of UV-rays as well as aging and, therefore, skin’s stretchability and elasticity significantly drop, forming wrinkles and inducing sagging.⁸ When the amount of tropoelastin secreted from human skin fibroblast were evaluated using ELISA (Cusabio), TRE was confirmed to increase the production amount of both (Figure 3B). These results indicated that HappiClov improves skin softness and elasticity while suppressing the formation of wrinkles as well as sagging. It was also expected to improve “sagging” pores.

Improve Sagging Pores

We carried out a clinical human trial to evaluate the influence of TRE on 12 healthy females in their 30s to 50s who were concerned about sagging skin. In this trial, a half-face method was carried out on the same subjects (Left side of face: Lotion containing 1% HappiClov, Right side: Control lotion). The lotions were applied twice a day for four weeks. Measurement was performed using Vectra H1 (Integral). Changes on their cheeks before and after the test were analyzed and the changes in the position of both cheeks were indicated in the size and direction of arrows (Figure 4A). Based on these parameters, the size and direction of arrows significantly changed on the side where the lotion containing 1% TRE was applied, confirming a clear effect to lift up cheeks. Also, when the average volume of pores was measured before and after the test using Antera 3D (Miravex), the value significantly reduced on the side where the lotion containing 1% TRE was applied, indicating the improvement of “sagging pores” (Figure 4B).

Conclusion

For “cone-shaped” pores and “darkened” pores, artichoke extract Biobenefity can inhibit abnormal keratinization and melanocyte proliferation is useful. For “sagging” pores, the four-leaf clover extract HappiClov that has an action to promote the production of both tropoelastin and Fibulin-5 which are essential for forming mature elastin is useful.

References

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