The consumption of bananas may prevent UVB skin damage. - GreenMedInfo Summary
Effects of Thai Musa species on prevention of UVB-induced skin damage in mice.
Food Chem Toxicol. 2012 Sep 8 ;50(12):4292-4301. Epub 2012 Sep 8. PMID: 22986089
Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Center of Excellence for Innovation in Chemistry, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok 65000, Thailand. Electronic address: [email protected].
The effects of oral administration of Musa sapientum and Musa suerier on prevention of UVB induced skin damages were investigated in male ICR mice. Animals were orally administered 50mg/day ascorbic acid, or M. sapientum or M. suerier's fruit pulps at dose of 0.5, 1 or 1.5mg/g body weight/day for 12weeks. Concurrently, the shaved backs of animals were irradiated with UVB for 12weeks. The intensity of irradiation was progressively increased, from 54mJ/cm(2) per exposure at week 1-126mJ/cm(2) at week 11. A significant decrease (p<0.05) in skin elasticity (from 0.82±0.02 to 0.42±0.09) and total glutathione (from (193.6±18.7 to 152.7±7.8ng/mg protein) as compared with the control group (water-administered UVB-irradiated mice) was observed after 12weeks of UVB exposure. When l-ascorbic acid (0.72±0.01) or 1mg/g body weight/day M. suerier (0.84±0.06) were administered to UVB-irradiated mice, the reduction in skin elasticity was significantly inhibited (p<0.05). Moreover, the significant increase (p<0.05) in level of total glutathione was found in these groups (220.8±13.3ng/mg protein for l-ascorbic acid and 224.9±20.1ng/mg protein for M. suerier). These findings suggest the potential effect of daily consumption of M. suerier on prevention of skin damage from repeated UVB exposure.