• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.1-10
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• 2005

Objectives : We investigated the anti-aging effect on skin with the extract of the needles of red pine, Pinus densiflora. Methods : We measured various effects related to skin such as the anti-oxidant effect, the protection against ultraviolet (UV) irradiation, the inhibition of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, the induction of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), the reduction of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) synthesis and senescent cell. Results : The results were as follows : The extract of the needles of red pine (RP) had the potent anti-oxidant effect and the ROS scavenging effect. Also RP preserved the systemic anti-oxidant enzyme system (superoxide dismutase and catalase) from UVB irradiation. RP protected the cell membrane from the damages induced by UVB irradiation. RP induced HSP70, a mediator of resistance to UVB irradiation. RP reduced the synthesis of MMP-2 induced by UVB irradiation. And RP inhibited the amount of senescent-associated (SA) ${\beta}-galactosidase$ staining, as a marker of replicative senescence. Conclusions : The results of our study indicate that the extract of the needles of red pine, Pinus densiflora, has anti-aging effects on skin.