Yung-Kai Lin¹, Yi-Jung Liu², Jia-Wei Shen², Hsiu-Mei Chiang², Yung-Hsiang Lin³, Shu-Ting Chan³ and Chi-Fu Chiang³*

¹Institute of Food Safety and Risk Management, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung, Taiwan, Department of Food Science, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung, Taiwan. Graduate Institute of Biomedical Engineering, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
²Department of Cosmeceutics, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
³Research and Design Center, TCI CO., Ltd., Taipei, Taiwan

*Corresponding Author: Chi-Fu Chiang, Research and Design Center, TCI CO., Ltd., Taipei, Taiwan.

Received: January 07, 2025; Published: January 25, 2025

Abstract

Skin aging manifests as dryness, laxity, pigmentation, and reduced elasticity, compromises both appearance and barrier function. Natural plant extracts, such as Saussurea involucrata (snow lotus), have gained attention for their potent bioactive compounds and anti-aging potential, providing safe alternatives to synthetic ingredients. This study aimed to evaluate the anti-aging effects and skin-improving properties of snow lotus stem cell extract liquid (Cell Young®) through cellular and clinical investigations. Cellular studies assessed immune capacity, collagen secretion, and melanin inhibition in human skin fibroblasts and melanoma cells. Clinical trials included 40 subjects who consumed snow lotus drinks or a placebo daily for eight weeks in a double-blind design. The results showed that snow lotus stem cells extract liquid increased immune cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α) and longevity-related genes (FOXO), enhanced keratin barrier function (TGM1), inhibited melanin production (MITF), suppressed collagen-degrading enzymes (MMP9), increased collagen secretion, and promoted wound healing. Human trials further validated their efficacy, showing increased expression of Sirtuin 1(SIRT1) and Fork head Box O3 (FOXO3), improved skin elasticity, after 60 days of snow lotus drink consumption. These findings highlight their potential for cosmetic and functional applications.

Keywords: Immune; Skin Aging; Snow Lotus; Stem Cell

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Citation

Citation: Chi-Fu Chiang., et al. “Anti-Aging and Skin-Improving Effects of Saussurea Involucrata Stem Cell Extract: Cellular Mechanisms and Clinical Validation". Acta Scientific Nutritional Health 9.2 (2025): 55-62.

Copyright

Copyright: © 2025 Chi-Fu Chiang.,et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.