Mexican Plants with Photoprotective Properties

[Guide]

"Several compounds present in plants have been shown to have positive effects on skin health as well as photoprotective properties. It has been shown that several classes of secondary metabolites, such as alkaloids, carotenoids and phenolic compounds, provide protection against UVR damage in the skin. These compounds can absorb UVR, block it and stop the mechanisms by which UVR damages the skin. Mexican plant biodiversity is a valuable source of secondary metabolites with photoprotective effects. Several Mexican plants produce unique molecules or mixtures with significant antioxidant and photoprotection properties. Due to their outstanding mechanisms of action, crude plant extracts, isolated compounds from plants or mixtures could all be potential ingredients in a new generation of sunscreens. In addition to their strong antioxidant and photoprotective properties, they also prevent photoaging and skin cancers. Furthermore, most of them have little to no side effects, making them a safe option for sunscreens."

Plants (Basel). 2022 Jan; 11(2): 220.
Plant Secondary Metabolites against Skin Photodamage: Mexican Plants, a Potential Source of UV-Radiation Protectant Molecules
Ana Mariel Torres-Contreras, Antoni Garcia-Baeza, Heriberto Rafael Vidal-Limon, Isaias Balderas-Renteria, Mónica A. Ramírez-Cabrera, and Karla Ramirez-Estrada

Image of Portulaca oleracea flower courtesy of Wikimedia Commons