The rise in electronic device use has increased blue light exposure, which can cause skin hyperpigmentation and accelerate aging beyond its natural course.
The main direct effect of blue light is the excessive production of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, leading to melanin-induced hyperpigmentation. Indirectly, blue light disrupts the skin circadian rhythm via melatonin signaling. This 24-hour cycle helps the skin defend against aggressors like UV radiation during the day and promotes repair, cell turnover, and collagen production at night.
Incorporating natural antioxidants into skincare products can help protect against harmful effects of blue light, supporting both daytime defense and nighttime repair.
APPLE STRATEGIES TO FIGHT RADIATIONS
The biomimetic approach exploits the strategies that plants have developed to counteract damage under stress conditions. For instance, melatonin in apples reduces radiation-induced browning in both the fruit and its juice, thanks to its potent antioxidant properties.
It scavenges free radicals, thereby inhibiting the conversion of o-diphenolic compounds into quinones, which would otherwise cause the flesh and juice to turn brown. Additionally, melatonin exhibits strong anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activity (Zhang H. et al., 2018).
THE SCIENCE BEHIND
Malus domestica extract is derived from the Shinsekai 1 cultivar, known as the richest among apples in melatonin content.
The extract is enriched in active ingredients through ultrasound-assisted extraction and tangential flow filtration.
This melatonin-rich extract further enhances skin protection and repair by restoring melatonin levels disrupted by blue light exposure, regulating melanin production, and supporting the skin’s circadian rhythm. To test its effectiveness, a melanocyte cell line was exposed to blue light for three days and treated with different concentrations of APPLEguard®.
APPLEGUARD® PROTECTS THE SKIN FROM BLUE LIGHT DAMAGE
APPLEguard®, not only protects cells viability (Graph 1), but significantly (p<0.05) reduces melanin production in melanocytes after blue light exposure (Graph 2) demonstrating its efficacy in protecting the skin from blue light.
Pictures of melanin production (represented by brown color intensity) in melanocytes after blue light exposure and APPLEguard® treatment are shown for each samples. The browner the cells become, the more melanin and radiation-induced damage increase.
