CAMPINAS, BrazilThe extract of Piptadenia colubrina, a plant native of South American rainforests, promotes cellular hydration and induces gene expression of envelope proteins providing greater corneocyte cohesion to keep water and other moisturizers in the skin and an appropriate epidermal adhesion, according to a Brazilian study (J Cosm Dermato. 2010;9(1):35-43).

The expression of genes for aquaporin-3 (AQP3), loricrin, involucrin (INV) and filaggrin (FLG) was measured by real-time PCR, using an in vitro model of human keratinocytes incubated with concentrations of 2.5, 5, 10 and 20 mg/mL of a hydroglycolic extract of P. colubrina (HEPC). The amount of AQP3 protein was also tested by immunohistochemistry in human skin explants. Clinical trials were conducted to evaluate the effects of a gel-cream containing HEPC on the glycerol index and skin capacitance.

Hydroglycolic extract of P. colubrina increased both the expression and immunoreactivity of AQP3 in cultured keratinocytes and human skin explants. The gene induction to envelope proteins FLG and INV was also observed after cell incubation with HEPC. Skin capacitance was significantly improved in human volunteers under treatment with HEPC-containing cream. The in vitro findings were clinically confirmed and encourage the clinical use of this compound in skin care products.