Bhakti Rajendra Kamble

Background: Skin aging, particularly photoaging induced by ultraviolet (UV) radiation, is a significant aesthetic and dermatological concern. Reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated oxidative stress and chronic inflammation contribute substantially to this process, leading to collagen degradation, extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling, and premature skin aging. While topical antioxidants have demonstrated protective effects, emerging evidence highlights a compelling systemic route of intervention via gut-derived bioactive metabolites.

Objective: This review aims to consolidate and critically evaluate current knowledge on the role of polyphenol-derived postbiotic metabolites in modulating skin photoaging. It emphasizes the gut-skin axis as a therapeutic target for dietary strategies leveraging polyphenol metabolism and postbiotic activity to prevent or attenuate photoaging.

Methods: A comprehensive literature review was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases up to May 2025. Keywords included polyphenols, postbiotics, gut microbiota, skin aging, photoaging, reactive oxygen species, matrix metalloproteinases, and gut-skin axis. Inclusion criteria encompassed in vitro, in vivo, and human studies investigating polyphenol metabolism by gut microbiota and subsequent effects on skin physiology. Data on ROS modulation, inflammatory cytokines, MMP activity, and ECM preservation were extracted and thematically synthesized.

Results: Polyphenol-rich diets beneficially modulate gut microbiota composition, promoting the biotransformation of complex polyphenols into bioactive postbiotics such as urolithins, phenolic acids, and phenyl-γ-valerolactones. These metabolites exhibit superior bioavailability, systemic antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and MMP-inhibitory properties compared to their precursor compounds. Preclinical and emerging clinical evidence indicates that these postbiotics mitigate UV-induced oxidative stress, suppress matrix metalloproteinase activity, preserve dermal ECM integrity, and reduce inflammatory markers, collectively suggesting a systemic photoprotective effect mediated by dietary polyphenols.

Conclusion: Polyphenol-derived postbiotic metabolites represent a novel and underexplored mechanism in the prevention of photoaging. Enhancing postbiotic production through targeted polyphenol-rich dietary interventions could offer a promising nutraceutical approach to systemic skin rejuvenation via modulation of the gut-skin axis. Further clinical validation and mechanistic studies are warranted to translate these findings into effective therapeutic strategies.

DOI: 10.22271/phyto.2025.v14.i3d.15382

Pages: 309-312  |  197 Views  85 Downloads