Pistacia lentiscus fruit oil reduces oxidative stress in human skin explants caused by hydrogen peroxide.

We investigated the efficacy of Pistacia lentiscus fruit oil (PLFO) for protecting human skin from damage due to oxidative stress. PLFO contains natural antioxidants including polyphenols, sterols and tocopherols. We compared the antioxidant potential of PLFO with extra virgin olive oil (EVOO). Explants of healthy adult human skin were grown in culture with either PLFO or EVOO before adding hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). We also used cultured skin explants to investigate the effects of PLFO on lipid oxidation and depletion of endogenous antioxidant defense enzymes including glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) one day after 2 h exposure to H2O2. We found that PLFO scavenged radicals and protected skin against oxidative injury. PLFO exhibited greater antioxidant and free radical scavenging activity than EVOO. Skin explants treated with PLFO inhibited H2O2 induced MDA formation by inhibition of lipid oxidation. In addition, the oil inhibited H2O2 induced depletion of antioxidant defense enzymes including GPx, SOD and CAT. We found that treatment with PLFO repaired skin damage owing to its antioxidant properties.