Inhibition of ultraviolet-B radiation induced ornithine decarboxylase activity and edema formation by hydrolyzable and condensed tannins in mouse skin in vivo.

Naturally occurring hydrolyzable (HT) and condensed (CT) tannins and their monomeric units were tested for their ability to inhibit the induction of epidermal ODC activity and the formation of skin edema by UVB, two responses that are linked to the hyperplastic and inflammatory components of skin tumor promotion by this agent. Hairless mice were irradiated with either single (200 mJ/cm2/sec) or multiple (150 mJ/cm2/sec) doses of UVB and epidermal ODC activity was assayed at different times following irradiation. The peak of ODC induction which is observed 30-40 hours after a single UVB irradiation increases by 2.5 fold and shifts to a much earlier time of 5 hours after two UVB treatments repeated at 24-hour intervals. Topical applications of the various plant tannins, before or after irradiation, were found to inhibit, in a dose-dependent manner, epidermal ODC activity induced by single and multiple UVB treatments. Furthermore, the various HT and CT samples resulted in significant protection against UVB radiation-caused cutaneous edema. In general, the polymeric tannins inhibited ODC induction and edema to a greater degree than equal doses of their monomeric units, gallic acid and catechin. These results, in conjunction with our prior publications, suggest that various HTs and CTs may be useful against the hyperplastic and inflammatory responses associated with the exposure of skin to the tumor-promoting effects of both physical and chemical environmental carcinogens.