Anti-Wrinkle Effect of Isatis indigotica Leaf Extract: Evaluation of Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammation, and Clinical Activity

Isatis indigotica leaf is an oriental herbal medicine that has been known for various pharmacological effects. However, its anti-wrinkle activity has not been fully evaluated. Therefore, we evaluated the anti-wrinkle effect of I. indigotica leaf extract on human skin. The purified extract inhibited 85.4% of 2,2-diphenyl-1-1picrylhydrazyl and 72.2% of 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt radicals at a concentration of 1 mg/mL. Nitrite production was reduced by 30% after treatment with 50 μg/mL of extract. Three fractions from the extract downregulated the mRNA expression of matrix metalloproteinase-1 and -3 and upregulated the expression of interleukin 4. Among the three fractions, fraction 2 exhibited the highest activity. The major component of the extract was identified as 3,4,5-trimethoxycinnamic acid by liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. Molecular docking was conducted to predict the binding mechanism of 3,4,5-trimethoxycinnamic with matrix metalloproteinase-1 and -3, and their binding energies were −5.20 and −4.89 kcal/mol, respectively. In a clinical trial, five roughness values of visiometer and visual score were significantly reduced in treated groups compared with the placebo group after 8 weeks. I. indigotica leaf extract inhibits wrinkle formation, and could be a potential anti-wrinkle agent. This is the first clinical trial demonstrating its anti-wrinkle activity.