Scientists Found A Natural Way To Help Protect Skin From UV Damage
Most of us know sunscreen helps prevent sunburn, premature skin aging, and other effects of too much sun exposure. But UV radiation can also cause damage beneath the skin's surface, affecting things like nerve endings and the DNA inside our cells.
Now, researchers are looking at an unexpected source of protection: a compound naturally found in the leaves of a Brazilian rainforest tree.
In a new study, scientists tested the plant compound on donated human skin samples to see whether it could help protect against UV damage. The early findings offer an interesting glimpse at what future sun care ingredients might look like.
About the study
The compound is called brachycerine, and it comes from a tree called Psychotria brachyceras, which grows in Brazil's Atlantic Forest. The tree naturally makes brachycerine to help protect itself from UV stress.
In fact, it produces even more of the compound when exposed to UV-B radiation, one of the types of ultraviolet light that reaches our skin.
Researchers wanted to find out whether the compound could offer similar protection to human skin. To test this, they used donated skin tissue from eight women, ages 14 to 56, who had undergone breast or abdominal plastic surgery.
They applied skincare formulations containing either purified brachycerine or an extract made from the tree's leaves. The samples were then exposed to UV-A or UV-B light.
Afterward, researchers checked for two signs of damage: harm to the tiny nerve endings in the skin and damage to the DNA inside skin cells.
The plant compound helped protect two important parts of the skin
After UV exposure, untreated skin samples lost roughly half of their nerve endings.
The same happened with samples treated with a placebo cream containing SPF 15. But skin treated with brachycerine or the leaf extract held onto more of its nerve endings. The strongest formulations (1%) protected against both UV-A and UV-B damage.
At the lower 0.1% concentration, brachycerine still protected against UV-A but not clearly against UV-B, and the 0.1% leaf extract didn't show clear protection against either.
The researchers also found that the 1% formulations prevented measurable DNA damage from UV-B exposure. Untreated and placebo-treated samples showed DNA damage instead.
Finally, brachycerine showed no signs of harming skin cells when tested on its own, even at relatively high concentrations.
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A possible path to more sustainable sun protection
Some chemical UV filters have raised environmental concerns because they can enter wastewater and reach aquatic ecosystems. That's one reason researchers are exploring plant-based alternatives that may be more biodegradable.
Brachycerine is one potential candidate. The researchers describe it and the tree's leaf extract as sustainably produced botanical ingredients, though the next step they call for is pinning down exactly how the compounds protect skin.
The findings are also interesting because the compounds appeared to protect against damage to both skin nerve endings and DNA, not just the visible effects of sun exposure.
What this means for your sunscreen routine
Don't go looking for brachycerine on skincare labels just yet. This research was conducted on donated skin samples in a laboratory, not on people applying the ingredient in their daily routines.
Earlier research suggests skin samples respond to UV much like skin on the body, but the researchers say more evidence is needed before these compounds could be added to future broad-spectrum sunscreens.
For now, stick with familiar sun protection habits:
- Choose broad-spectrum sunscreen: Look for a formula that protects against both UV-A and UV-B radiation.
- Reapply regularly: Follow the directions on your sunscreen's label.
- Don't rely on sunscreen alone: The researchers note that some sunscreens may not protect skin well enough on their own, so it can help to pair yours with protective clothing and shade.
The takeaway
A Brazilian rainforest tree might have something interesting to contribute to the future of skincare.
Its naturally produced compound helped protect donated human skin from UV-related damage in early lab research.
It's not ready for your sunscreen shelf just yet, but it's a promising reminder that some future skincare innovations could come straight from nature.
