Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation has been associated with several acute and chronic conditions,
including sunburn, edema, hyperplasia, immunosuppression, photoaging, and skin cancer. The role
of naturally occurring phytochemicals in the prevention of such UV-related conditions has captured
increased interest. Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) is a rich source of polyphenolics, which have
been shown to exert anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticarcinogenic activity in numerous in vivo
and in vitro studies. This work investigated potential protective effects of a pomegranate fruit extract
standardized to punicalagins against UVA- and UVB-induced damage in SKU-1064 human skin
fibroblast cells. Pomegranate extract (PE), in a range from 5 to 60 mg/L, was effective at protecting
human skin fibroblasts from cell death following UV exposure, likely related to a reduced activation
of the pro-inflammatory transcription factor NF-κB, a downregulation of proapoptotic caspase-3, and
an increased G0/G1 phase, associated with DNA repair. Higher polyphenolic concentrations
(500-10000 mg/L) were needed to achieve a significant reduction in UV-induced reactive oxygen
species levels and increased intracellular antioxidant capacity (from 1.9 to 8.6 μM Trolox equivalents/
mL). Results from this study demonstrate the protective effects of PE against UVA- and UVB-induced
cell damage and the potential use of pomegranate polyphenolics in topical applications.