The history of cosmetics goes back to early Egyptian times for hygiene and health benefits while the history of topical applications that provide a medicinal treatment to combat dermal aging is relatively new. For example, the term cosmeceutical was first coined by Albert Kligman in 1984 to describe topical products that afford both cosmetic and therapeutic benefits. However, beauty comes from the inside. Therefore, for some time scientists have considered how nutrition reflects healthy skin and the aging process. The more recent link between nutrition and skin aging began in earnest around the year 2000 with the demonstrated increase in peer-reviewed scientific journal reports on this topic that included biochemical and molecular mechanisms of action. Thus, the application of: (a) topical administration from outside into the skin and (b) inside by oral consumption of nutritionals to the outer skin layers is now common place and many journal reports exhibit significant improvement for both on a variety of dermal parameters. Therefore, this review covers, where applicable, the history, chemical structure, and sources such as biological and biomedical properties in the skin along with animal and clinical data on the oral applications of: (a) collagen, (b) ceramide, (c) β-carotene, (d) astaxanthin, (e) coenzyme Q₁₀, (f) colostrum, (g) zinc, and (h) selenium in their mode of action or function in improving dermal health by various quantified endpoints. Lastly, the importance of the human skin microbiome is briefly discussed in reference to the genomics, measurement, and factors influencing its expression and how it may alter the immune system, various dermal disorders, and potentially be involved in chemoprevention.

Plant essential oils (EOs) are known to inhibit the growth of bacteria and fungi. Whether these antimicrobial effects are comparable to synthetic household products is less clear. Furthermore, limited research is available on the potential additive effect of blending EOs. In this investigation, a new EO blend containing orange, patchouli, peppermint, and clary sage was compared to its individual single oils and to three household products-air freshener, liquid soap, and body spray-for their ability to inhibit the growth of Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Pseudonomas aeruginosa, and Aspergillus brasiliensis in the disc-diffusion assay. The new EO blend significantly inhibited the growth of the four microorganisms. The zones of inhibition of new EO blend were greater than the air freshener and similar to the liquid soap and body spray, with the exception of Str. pneumoniae in which the body spray provided greater inhibitory zone. The new EO blend and the single oils, with the exception of peppermint, equally inhibited the growth of S. aureus and Str. pneumoniae suggesting no additive effect. P. aeruginosa and A. brasiliensis showed variable susceptibility to all EOs except for no susceptibility to orange and limonene. No difference was found between (-) and (+)-limonene; whereas, (+)-menthol showed greater effect than (-)-menthol. In conclusion, blending the EO of orange, patchouli, peppermint, and clary sage was beneficial in inhibiting the growth of S. aureus, Str. pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa, and A. brasiliensis providing a natural antimicrobial fragrance option over synthetics fragrances used in soaps, body sprays, and air fresheners.

Skin dryness, fine lines and wrinkles, red spots, red vasculature, and porphyrin count are common indicators of skin health and beauty. The skincare system in this study contains scientifically validated ingredients such as fermented green tea (Camellia sinensis) water, niacinamide, antioxidants, and a variety of natural plant extracts. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of this skincare system in improving facial-skin health and beauty. Twenty-six healthy adults, both female and male, aged 18–54 and of all skin types and tones, were included in the study and participated as either the active or the control group (competitor product) using designated topical products for 30 days. Skin moisture, fine lines and wrinkles, porphyrin count, red spots, and red vasculature count were measured through high-quality photography, Visia^® complexion analysis, FitSkin^® skin analysis, and survey questions on day 0, day 8, and day 30. Significant improvements were observed in facial moisture, red-spot count, red vasculature count, and porphyrin count on day 30 in comparison with the control group. Non-significant improvements were observed in pores, skin texture, and wrinkles. With extensive well-documented functional ingredients, the studied skincare system used daily may significantly improve key areas of skin health and beauty.

The purpose of this clinical study was to determine whether gold nanoparticle (AuNP) supplementation at a dosage of 0.34 mg elemental gold per day can improve knee joint health, function, and quality of life for arthritis patients. A total of 51 participants (24 male and 27 female, age 62.1 ± 13.1) were followed for 20 weeks through a three-phase longitudinal study. Both subjective and objective parameters were used to measure changes in joint health and function, as well as quality of life. The study found patients’ Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) improved with statistical significance. It was reported that 71.42% of the cohort experienced improvements in their perceived knee pain and 61.22% with improvements in knee stiffness. Majority of objective measurements such as pain with range of motion and specific exercises requiring proper knee health and function did not show statistically significant improvement but did show a positive improving trend in support of AuNP supplement. Study cohort showed statistically significant improvements in two specific exercises: sit-to-stand and single-leg squat. By the end of the study, 70% of the study cohort indicated that they would continue to take the supplement even after the study concluded. Though the study has limitations and is not definitely conclusive, it was the first clinical study to show that oral micro-dosage of AuNP as low as 0.34 mg daily is safe and effective for both rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis patients. This study opened way for the use of AuNP in both clinical and daily settings to improve joint health and function for both average and athletic users.

Telomerase activity coincides with lengthening of the ends of chromosomes known as telomeres. Telomere length is used as a marker for cellular aging. Telomeres shorten over time as cells divide, and certain bioactive compounds such as gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) may slow the shortening of telomeres by increasing telomerase activity. The objective of the present study is to assess the effect of AuNPs on telomerase activity and telomere length in human fibroblasts. Telomerase activity was measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in primary human lung fibroblasts (IMR90) and using quantitative PCR-based telomeric repeat amplification protocol (Q-TRAP) in primary human dermal fibroblasts, neonatal (HDFn). Telomere length was determined by Telomere Analysis Technology (TAT^®)assay in HDFn. In IMR90, all AuNP treatments showed significant increases in telomerase activity when compared to earlier passages. HDFn treated with AuNPs at 0 ppm, 0.05 ppm, 0.5 ppm, or 5 ppm did not show significant differences in telomerase activity compared to the control group. Significant differences in telomere length in HDFn were observed at 2 weeks of 0.05 and 0.5 ppm AuNPs under oxidative culture conditions as compared to the control group. The study showed preliminary evidence that AuNPs may increase telomerase activity and decelerate the shortening of telomeres in human fibroblasts, suggesting its potential anti-aging effects, which warrants further investigation.

Background: Colostrum is the first milk that supplies newborns with immune supporting peptides. Due to its heterogeneous and variable characteristics, standardized assays for assessment of its biological activities are a challenge. The current set of studies were aimed to investigate the immune activity of bovine colostrum blends as well as develop a method to assess variability across different lots. Methods: Immune activity of a bovine colostrum blend was evaluated by their ability to enhance PBMC (peripheral blood mononuclear cell)-mediated killing of K562 cells. K562 cell killing was assessed by flow cytometry using DAPI. PBMCs derived from multiple healthy donors were initially investigated. Frozen PBMC aliquots from one of the highest responders were used for subsequent studies. Different doses and lots of product were assessed. Incubation time was also explored. Results: Bovine colostrum blend similarly reduced K562 cells number and these effects were often greater than the IL-2 positive control. Despite consistent efficacy at enhancing PBMCs-mediated K562 killing, the degree of the effect was significantly variable across different lots. These biological effects were largely dependent on the solubility of the product. Conclusion: Assessment of PBMC-mediated killing of K562 cells by flow cytometry using DAPI can be a reliable method for measuring immune activity of bovine colostrum when the material is well-dissolved into solution and the same biological sample from a single donor is used.