The complex process of skin aging results in noticeable changes, including decreased collagen content, reduced elasticity, and decreased hydration. Interventions to preserve or restore collagen, a key structural protein, may help counteract these signs. The concept of "beauty from within” through nutritional supplements is of growing interest, particularly the use of plant-based alternatives to animal-derived or synthetic collagen. This study investigated the anti-aging potential of an extract from Moldavian dragonhead (Dracocephalum moldavica L.), a natural plant-based compound. In vitro studies have shown that the extract stimulates genes crucial for skin structure. Further, a double-masked, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial in female volunteers demonstrated that oral supplementation with the extract significantly improves skin hydration and increases dermal and full-skin thickness. These findings suggest that the Moldavian dragonhead extract is a promising natural alternative to traditional interventions, offering a holistic approach to improve the skin's dermal network and combat skin aging.

Background: Stressed, damaged or very aged skin is predominantly characterized by a malfunctioning skin barrier. Underlying skin barrier malfunction is a reduced or defective calcium gradient in the epidermis. Consequently, replenishing the compromised skin's calcium stores with topical calcium could be a potential therapeutic approach.Methods: We investigated the effect of our novel Ca²⁺ double cone vector system on improving the differentiation and barrier function of reconstructed human epidermis (RHE), cultured at low basal calcium (0.3 mM) to represent very aged skin. Furthermore, in a randomized placebo‐controlled clinical study the skin barrier of 20 healthy volunteers was challenged with 2% sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) for 24 h under occlusion, following and/or prior to treatment with a gel containing 2% of our calcium vector system.Results: Culture in reduced basal calcium conditions (0.3 mM) strongly impeded the formation of a dense stratified epidermis. The apical treatment with 1.1 mM CaCl₂ was not able to restore a functional differentiation. Treatment with 0.1% of the Ca²⁺ delivery system rescued the differentiation process and resulted in a normal stratified epidermis. Clinically, application of the Ca²⁺ vector system prior to and following SLS stress prevented increases in skin irritation and transepidermal water loss (TEWL) compared to placebo controls. Importantly, the treatment also significantly accelerated the recovery time following SLS stress.Conclusion: With our novel Ca²⁺ vector system, we highlight the delivery of bioavailable Ca²⁺ ions into the skin as a new and successful approach to treat a damaged barrier present in stressed, aged or atopic skin.

Investigations into human longevity are increasingly focusing on healthspan enhancement, not just lifespan extension. Lifestyle modifications and nutritional choices, including food supplements, can significantly affect aging and general health. Phytochemicals in centenarians’ diets, such as those found in Timut pepper, a Nepalese spice with various medicinal properties, may contribute to their longevity. Similarly, Sichuan pepper, a related species, has demonstrated anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective activities. With the broader purpose of uncovering a novel treatment to address aging and its comorbidities, this study aims to investigate the potential lifespan- and healthspan-promoting effects of Timut pepper using the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans. We show that Timut pepper extract extends C. elegans’ lifespan at different maintenance temperatures and increases the proportion of active nematodes in their early adulthood. In addition, we show that Timut pepper extract enhances speed and distance moved as the nematodes age. Finally, Timut pepper extract assures extracellular matrix homeostasis by slowing the age-dependent decline of collagen expression.

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation exerts strong selective pressures on microbial life, yet many microorganisms display extraordinary resistance, revealing strategies that may be broadly useful for understanding survival under extreme stress. We systematically examined how UVA, UVB and UVC affect two slime mould species with contrasting pigmentation, Physarum polycephalum and Badhamia utricularis. Across more than 20 000 behavioural assays, we quantified growth, locomotion, photoavoidance, recovery capacity, fusion outcomes and revival from dormancy. UVB emerged as the most deleterious wavelength, causing rapid and sustained declines in growth and motility, while UVC produced intermediate, species-dependent effects, and UVA had a negligible short-term impact, though prolonged exposure over weeks eventually reduced locomotion. Damage was spatially restricted to irradiated plasmodial regions via compartmentalization but could spread through cytoplasmic fusion with stressed partners. Intermittent dark intervals enabled partial recovery, particularly from UVC, consistent with efficient photorepair, whereas UVB damage was more persistent. Strikingly, both species revived from sclerotia with near-perfect success even after a full week of continuous UV exposure, underscoring dormancy as a robust survival strategy. Badhamia utricularis consistently outperformed P. polycephalum. These findings reveal that slime moulds deploy wavelength-specific, species-dependent and state-dependent strategies to withstand UV stress, with rapid damage compartmentalization limiting immediate dysfunction and dormancy ensuring long-term survival under extreme irradiation.

Skin aging is a complex, multifaceted process influenced by both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying skin aging is crucial for developing effective anti-aging strategies. Dermal stem cells play a pivotal role in maintaining skin homeostasis, but their functionality is compromised with aging. This study investigated the impact of aging on dermal stem cells and explored the potential of natural extracts in modulating their biological characteristics. Using bulk RNA barcoding and sequencing (BRB-seq), we identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between young and aged dermal stem cells, revealing alterations in cellular processes, including cell proliferation, ECM synthesis, and RNA splicing. We also demonstrated that a natural extract, comprising callus cells and Alpine rose leaf extracts, influenced RNA splicing in aged dermal stem cells, leading to improved dermal structure and integrity in vitro. Our findings suggest that natural extracts may exert their effects through senolytic activity and the modulation of RNA splicing, a process crucial to gene expression and cellular function. This study underscores the potential of integrating high-throughput transcriptomics in understanding skin aging, presenting new avenues for the development of innovative, sustainable, and effective anti-aging strategies.

The complex process of skin aging results in noticeable changes, including decreased collagen content, reduced elasticity, and decreased hydration. Interventions to preserve or restore collagen, a key structural protein, may help counteract these signs. The concept of "beauty from within” through nutritional supplements is of growing interest, particularly the use of plant-based alternatives to animal-derived or synthetic collagen. This study investigated the anti-aging potential of an extract from Moldavian dragonhead (Dracocephalum moldavica L.), a natural plant-based compound. In vitro studies have shown that the extract stimulates genes crucial for skin structure. Further, a double-masked, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial in female volunteers demonstrated that oral supplementation with the extract significantly improves skin hydration and increases dermal and full-skin thickness. These findings suggest that the Moldavian dragonhead extract is a promising natural alternative to traditional interventions, offering a holistic approach to improve the skin's dermal network and combat skin aging.