This review examines existing studies on wheat bran extracts (WBEs) to provide an overview of their functional properties, including antioxidant and enzyme-inhibitory activities, highlighting their potential as natural alternatives for applications in both the food and cosmetic industries. Despite variations in extraction techniques, WBEs consistently demonstrated a significant presence of phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity. In the food industry, WBEs are valued for their nutritional richness, including dietary fiber, proteins, and bioactive compounds such as arabinoxylans. These compounds improve food texture, stability, and baking properties. Additionally, WBEs have demonstrated antimicrobial potential, enhanced product quality, and serve as natural preservatives. Furthermore, WBEs exhibit significant inhibitory effects against collagenase and elastase, suggesting promising anti-aging potential. In the cosmetics sector, WBEs have gained attention due to their emulsion stability, skin-whitening properties, antimicrobial effects, and antioxidant capacities. They have the potential to enhance the stability of cosmetic emulsions, improve skin hydration, and inhibit enzymes linked to skin aging, positioning WBEs as potentially natural alternatives to synthetic ingredients in skincare and anti-aging products. Our recent pilot study also supports that WBEs enhance antioxidant defenses against oxidative stress in rats, highlighting their potential role in anti-aging interventions. To further elucidate the efficacy and bioavailability of the beneficial bioactive compounds in WBEs for both food and cosmetic applications, more comprehensive in vivo studies are required in the future.

Background/Objectives: Wheat bran is known for its anti-aging effects, primarily due to its antioxidant properties. Our previous study identified novel antioxidants in wheat bran (xylo-oligosaccharides and protein hydrolysates) using an innovative extraction method. However, the anti-aging potential of these wheat bran extracts (WBEs) remains unclear. Methods: This study evaluated the anti-aging effects of WBE in a D-galactose-induced aging model using Wistar rats. Animals were divided into four groups: (1) saline-injected control, (2) D-galactose-injected control, (3) D-galactose + 5% WBE, and (4) D-galactose + 10% WBE. After six weeks, body weight, food intake, body fat percentage, erythrocyte superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, and liver senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal) levels were assessed. Results: D-galactose significantly reduced food intake in positive control 87 ± 21%/weekly (negative control; p < 0.05, 107 ± 20%/weekly for 10%WBE; p < 0.01. Body fat percentage (positive control: 84 ± 19% vs. 5% WBE: 110 ± 20%, p < 0.05 in 100% convert). It also lowered erythrocyte SOD activity; 68.6 ± 9%, p < 0.01 in 100% conversion). WBE supplementation restored SOD activity in a dose-dependent manner (5% WBE: 32,479 ± 12,773 U/mL; 10% WBE: 42,368 ± 20,281 U/mL. Although D-galactose did not elevate significantly SA-β-gal activity in the liver, WBE supplementation still led to a dose-dependent reduction in baseline SA-β-gal levels (294 ± 84 nmol/min/mg protein vs. 5% WBE: 181 ± 65 nmol/min/mg protein, and 10% WBE: 146 ± 40 nmol/min/mg protein. p < 0.001). No significant group differences were found in hepatic SOD2, catalase (liver and skin), or telomerase reverse transcriptase expression. Conclusions: These findings suggest that wheat bran extracts mitigate D-galactose-induced oxidative stress in circulation, indicating potential anti-aging benefits. However, their effects at the tissue level remain inconclusive. Further studies are needed to explore molecular mechanisms and refine intervention duration.