A natural skin anti-aging serum containing pseudobulb ethanolic extract of Grammatophyllum speciosum: a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Objective Grammatophyllum speciosum is utilized to treat sore throats and bronchitis In Thai folk medicine. This study evaluated the in vitro activity and clinical efficacy of a G. speciosum pseudobulb decoction. Methods Measure of in vitro anti-ageing activity was performed using non-cell based assays as well as in CRL 2097 human fibroblast cells. A prophetic patch test method was used to determine skin irritation in 24 healthy Thai volunteers. A randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted with 24 subjects for 56 days after facial application to evaluate efficacy. The results were measured with Visioface (R) and Cutometer (R) MPA 580 as well as by visual observations. Results The total content of the antioxidant polyphenols in G. speciosum ethanolic extract (GSE) was 48.19 +/- 0.39 mg EGCG equivalent per gram. The GSE possessed potent and higher anti-elastase activity more than EGCG. The extract was able to protect human fibroblasts against superoxide anion-induced cell death at the concentration of 10 mu g mL(-1). In a clinical study, facial application of the serum containing 0.5% GSE was found to safely increase skin distensibility in healthy volunteers. Skin viscoelasticity and wrinkle volume were also significantly reduced (P < 0.05). Conclusion Thus, both the in vitro and the clinical studies have illustrated the anti-wrinkle/anti-ageing benefits of GSE on human skin.