Structure characterization and protective effect against UVB irradiation of polysaccharides isolated from the peach gums.

Peach gum polysaccharides (PGPs) have attracted increasing attention for their potential biological properties and application in the food and cosmetic industries. This study aimed to investigate the structural characteristics and anti-photoaging activity of PGPs. The purification of PGPs resulted in two polysaccharides (PGP-1 and PGP-2). Results showed that PGP-1 and PGP-2 had a molecular weight of 4515.31 kDa and 15.02 kDa, respectively. Their structures were elucidated via GC-MS and NMR spectrum and proved to be an arabinogalactan. In addition, PGP-1 and PGP-2 do not have mucous-membrane irritation on chicken embryo CAM. Mainly, PGP-1 (1.5 mg/mL) significantly inhibits the expressions of MMPs (MMP-1, MMP-3, and MMP-12) in the UVB-induced human immortalized epidermal cells (HaCaT), indicating that PGP-1 could reduce collagen loss caused by UVB irradiation. PGP-1 also can inhibit cell senescence and apoptosis by reducing p16, p21, and p53 protein expressions. Based on these findings, our data suggested that PGPs may be used to develop effective natural anti-photoaging ingredients to promote skin health.