DISCOVERING POTENTIAL OF POLYPHENOL COMPOUNDS FROM BLUEBERRY, CRANBERRY AND CHOKEBERRY EXTRACTS AS SKIN PREBIOTICS

Abstract

Berries are known to be one of the richest sources of polyphenols which can offer various health benefits. Dietary supplementation with berries has a positive influence on the gut microbiota, which directly affects overall health, including skin health. However, topical application of berry polyphenols has been used mainly for its antioxidant activity to prevent premature aging and improve the skin's appearance. Therefore, this study examined the content of different polyphenol classes of cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpa), chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) and blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium) extracts, investigating their antioxidant properties and potential impact on skin as topical prebiotics. The prebiotic capacity of these extracts in applied concentrations range of 0.015-0.05 mg GAE/mL, was determined against two cutaneous bacteria - beneficial Staphylococcus epidermidis and opportunistic pathogen Staphylococcus aureus, since the disrupted balance between them may contribute worsening of atopic dermatitis. The obtained results showed that the total polyphenol content was highest in chokeberry extract (9.88 mg GAE/g DM), followed by cranberry extract (8.78 mg GAE/g DM), and the lowest in blueberry extract (6.48 mg GAE/g DM). Chokeberry extract was also richest in flavonoids, flavonols, anthocyanins and phenolic acids. Notably, cranberry extract had the highest concentration of tannins, almost three times higher compared to blueberry extract. According to DPPH and ABTS methods, the antioxidant activity was significantly high in chokeberry extract, while FRAP method revealed that cranberry extract is the most potent antioxidant. Regarding prebiotic capacity, positive values (0.10-0.48) were observed at all concentrations of cranberry extract, with a trend indicating a decrease in prebiotic capacity as polyphenol concentration increases. Prebiotic capacities of blueberry and chokeberry extracts had either negative values or values equal to zero, indicating that these extracts do not positively impact the microorganisms’ ratio. Obtained findings suggest cranberry extract potential for enhancing both antioxidant defense of skin and rebalancing cutaneous microbiota.