A comprehensive review of the molecular mechanisms driving skin photoaging and the recent advances in therapeutic interventions involving natural polyphenols

Skin areas exposed to sunlight's ultraviolet radiation display increased vulnerability to photoaging. This phenomenon manifests through noticeable signs such as dryness, uneven pigmentation, lentigines, hyperpigmentation, wrinkle formation, and decreased skin suppleness. Within the skin care domain, there is an escalating interest in harnessing the potential of plant-derived natural compounds for combatting photoaging. The present article seeks to comprehensively review scientific investigations elucidating the intricate cellular and molecular mechanisms contributing to the onset of UV-induced skin photoaging. Furthermore, the purview of this review article extends to the brief consolidation of the photoprotective attributes inherent within a curated selection of ten polyphenolic compounds. The overarching focus pertains to the mechanisms underpinning the photoprotective potency of these polyphenols. Notably, empirical investigations conducted within controlled laboratory settings and animal models proffer compelling evidence that these polyphenols can mitigate the adversities brought forth by UV radiation. In the evolving consensus, there emerges a proposition advocating for integrating polyphenols into sunscreens as a measure capable of conferring a favourable enhancement of the protective potency against UV-mediated deleterious effects. Moreover, the prospective utility of polyphenols is tacitly evoked within the milieu of dermatopathologies implicated in cutaneous responses to solar UV radiation, encompassing inflammatory cascades, oxidative perturbations, and DNA damage.