Artemisia sieversiana Ehrhart ex Willd. Essential Oil and Its Main Component, Chamazulene: Their Photoprotective Effect against UVB-Induced Cellular Damage and Potential as Novel Natural Sunscreen Additives

In the modern cosmetic industry, there has been growing interest in developing plant-derived products for protecting human skin against ultraviolet (UV) radiation. This study was designated to evaluate Artemisia sieversiana Ehrhart ex Willd. essential oil (AEO) and its main component chamazulene (CHA) for their photoprotective effect in a human keratinocyte cell line (HaCaT), as well as their UVB-blocking efficacy. CHA was first refined from AEO by silica gel column chromatography and determined to be non-phototoxic. AEO and CHA exerted impressive protection on HaCaT cells against UVB associated with their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. UVB-provoked cellular oxidative stress and inflammation response was alleviated by AEO and CHA since they mitigated endogenous antioxidant system depletion and mitochondrial depolarization and inhibited the expression of proinflammatory markers. Besides, AEO and its primary component CHA showed synergistic effects with two chemical UVB filters, suggesting their potential as new alternatives for chemical sunscreens. It should be mentioned that CHA is likely to be the major contributor of AEO in defending HaCaT cells and absorbing UVB rays. For now, our findings support the application of AEO, and especially CHA, in the design of new suncare products.