ArticleInternational journal of cosmetic science2026
Mechanisms underlying the protective effects of San-Bai decoction against UV radiation on the skin.
Article in International journal of cosmetic science, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundSan-Bai decoction (SBD), as a classic TCM formula, has been administered orally to support skin health with a long record history dating back to the Ming Dynasty in China. However, the protective efficacy of SBD through topical application on skin remains unclear. PURPOSE: We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of SBD in protecting skin against UV radiation through an integrated in silico-in vitro-in vivo framework and elucidate its underlying mechanisms using a systems biology approach.
methodsA public database was used to construct a network diagram linking SBD's active chemical components with corresponding potential target genes for network pharmacology analysis. Skin lightening efficacy was evaluated in vitro using a pigmented 3D skin model, while in vivo protective effects were assessed in a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study. Transcriptomic analysis using the microarray platform was conducted to explore underlying mechanisms among control, UV exposure and SBD treatment groups.
resultsNetwork pharmacology analysis implicated over 800 effective targets regulated by SBD, with Gene Ontology enrichment analysis suggesting that they were involved in oxidative response and immune regulation. USBT2627, the aqueous extract of SBD, displayed skin lightening effect in a pigmented living skin equivalent model. Compared with the placebo, pretreatment with 5% USBT2627 effectively protected skin from UV damage, increasing L* values (p = 0.048) and ITA° (p = 0.022), and reducing erythema (p = 0.016). USBT2627 pretreatment also showed a mild effect on a* reduction (p = 0.052). Transcriptomic analysis indicated that USBT2627 regulated multiple pathways related to skin pigmentation, such as ET-1 signalling and pigmentation signalling pathways, as well as oxidation response and cytokine signalling pathways.
conclusionsUSBT2627 suppresses melanin accumulation in vitro and protects skin against UV exposure in both in vitro and in vivo models; multiple components, targets and pathways of SBD act together to confer its protective effect against UV exposure. These findings highlight a significant potential of topical USBT2627 in protecting skin against UV exposure. Additionally, this study showcases the value of a systems network approach in elucidating the mechanisms of this herbal blend, offering valuable references for further research aimed at developing TCM-based products.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What Socratic holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.