The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of piceatannol (PIC), a naturally occurring polyphenol stilbene, hold promise as a treatment for obesity, cardiovascular health, and skin aging.
A study funded by Morinaga & Co., Ltd. was conducted in healthy Japanese women aged 30 to 59 years to evaluate the effects of PIC intake on skin hydration and wrinkle severity.
In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, participants were divided into two groups: the intervention group consumed a drink containing 10 mg of PIC from passion fruit seeds, and the placebo group consumed the same 125 ml drink without PIC once a day for eight weeks.
Stratum corneum water content and wrinkle grade were assessed at baseline and at the end of treatment, and results from 82 participants were included in the analysis.
After 8 weeks of intake, the PIC group had a statistically significant increase in facial stratum corneum water content compared to the placebo group, as assessed by two measuring devices.
Specifically, the SKICON-200EX uses a high-frequency conductance method that is particularly sensitive to moisture in the more superficial layers of the stratum corneum, whereas the Corneometer CM825 uses a capacitive method, reflecting hydration throughout the thickness of the stratum corneum.
“The fact that both instruments consistently detected an increase in water content, despite different measurement principles, suggests that PIC enhanced hydration throughout the stratum corneum, regardless of the measurement depth,” the authors write.
In addition, the PIC group had significantly less wrinkle severity than the placebo group (p = 0.009), showing improvement in crow’s feet wrinkles.
Wrinkle grading was visually evaluated using the grading system established by the Japan Spice Science Society (JCSS).
“The results of this study suggested that PIC as a dietary component is effective not only in improving skin water retention, but also in ameliorating age-related wrinkle formation.”
Possible mechanism
Several human studies have demonstrated that PIC intake improves stratum corneum hydration and skin elasticity. However, this is the first clinical trial to evaluate the moisturizing effect and wrinkle-improving effect at the same time.
In this study, the researchers did not observe a clear correlation between increased stratum corneum hydration and improved wrinkle severity, suggesting that mechanisms beyond improved hydration may be involved in the anti-wrinkle effects of PIC.
“One possible pathway is the upregulation of sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), which has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Wrinkle formation is known to be caused not only by skin dryness, but also by inflammation, degeneration of dermal collagen fibers, and oxidative stress, and SIRT1 is thought to be involved in regulating these processes.”
Nevertheless, to fully characterize the utility of PIC as an ingestible skin health ingredient, further multidimensional and application-oriented studies will be required to understand the underlying mechanisms in detail.
“Future studies should expand the diversity of study populations, investigate different intervention durations and doses, and investigate the molecular pathways underlying the action of PIC and its impact on additional skin functional endpoints such as elasticity, tone, and barrier recovery.”
wider impact
According to the authors, the results observed in this study have implications beyond aesthetic benefits and could contribute to extending the healthy lifespan of older adults.
The World Health Organization has reframed healthy aging as the concept of “essential capabilities.” It is defined as “the total set of physical and mental abilities that an individual can demonstrate at any given time.”
It consists of five interrelated areas: sensory function, motor skills, cognition, psychological health, and vitality.
Among these, skin health, particularly parameters such as hydration and wrinkle severity, have been shown to influence psychological aspects such as self-esteem, motivation to participate in society, and overall sense of vitality.
“By strengthening the skin’s barrier function and improving visible signs of aging, PIC supports the psychological and vitality domains of natural ability and may ultimately help maintain or improve overall functional capacity in older populations.”
sauce: Frontiers of nutrition. doi: doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2026.1765478. “Oral intake of piceatannol improves skin hydration and reduces wrinkle severity. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.” Author: Yosuke Seto et al.
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