It is a "defense molecule" for plants, capable of reducing visible skin aging in women over 40 years old!

Aging is a natural physiological phenomenon. As people age, the rate of cell renewal in the human body gradually slows down, leading to a series of changes in both internal physiological states and external manifestations. Among these changes, skin aging is often the first and most intuitive to manifest due to its long-term and continuous exposure to the external environment. This includes accelerated moisture loss, decreased elasticity, and reduced sebum secretion. More importantly, skin is not only an "appearance organ" but also one of the most important physical and immune barriers of the human body. When the skin barrier function is compromised, external microorganisms and irritants are more likely to penetrate the body, thereby inducing or exacerbating local or even systemic inflammatory reactions.

Resveratrol, a natural polyphenolic compound widely present in grapes, peanuts, and various other plants, has been extensively studied for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and other biological activities. In December 2025, a study published in Frontiers in Aging found that trans-resveratrol can reduce visible signs of skin aging in healthy adult women aged 40 and above.

1. Resveratrol helps improve skin aging

This is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. The research team randomly divided the recruited healthy women aged 40 and above into four groups: Placebo oral + Placebo topical (P/P group), Trans-resveratrol oral + Placebo topical (A/P group), Placebo oral + Trans-resveratrol topical (P/A group), and Trans-resveratrol oral + topical combination group (A/A group). The subjects took oral capsules twice daily (each containing 75 mg of trans-resveratrol) and applied topical cream (1 g, containing 1.5% trans-resveratrol) for 8 weeks. The study evaluated multiple skin parameters at baseline and during the intervention process, and conducted serum tests at weeks 4 and 8.

The results showed that during the 8-week intervention period, the wrinkle scores of all groups decreased compared to the baseline. However, compared to the double placebo group (P/P group), the trans-resveratrol oral and topical combination group (A/A group) exhibited a more significant decrease in wrinkle scores at week 8. Meanwhile, the sebum secretion levels in all intervention groups showed an upward trend. Specifically, the sebum levels in the U-zone of the P/A group and A/A group, which contained topical trans-resveratrol, were significantly higher than those of the corresponding placebo topical group at week 8. Furthermore, in terms of pigmentation, a skin health indicator, the improvement in the P/A group and A/A group compared to the baseline was also significantly better than that in the P/P group.

U-Zone sebum score

The serum test results further indicated that at weeks 4 and 8, the levels of trans-resveratrol conjugates in the serum of the A/P group and A/A group with oral intervention were significantly higher than those in the P/P group and P/A group without oral intervention, suggesting that oral trans-resveratrol has good absorption in vivo.

Overall, trans-resveratrol is superior to placebo intervention in improving facial skin health, whether administered orally or topically. The combined treatment of topical and oral trans-resveratrol (group A/A) is more effective in reducing wrinkles than either oral or topical administration alone.

This result also echoes previous animal experiments. In mouse models, trans-resveratrol can protect mice from UVB-induced epidermal thickening and wrinkle formation.

2. The "defense molecule" of plants: resveratrol

Resveratrol is a naturally occurring plant polyphenolic compound belonging to the stilbenes family. It is a class of antimicrobial secondary metabolites synthesized by plants in response to external stresses such as mechanical damage, ultraviolet radiation, or fungal invasion, and is therefore also known as a "defense molecule" of plants.

In 1940, Japanese scholar Michio Takaoka first isolated resveratrol from the rhizome of Veratrum grandiflorum. Naturally occurring resveratrol mainly exists in four forms: trans-resveratrol, cis-resveratrol, trans-piceid, and cis-piceid. Among them, trans-resveratrol is considered the main biologically active form and is currently the most widely studied and applied one.

Resveratrol is widely present in various plants, such as peanut skins, red grapes, and certain berry fruits. Its presence can also be detected in dark chocolate and red wine. However, from the perspective of industrialization and commercial application, Polygonum cuspidatum has become one of the most important and widely used plant sources for the industrial production of resveratrol due to its high resveratrol content and stable source.

Beyond the field of skin anti-aging, resveratrol has also demonstrated potential effects in anti-inflammatory, cardiovascular health support, metabolic regulation, neuroprotection, and other aspects.

In terms of neuroprotection, a research review points out that resveratrol can potentially regulate neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease by activating the SIRT1-related pathway, improving mitochondrial quality, and reducing neuroinflammation. It exerts an anti-inflammatory effect by reducing the expression levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, thereby suppressing inflammatory responses in the central nervous system. Furthermore, studies have found that resveratrol can also regulate genes associated with neurodegenerative diseases by regulating the expression of specific microRNAs (miRNAs).

In terms of cardiovascular health, multiple studies have comprehensively shown that resveratrol can exert a positive effect on vascular protection and cardiovascular health through antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and endothelial function regulation pathways. It can promote the production of nitric oxide (NO) by increasing the expression and activity of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS). As an important vasodilator, NO plays a key role in maintaining vascular endothelial function, improving vascular elasticity, and regulating blood pressure.

3. More ingredients that help skin resist aging

Raw materials: Collagen, hyaluronic acid, ceramide, lycopene, anthocyanins/proanthocyanidins, astaxanthin, β-glucan, olive polyphenols, tea polyphenols, etc.

1) Collagen

The benefit of increased sebum secretion lies in its role in maintaining skin health: sebum forms a barrier on the skin surface, reducing water loss and keeping the skin hydrated. Collagen is the most abundant structural protein in the human body, accounting for more than 70% of the dry weight of the skin, and plays a central role in maintaining skin elasticity, strength, and barrier integrity.

Recent studies have shown that collagen peptides can support skin health, primarily manifested in the following ways: 1) They can reduce the expression and activation of MMPs (especially MMP-1, MMP-2, MMP-3, MMP-9, and MMP-12) after exposure to ultraviolet B radiation, thereby increasing the synthesis of collagen and elastic fibers and reducing collagen fragments; 2) They can stimulate the chemotaxis and proliferation of dermal fibroblasts, leading to the production of dermal components: hyaluronic acid, elastic fibers, and collagen, which in turn enhances skin elasticity, moisturization, and reduces skin wrinkles; 3) They help inhibit pigmentation and reduce redness.

2) Procyanidins

Procyanidins are a class of polyphenolic compounds widely present in plants, with main sources including grape seeds, blueberries, cranberries, pine bark, etc. They are known for their strong antioxidant capacity, capable of efficiently scavenging free radicals and reducing the damage of oxidative stress to cells and tissues.

In the field of skin health, procyanidins are believed to inhibit the degradation of collagen and elastin, while simultaneously slowing down the skin aging process triggered by UV rays and inflammation by regulating the activity of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). In a mouse model of skin aging induced by D-galactose, sea buckthorn procyanidins can increase the relative content of collagen and elastin by regulating the TGF-β1/Smad pathway and the MMP/TIMP balance, helping to maintain the structure of skin elastic fibers, thereby improving aging-related skin degeneration.