2. Academic Validation
  3. Afzelin resists UVA damage through autophagy and synergizes with ganoderic acid A to skin photoaging

Afzelin resists UVA damage through autophagy and synergizes with ganoderic acid A to skin photoaging

  • Phytomedicine. 2026 Jan 22:153:157782. doi: 10.1016/j.phymed.2026.157782.
Jia-Hua Zou 1,  Mei-Ling Tai 2,  Bao-Ying Li 3,  Jian-Jun Liu 3,  Zhi-Meng Zhang 3,  Han Wang 3,  Dong-Li Zhang 3,  Zhuang Zhou 2,  Shan-Shan Feng 4,  Man-Mei Li 5,  Zhong Liu 6
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules and Druggability Assessment & College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Bioengineering Medicine, National Engineering Research Center of Genetic Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.
  • 2 R&D Center, Infinitus (China) Company Ltd, Guangzhou 510405, China.
  • 3 Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Bioengineering Medicine, National Engineering Research Center of Genetic Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.
  • 4 Key Laboratory of Regenerative Medicine, Ministry of Education, The Ministry of Science and Technology & Guangdong Province, Department of Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory, International Base of Collaboration for Science and Technology (JNU), institute of Aging and Regenerative Medicine, School of Life Science & Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 5 State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules and Druggability Assessment & College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 6 Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Bioengineering Medicine, National Engineering Research Center of Genetic Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China; Key Laboratory of Innovative Technology Research on Natural Products and Cosmetics Raw Materials, Guangzhou 510632, China; State Key Laboratory of Mechanism and Quality of Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
PMID: 41666510 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2026.157782
Abstract

Background: Chronic UVA exposure accelerates photoaging by inducing oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. Autophagy maintains dermal homeostasis, but its decline promotes aging. Afzelin, a flavonoid with antioxidant activity, has not been fully studied for its autophagy-related photoprotective effects.

Purpose: To determine whether afzelin protects against UVA-induced photoaging through Autophagy and Mitophagy activation, and to assess its synergy with ganoderic acid A (GAA), a triterpenoid possessing established Anti-aging activity.

Methods: UVA-irradiated and D-galactose-induced senescence models of human dermal fibroblasts were examined by Western blotting, immunofluorescence, and flow cytometry. A 20-day UVA mouse model evaluated topical efficacy. Synergy was calculated using the Bliss model.

Results: Afzelin restored UVA-impaired cell viability and reduced β-galactosidase, p53, and p21 while recovering Lamin B1. It lowered ROS levels and restored mitochondrial membrane potential (2.8-fold) via AMPK-AKT/mTOR-ULK1 and PINK1-Parkin activation. Combined with GAA (50 mM), afzelin showed strong synergy (Bliss = 67.6 ± 5.1). In vivo, co-treatment reduced epidermal thickness (∼37.3 %), restored Collagen I and elastin, and suppressed p53/p21 expression.

Conclusion: Afzelin alleviates UVA-induced photodamage by activating Autophagy and Mitophagy. Together with the Anti-aging triterpenoid GAA, it exerts synergistic anti-photoaging effects, supporting its potential as a natural autophagy-targeting agent for skin rejuvenation.

Keywords

Afzelin; Autophagy; Ganoderic acid A; Mitophagy; Photoaging; UVA.

Figures
Products
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    99.84%, β-Galactosidase Fluorescent Substrate