Shiseido has reported new research findings on coriander fruit extract. In laboratory experiments, the ingredient demonstrated a dual effect: it selectively reduced the number of senescent cells in the dermis while simultaneously increasing the number of normal fibroblasts.
The increase in the number of functionally active cells was accompanied by enhanced collagen production. Shiseido views this discovery as a possible basis for a new approach to skin care aimed not only at the external signs of age-related changes, but also at the processes of cellular aging.
What dual effect did Shiseido discover?
Shiseido researchers studied the effect of coriander fruit extract on dermal fibroblasts - cells involved in the formation of collagen and other components of the skin’s extracellular matrix.
During aging, some fibroblasts enter a senescent state. Such cells stop dividing normally and gradually lose their ability to fully maintain the structure of the dermis. At the same time, they may continue to secrete biologically active substances that negatively affect neighboring cells.
According to Shiseido, coriander fruit extract acted in two directions at once:
- promoted the selective removal of senescent cells;
- increased the number of normal fibroblasts;
- reduced the levels of cellular aging markers;
- supported collagen production by normal cells.
The company emphasizes that this result differs from approaches that only temporarily stimulate the activity of existing cells. In this case, the researchers observed both a reduction in the number of damaged cells and a restoration of the population of functionally active fibroblasts.
What are senescent cells?
Senescent cells are cells that, as a result of age-related changes, oxidative stress, or other damage, have lost the ability to divide normally and perform their functions. They are not always removed from tissues immediately and may gradually accumulate.
One of the features of such cells is the release of factors collectively referred to as SASP - the senescence-associated secretory phenotype. These include cytokines, chemokines, growth factors, and enzymes that can sustain inflammatory processes and negatively affect neighboring healthy cells.
Thus, cellular aging may spread not only through the direct deterioration of individual fibroblasts. Senescent cells are also capable of altering the surrounding tissue environment and accelerating the decline in the functional activity of other cells.
That is why the selective removal of senescent cells is considered one of the promising areas of research in regenerative medicine and the biology of aging.
How was the study conducted?
In the laboratory experiment, Shiseido researchers used dermal fibroblasts whose aging was induced by oxidative stress. After the addition of coriander fruit extract, apoptosis - programmed cell death - was triggered in the senescent cells.
In normal fibroblasts that showed no signs of aging, no similar effect was observed. This allowed the researchers to conclude that the extract acted selectively and predominantly affected cells with senescent changes.
At the next stage, the extract was added to a culture containing approximately equal numbers of normal and senescent cells. After treatment, the number of aging cells decreased, while the number of normal fibroblasts increased.
The researchers also recorded decreased expression of the cellular aging markers SA-β-Gal and p21. These results confirmed that the changes concerned not only the total number of cells, but also their functional state.
How did the extract affect collagen production?
The increase in the number of normal fibroblasts was accompanied by enhanced collagen production. For Shiseido, this result is particularly important because fibroblasts are responsible for synthesizing the key structural components of the dermis.
With age, fibroblast activity declines, and the number of damaged and senescent cells may increase. This affects the skin’s ability to maintain density, elasticity, and the normal structure of the extracellular matrix.
According to the researchers, the removal of some senescent cells and the increase in the number of normal fibroblasts may create more favorable conditions for restoring the natural production of dermal components.
At the same time, Shiseido has not reported conducting clinical studies of a finished cosmetic product in humans. The presented results relate to laboratory experiments with cell culture, so they cannot be directly equated with a confirmed rejuvenating effect of cosmetics.
Why was coriander chosen for the study?
The discovery is a continuation of more than 20 years of Shiseido’s research in the field of regenerative medicine for skin and hair. Initially, coriander extract was studied in connection with its effect on cells that form hair follicles.
Back in 1997, the company developed a coriander extract capable of stimulating the proliferation of hair matrix cells and the outer root sheath. During further research, it was established that specific fatty acids in the extract have high physiological activity.
The accumulated knowledge and methods for observing cells allowed researchers to assess the ingredient’s potential not only for hair, but also for dermal fibroblasts and the processes of skin aging.
Why is this discovery important for cosmetology?
Most traditional cosmetic approaches focus on moisturizing, protecting the skin barrier, antioxidant support, or stimulating the synthesis of individual dermal components. Shiseido’s research shifts the focus to the quality of the cell population itself.
Potentially, such an approach could combine the removal of cells that have lost normal function with support for healthy fibroblasts. This aligns with the broader development of senolytic technologies, which study the possibility of selectively targeting senescent cells.
However, additional research is needed for the practical use of this discovery. It must confirm the effectiveness and safety of the ingredient in cosmetic formulations, determine working concentrations, the method of delivery into the skin, and the real impact on clinical signs of aging.
Shiseido has not yet announced the launch of a specific product using the new technology. The company plans to continue combining its experience in regenerative medicine and cosmetic science for the further study of the prevention and correction of age-related changes.
About Shiseido
Shiseido is a Japanese cosmetics company founded in Tokyo in 1872 as Japan’s first Western-style private pharmacy. Today, the company operates in approximately 120 countries and regions and develops skin care, decorative cosmetics, perfumery, and professional beauty research.
Shiseido’s scientific activities encompass skin biology, cellular aging, regenerative medicine, immunology, dermatology, and the development of cosmetic ingredients. The company uses the results of fundamental research to create new technologies and future cosmetic products.
