2.2.7. Anti-Photoaging Effect

Photoaging is a result of chronic ultraviolet irradiation, which is one of the most harmful environmental factors affecting the skin. Recently, studies on marine compounds as safe anti-photoaging alternatives have been published by Hwang et al. [23]. They reported that fucosterol obtained from the brown alga *Sargassum fusiforme* was observed to have anti-photoaging properties. Fucosterol therapy decreased ultraviolet B (UVB)- induced production of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1), IL-6, p-c-Jun, and p-c-Fos and increased type I and transforming growth factor-1 (TGF-1) procollagen expression in normal human dermal fibroblast cells. In addition, fucosterol derived from *Sargassum fusiforme* was observed to regulate the expression of MMPs and type-I pro-collagen in UVirradiated HaCaT cells by modulating, microtubule associated protein kinase (MAPK) [45]. These findings sugges<sup>t</sup> that fucosterol extracted from *Sargassum fusiforme* is a potential candidate for the prevention and treatment of skin aging.
