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Mataix et al. Plast Aesthet Res 2020;7:69 I http://dx.doi.org/10.20517/2347-9264.2020.138 Page 7 of 16

®
Figure 2. Outline of Edafence extraction procedure
[81]
in keratinocytes . The protective effect of this extract has also been demonstrated in an in vitro system
to experimentally investigate the impact of specific toxic compounds (As, Cd, and Cr) on fibroblast
homeostasis [82,83] .

Recent studies provide evidence indicating that these protective mechanisms also apply to conditions closer
to in vivo skin physiology. Ex vivo research on human skin organ cultures (hSOC; an experimental system
that preserves physiological skin architecture) suggests that this aqueous extract of Deschampsia antarctica
confers protection against both toxic compound models [combining arsenic and chromium I; toxic
[82]
chemical elements (TCE)] and dioxins . Indeed, addition of this extract prevented alterations to tissue
architecture, skin barrier integrity (as assessed by E-cadherin expression and distribution), and dermal
[82]
proliferation and significantly reduced oxidative DNA damage in hSOC exposed to TCE or dioxins
[Figure 3]. These results strongly support that the mechanisms by which Edafence® protects from different
sources of cellular damage, as identified through the systematic in vitro experimentation described above,
are relevant in vivo.

Tobacco
This extract has been tested on other components of the skin aging exposome to determine its activity
[Figure 4]. Upon exposure to tobacco smoke (5% cigarette smoke condensate extract) in vitro, this
[77]
extract confers protection to human skin fibroblasts against loss of cell viability and collective organization
and reverts aberrant morphological phenotypes. The effect is robust and reduces the impact of tobacco
on cell viability by 66%; analogous positive results in increasing cell viability were also observed in human
keratinocytes . These observations support the potential for Edafence® in counteracting skin aging
[77]
through maintaining and enhancing tissue repair mechanisms, a major target for tobacco-induced skin
aging [13,14] .