CBD cream may protect against UVA-induced skin aging

As the interest in cannabidiol (CBD) and other cannabis-derived products for medical purposes continues to grow, researchers in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology may have discovered another use for CBD. Recently, the journal published results from a pilot randomized clinical trial suggesting that topical nano-encapsulated CBD (nCBD) cream may help prevent ultraviolet A (UVA)-induced nuclear and mitochondrial DNA injury, subsequently protecting against skin aging.

According to the publication, the study was a prospective, single-center clinical trial with 20 participants; however, only data from 19 participants was considered in the analysis.

Participants either applied the nCBD cream or a control cream, referred to as the vehicle cream (VC), to each buttock; however, the right and left were randomized in a double-blind fashion. Then, the participants were exposed to varying doses of UVA over 30 minutes.

The Skin Cancer Foundation notes that UVA are the ultraviolet rays that contribute to tanning; however, shorter wavelengths of UVA are known to cause sunburn. Despite some social rhetoric, the organization maintains that there are no “healthy” or safe tanning levels as all exposure to UVA can contribute to DNA damage and, subsequently, skin cancer.

Many sunscreen products are meant to protect against UVA rays in addition to UVB rays, which are more intense and can cause more significant damage.

The Environmental Protection Agency notes that UV radiation has been linked to melanoma, nonmelanoma skin cancer, cataracts and other eye damage, immune system suppression, and premature aging.

However, data from this small pilot study suggests that nCBD cream may offer protection against aging from UVA rays. Researchers noted that at the 24-hour mark, “21% of participants had less observed erythema on CBD-treated skin than VC skin.”

Additionally, histological analysis revealed that nCBD-treated skin had less UVA-induced epidermal hyperplasia and reduced cytoplasmic/nuclear 8-oxo-guanine glycosylase 1 staining. Furthermore, mitochondrial DNA damage was reduced with the nCBD treatment compared to the VC treatment.

“Topically applied nCBD cream reduced UVA-induced formation of a frequent mutagenic nuclear DNA base lesion and protected against mtDNA mutations associated with UVA-induced skin aging. This trial is the first to identify UV-protective capacity of CBD-containing topicals in humans,” concluded researchers in the study. However, more studies with larger sample sizes must be conducted to confirm the data.