Momordica cochinchinensis extract alleviates oxidative stress and skin damage caused by fine particulate matter

Momordica cochinchinensis (MC), commonly known as gac fruit, is a tropical fruit rich in antioxidants and bioactive compounds. This research aimed to elucidate the effect of MC on apoptosis induced by fine particulate matter with a diameter of less than 10 μm (< PM₁₀) in epidermal keratinocyte HaCaT cells. We found that PM₁₀ significantly diminish the viability of HaCaT cells through cytotoxic mechanisms. However, the treatment with MC at a concentration of 10 μg/mL notably restored the cellular viability decreased by PM₁₀. MC reduced the activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) by mainly preventing the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in HaCaT cells subjected to PM₁₀. Furthermore, MC exhibited a regulatory effect on the expression of genes associated with apoptosis, including B-Cell Lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), Bcl-2 associated X protein (Bax), and cleaved caspase-3 by inhibiting the activation of the transcription factor nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB). These findings demonstrate that MC aids in neutralizing the apoptotic signaling pathway of free radicals produced by environmental pollutants such as PM₁₀, which have the potential to damage skin cells and accelerate the aging process.