Researchers in South Korea have found that an extract made from in vitro-grown cannabis callus tissue may be a valuable new addition to skincare products, thanks to its strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.
The study, conducted by a team at Dongguk University and published in the journal Plants, focused on Cannabis sativa L. callus extract (CCE). Callus is a mass of unorganized plant cells often used in laboratory cultivation to produce high levels of beneficial secondary metabolites. In this case, researchers used Murashige and Skoog medium enriched with Thidiazuron (TDZ) and naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) to grow the cannabis callus.
After analyzing the extract with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), the team confirmed the presence of cannabinoids. These compounds may play a role in modulating inflammation through the endocannabinoid system.
In lab testing, CCE showed strong antioxidant activity in a DPPH radical scavenging assay. It also reduced nitric oxide and inflammatory cytokine production in immune cells exposed to lipopolysaccharides, a standard method for inducing inflammation. The extract also suppressed NF-κB activation, a key driver of inflammation, while boosting the antioxidant-related NRF2 pathway.
The findings suggest that CCE could be a valuable natural compound for cosmetics targeting inflammatory skin conditions or oxidative stress.
