Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of tomato extract gel on MMP-1 and IL-6 in acute UVB-exposed mice

Ultraviolet (UV) light induces reactive oxygen species (ROS) to act as secondary intermediaries that can increase the expression of Activator Protein -1 (AP-1) and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP). UV radiation is also able to decrease the expression of MMP inhibitors in collagen degradation, namely tissue inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinase (TIMP) and increase pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6. While tomato extract is known for its antioxidant properties, its topical application in mitigating UVB-induced skin inflammation remains underexplored. This study evaluates the efficacy of 10% and 20% tomato extract gel in reducing MMP-1 and IL-6 levels in UVB-exposed mice. This study uses in vivo experiments with the Post Test Only Control Group Design method. The subject of this study was BALB/c mice divided into 4 treatments. The treatment consisted of negative control, positive control, administration of GEBT concentration of 10% and concentration of 20%. On the 7th day, MMP-1 and IL-6 levels were checked. The data was analyzed using the One Way Anova Test to determine the influence of each group, then continued with the Post Hoc LSD test to find out which dose had the most effect. The One Way Anova test showed that there was a significant difference in MMP-1 and IL-6 levels (p<0.05), the LSD Post Hoc Test had a significant difference in several comparison groups. There was an effect of tomato extract gel administration on MMP-1 and IL-6 levels in mice exposed to acute UVB light. Our findings suggest that tomato extract gel could serve as an alternative to chemical sunscreens and anti-inflammatory treatments for UV-induced skin damage.