Inhibitory Effects of Litchi Extract on Sebum Secretion and Its Mechanism: Evidence From a Mouse Model and Sebaceous Gland Cell Transcriptomics

Objective Acne vulgaris is one of the most common chronic inflammatory dermatological disorders, affecting 85%–100% of adolescents and persisting into adulthood for a significant portion of the population. Litchi chinensis , a subtropical fruit originating from Southern China and famously associated with the Guangzhou region, is commercially significant worldwide. Recent studies have highlighted the diverse bioactivities of it and its potential for skin health. However, its oil‐control properties remain unexplored. Methods Herein, total polyphenols, flavonoids, and polysaccharides were extracted and enriched from L. chinensis using various extraction processes. Their effect on skin inflammation and water–oil imbalance was subsequently evaluated in a mouse model of seborrheic dermatitis. Results Litchi chinensis flavonoids (LCFs) markedly mitigated inflammatory symptoms and restored water–oil homeostasis in mice with mixed contact dermatitis. Then we detected LCFs by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and found that it mainly contains rutin, quercitrin, luteoloside, naringin, isoquercitrin, and phroridzin. Sebaceous gland cell transcriptomics revealed that LCFs modulated key genes involved in fatty acid metabolism and degradation, insulin resistance, PI3K‐Akt and AMPK signaling, and triglyceride metabolism in linoleic acid‐stimulated sebaceous gland cells. Based on the results of transcription group, we tested the function and found that the inhibition rate of LCFs group on oil secretion was 32.162%, which had an obvious oil control effect. Conclusion These findings indicate that L. chinensis flavonoids suppress excessive sebum secretion through multiple molecular pathways, offering novel mechanistic insights and a promising basis for developing oil‐control skincare products.