Epicatechin and its methylated metabolite attenuate UVA-induced oxidative damage to human skin fibroblasts.

The ultraviolet A component of sunlight causes both acute and chronic damage to human skin. In this study the potential of epicatechin, an abundant dietary flavanol, and 3'-O-methyl epicatechin, one of its major in vivo metabolites, to protect against UVA-induced damage was examined using cultured human skin fibroblasts as an in vitro model. The results obtained clearly show that both epicatechin and its metabolite protect these fibroblasts against UVA damage and cell death.