Oxybenzone oxidation following solar irradiation of skin: photoprotection versus antioxidant inactivation
Open accessAbstract
We used noninvasive Fourier transform (FT) Raman spectroscopy to follow the fate of the broadly used ultraviolet UVA sun blocker, oxybenzone, after topical application to the skin. Our results showed that oxybenzone is rapidly photo-oxidized, yielding oxybenzone semiquinone, a potent electrophile, which reacts with thiol groups on important anti-oxidant enzymes and substrates, such as thioredoxin reductase and reduced glutathione, respectively. Although oxybenzone is an excellent broad spectrum UVA filter, its rapid oxidation followed by the inactivation of important antioxidant systems indicates that this substance may be rather harmful to the homeostasis of the epidermis. Furthermore, these results demonstrate that FT-Raman spectroscopy is a useful method for studying the transport and metabolism of active ingredients in topical preparations.
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Oxybenzone is not photostable and can generate oxygen radicals upon UV exposure.
“Lastly, oxybenzone is not photostable and can generate oxygen radicals upon UV exposure (85).”
From Photoprotection: a Review of the Current and Future Technologies (2010) · cites this paper as [85]
The paper reports that oxybenzone is unstable in normal sunlight and rapidly photo-oxidizes to a reactive semiquinone (Abstract; discussion accompanying Figure 3, page unavailable). It does not show that oxybenzone generates oxygen radicals upon UV exposure; its mentions of reactive oxygen species concern UV exposure or normal metabolism more generally. (LLM, conf=0.87)
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Inorganic and organic UV filters: Their role and efficacy in sunscreens and suncare products
Serpone, N., Dondi, D., & Albini, A. (2007) · Inorganica Chimica Acta · doi:10.1016/j.ica.2005.12.057 · Cited by 711 · see citing works
Kullavanijaya, P., & Lim, H. W. (2005) · Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology · doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2004.07.063 · Cited by 356 · see citing works
Photoprotection: a Review of the Current and Future Technologies
Wang, S. Q., Balagula, Y., & Osterwalder, U. (2010) · Dermatologic Therapy · doi:10.1111/j.1529-8019.2009.01289.x · Cited by 294 · see citing works
- Authors
- Schallreuter, K. U., Wood, J. M., Farwell, D. W., Moore, J., & Edwards, H. G. M.
- Affiliations
- Universität Hamburg (DE)
- University of Bradford (GB)
- Venue
- Journal of Investigative Dermatology
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 1996-03
- Volume
- 106
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 583-586
- ISSN
- 0022-202X (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2061305930
- Cited by
- 66
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 1 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 1 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 3
- FWCI
- 5.52
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Journal of Investigative Dermatology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Dermatology › Skin Protection and Aging
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Biophysics › Spectroscopy Techniques in Biomedical and Chemical Research
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › melanin and skin pigmentation
- Keywords
- benzophenone-3, photoprotection, photooxidation, thioredoxin reductase, reduced glutathione, thiol oxidation, epidermal homeostasis, FT-Raman spectroscopy
- MeSH terms
- Administration, Topical, Antioxidants, Benzophenones, Female, Fourier Analysis, Humans, Male, Models, Chemical, Oxidation-Reduction, Photochemistry, Skin, Spectrum Analysis, Raman, Sunlight, Sunscreening Agents
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