Topical Argan Oil Inhibited Prostaglandin E2 and Prevented Collagen Reduction in Male Wistar Rats' Skin Exposed to UVB

Argan oil contained high tocopherol, phenol, oleic acid, and linoleic acid has been used to treat skin problems especially aging skin. However, the effectiveness and argan oil mechanism to protect skin elasticity has not been studied. This study aimed to prove the effectiveness of topical argan oil (Argania spinosa) in inhibit the increase of Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and prevent the decrease of collagen amount in the skin of males Wistar (Rattus norvegicus) rats exposed to UVB. The experimental research using a randomized post - test only control group was carried out on 36 male Wistar rats aged 2 - 3 months and weighed 180 - 200 grams. Wistar rats were divided into two groups: the control group, smeared with paraffin oil, and the treatment group, smeared with argan oil. These two groups were exposed to UVB with a total dose of 840 mJ/cm2 for four weeks. The skin tissue was taken to examine the PGE2 levels by ELISA and collagen using Sirius Red staining. The results showed that the mean level of PGE2 in the treatment group (1.58?0.33) was lower than the control group (2.79?1.16) with pless than0.05. The mean amount of collagen in the treatment group was higher (79.07?3.31) than the control group (67.6?5.23) with pless than0.05. The administration of argan oil was shown to inhibit the increase in PGE2 levels and prevented a decrease in collagen in the skin of male Wistar rats exposed to UVB.