University of Maryland’s study finds use of methylene blue in anti-ageing process

Researchers at the University of Maryland in the US have discovered the effects of antioxidant chemical methylene blue in the ageing process.

During analysis in cultured human skin cells and simulated tissue, the safe, common, and inexpensive antioxidant was found to possess potential to slow or reverse different signs of ageing.

Methylene blue was evaluated for four weeks in skin cells from healthy middle-aged donors and people with a genetic disease called progeria, which is known to resemble the natural ageing but with an increased rate.

The chemical was compared with other antioxidants, N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), MitoQ, and MitoTEMPO (mTEM). 

The findings from the study showed that methylene blue improved various age-related symptoms in cells from healthy donors and progeria patients, reduced damaging reactive oxygen species in the skin cells, decreased cell death rate, and increased cell division rate.

When the chemical was tested in fibroblasts from donors aged 80 years and above, the cells demonstrated improvements and reduced expression of senescence-associated beta-galactosidase and p16 genes, which are used as indicators of cellular ageing.

Led by the University of Maryland cell biology and molecular genetics associate professor Kan Cao, the research team also used a three-dimensional model prepared with living skin cells, which was found to retain more water and increased in thickness when treated with methylene blue.

Cao said: “We have already begun formulating cosmetics that contain methylene blue. Now we are looking to translate this into marketable products.”

The safety of cosmetic creams added with methylene blue was also tested on the simulated skin model. The data indicated little to no irritation with high concentrations of the chemical.

---

Image: Cross-section showing untreated and methylene blue treated skin models. Photo: courtesy of Zheng-Mei Xiong/University of Maryland.