Abstract: This study investigated the protective effects and mechanisms of lavender essential oil (LEO) on ultraviolet light induced damage of skin barrier. The components of LEO were identified and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). 3D epidermal skin models were used to establish skin barrier damaged model by ultraviolet B (UVB) irritation at a dose of 600 mJ/cm2. The non-medication without UVB exposure group, non-medication with UVB exposure group, vitamin E/ dexamethasone treatment with UVB exposure group and LEO treatment with UVB exposure group were set up parallelly. The effects of different treatment on oxidative stress, inflammation, barrier structure-related proteins and CD44 receptor were investigated by hematoxylin-eosin staining, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence methods, etc. The results showed that a total of 51 chemical components of LEO were identified by GC-MS, and the main components were linalyl acetate, linalool, lavandulyl acetate, etc. UVB could cause damage to skin barrier exhibiting increasing ROS level and expression of inflammatory factors and decreasing SOD enzyme activity and expression of barrier-related proteins and CD44 receptors. LEO had a certain protective effect on UVB-induced skin barrier damage mainly by inhibiting UVB-induced increase in the expressions of IL-1α, TNF-α and PGE2 and ROS production (P<0.05) and by increasing the expression of four barrier-related proteins and CD44 receptor, and SOD enzyme activity (P<0.01) in the skin barrier damaged models. These results indicated that LEO had a great application prospect in reducing UVB damage of skin barrier, which provided basis for its application in skin care products development.

Key words: lavender essential oil, 3D epidermal skin model, protective mechanism, barrier, ultraviolet damage