**8. Summary and conclusions: The use of botanical extracts for protection from DNA damage and DNA repair**

Skin is under continual assault from a variety of damaging environmental factors such as ultraviolet irradiation and atmospheric pollutants. As organisms age the cumulative damage exceeds the capacity of endogenous antioxidant defenses resulting in oxidative damage. Plants have adapted to chronic exposure to ultraviolet irradiation by producing phytochemicals which can mitigate reactive oxygen species and repair damaged DNA. Botanical extracts such as Feverfew PFE, containing naturally occurring antioxidants can replenish the depleted cutaneous stores and perhaps prevent oxidative stress. Feverfew has been shown to contain chlorogenic acid (Wu et al., 2007), which can activate the Nrf2-ARE pathway (Feng et al., 2005), increase DNA repair enzyme expression (Bernstein et al., 2007), and induce repair of DNA (Huang et al., 2008). Furthermore, chlorogenic acid might be one of several phytochemicals present in Feverfew that could protect from DNA damage and induce the DNA repair process. Through the ability to scavenge free radicals, preserve endogenous antioxidant levels, reduce DNA damage and induce repair of damaged DNA, Feverfew PFE may protect skin from numerous external aggressions encountered daily and reduce the damage to oxidatively challenged skin.
