Skin moisturizing, barrier-enhancing, and regenerative effects of smart farm-cultivated peanut sprout extracts

Peanut sprouts, derived from germinating peanuts (Arachis hypogaea L.), are rich in bioactive compounds with health-promoting effects, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-obesity activities. In this study, peanut sprouts were cultivated in a smart farm, and extracts were prepared using water, 50% ethanol, and absolute ethanol to assess their phytochemical contents and skin-beneficial properties. The absolute ethanol extract exhibited the highest total polyphenol and flavonoid contents (78.06 mg/g and 6.54 mg/g, respectively), while LC-MS/MS analysis revealed that the 50% ethanol extract contained the highest levels of resveratrol (4.71 μg/g) and polydatin (3.14 μg/g). All extracts were non-cytotoxic to HaCaT cells. The 50% and absolute ethanol extracts upregulated hyaluronic acid synthase-2 (HAS-2), while HAS-3 expression remained unaffected. They also increased filaggrin and involucrin expression, indicating enhanced skin moisturization and barrier function. Moreover, these extracts significantly accelerated wound closure, demonstrating potent skin-regenerative effects. Therefore, these findings suggest that peanut sprout extracts are promising candidates for functional cosmetic applications.