UV protection from plants

Excessive exposure to the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays can exact a heavy toll on skin health, resulting in an increased risk of skin cancers as well as other telltale signs of photoaging. In the United States alone, more than 1 million cases of skin cancer are diagnosed each year, accounting for almost 40% of all new cancer cases, according to the National Cancer Institute. Thus, the search continues for better ways to prevent the deleterious effects of too much sun. One approach, photochemoprotection, uses pharmacologically active plant-derived compounds, administered either orally or topically, to prevent carcinogenic sun damage.