Enzymatic synthesis of geranic acid and its protective effects against UVB-induced skin photodamage

Background

Geranic acid (GA, E-3,7-dimethyl-2,6-octadienoic acid) is a natural monoterpenoid with antimicrobial,anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, holding great potential in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. However, current chemical synthetic routes suffer from poor stereoselectivity and reliance on harsh reagents, restricting its scalable production. This study established a sustainable and stereoselective enzymatic route for producing high-purity GA from citral, and evaluated its protective effect against UVB-induced photodamage in keratinocytes.