The study focused on antioxidants, such as resveratrol and curcumin, to measure overall effectiveness in providing protection against the sun in addition to other stress-induced damages.

Skin cells with antioxidants were exposed to UVA radiation and a polymerase chain reaction was used to measure any changes in the genetic makeup and analyze any DNA damage that may have been caused by the sun.

Following the study, Newcastle researchers found that Tiron, having a chemical composition of 4, 5- Dihydroxy -1, 3-benzenedisulfonic acid disodium salt monohydrate, provided 100 percent protection against mitochondrial damage. Author Mark Birch-Machin, professor of Molecular Dermatology at Newcastle University shared his excitement stating, “To discover that Tiron offers complete protection against UVA damage is exciting and promising, however, it is early days as Tiron is not a naturally occurring compound and has not yet been tested for toxicity in humans although there have been a few studies on rats.”
The team of researchers at Newcastle University plan to continue their research to determine how Tiron may be used for skin care products and supplements in the future.

References
1 McDougall, Andrew. “Researchers Identify Anti-ageing Anti-oxidant Tiron.” CosmeticsDesign-Europe.com. N.p., 14 Jan. 2014. Web. 16 Jan. 2014. http://www.cosmeticsdesign-europe.com/Formulation-Science/Researchers-identify-anti-ageing-anti-oxidant-Tiron?utm_source=copyright.
2 “Antioxidant Tiron Protects Against Sun Damage, Prevents Premature Ageing.” Nature World News RSS. 11 Jan. 2014. 16 Jan. 2014. http://www.natureworldnews.com/articles/5614/20140111/antioxidant-tiron-protects-against-sun-damage-prevents-premature-ageing.htm.