Objective To explore the effect of ginseng co-enzyme Q₁₀ suncream on the skin damage caused by ultraviolet (UV) radiation in mice.Methods 36 mice were randomly assigned to four groups. The mice were shaved on the back and the left untreated side was taken as control group, or was treated with UV as model group. Before treated with UV, the mice were painted with suncream containing ginseng co-enzyme Q₁₀, or octyl methoxycinnamate as positive controls.The mice were treated for 8 weeks. At the end of the experiment, blood samples of all mice were collected from the eyes, then subjected to cell counting or biochemical measurements, and skin samples were cut for pathological examination. Results Compared with the control group, there was a significant increase in white blood cell counts (P<0.05) and MDA content (P<0.05), and declined serum levels of SOD (P<0.05) and GSH-Px (P<0.05) in the model group, and the skin was rough and wrinkled with stratum corneum exfoliation. Compared with the model group, the mice of ginseng co-enzyme Q₁₀ suncream group had significantly lower white blood cell count (P<0.05) and MDA content (P<0.05), and increased serum levels of T-SOD(P<0.05) and red blood cell counts (P<0.05). The skin had no roughness and wrinkles and without stratum corneum exfoliation.Compared with the model group, the positive control group showed significantly decreased white blood cell count (P<0.05) and MDA content (P<0.05), and increased serum levels of GSH-Px(P<0.05). The skin had no roughness and wrinkles and no stratum corneum exfoliation. However, there was no significant difference between the ginseng co-enzyme Q₁₀ suncream group and positive control group.Conclusions Ginseng co-enzyme Q₁₀ suncream shows satisfactory preventive effects on the UV radiation-induced skin damage in mice, similar to the preventive effects of the octyl methoxycinnamate-containing sunsream.