Antioxidant, Anti-Wrinkle Activity and Whitening Effect of Fermented Mixture Extracts of Angelica gigas, Paeonia Lactiflora, Rehmannia chinensis and Cnidium officinale

Background: In this study, examined the effects of an extract of a mixture of Angelica gigas, Cnidium officinale, Paeonia lactiflora, and Rehmannia glutinosa fermented by Leuconostoc mesenteroides, with enhanced value and functionality. In oriental medicine, a mixture of these herbs is called Samultang. Methods and Results: In this study, we evaluated the effects of a fermented extract of Samultang on oxidative stress, procollagen type I expression, and melanin production. Samultang was extracted with 70% ethanol, followed by inoculation with Leuconostoc mesenteroides to obtain the fermented extract. The evaluation of viability of B16F10 cells and human foreskin fibroblast (HHF) revealed that both ethanol and fermented extracts of Samultang were non-toxic. The results of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) test showed that the fermented extract of Samultang ($SC_{50}value=100{\mu}g/m{\ell}$) was a more effective DPPH free radical scavenger than its ethanol extract. In addition, procollagen type I expression was higher in cells treated with the fermented extract of Samultang than in cells treated with ethanol. In the non-toxic concentration range, the fermented extract of Samultang showed strong inhibitory effect on melanin production in ${\alpha}-melanocyte$ stimulatin hormone-stimulated B16F10 cells ($IC_{50}=37.9{\mu}g/m{\ell}$). Conclusions: These results suggest that the fermented extract of Samultang has considerable protential as a cosmetic ingredient owing to its antioxidant, anti-wrinkle, and whitening effects.

당귀, 작약, 지황, 천궁 혼합 발효물의 항산화, 항주름 및 미백 효과