• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.64 no.2
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• pp.185-192
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• 2021

Psoriasis is a chronic intractable skin disease caused by various inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6, CXCL8, TNF-α, and IFN-γ, as well as IL-17A secreted from Th17 cells and is characterized by hyperkeratosis and chronic inflammation of the epidermis. Brazilin, an active ingredient of Caesalpinia sappan L., is known to exert antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, and function in skin barrier improvement. In particular, it was shown as a potential material for treating psoriasis in a tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α-stimulated HaCaT keratinocyte model. However, the direct regulation of the C-C motif chemokine ligand (CCL) 20, a psoriasis-inducing factor, by brazilin has not been reported. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the suppression of CCL20 and the regulatory mechanism by brazilin using a psoriasis-like model. First, brazilin downregulated CCL20 and CXCL8 in IL-17A-stimulated HaCaT cells in a concentration-dependent manner by inhibiting signal transducer and transcription (STAT)3 phosphorylation. In addition, brazilin significantly inhibited the expression of psoriasis-related genes CXCL8, CCL20, IL-1, IL-6, and TNF-α in TNF-α/IL-17A/IFN-γ-stimulated HaCaT cells. Moreover, brazilin also had a positive effect on improving the skin barrier in TNF-α/IL-17A/IFN-γ-stimulated HaCaT cells. The above results indicated that brazilin ultimately downregulated CCL20 expression by inhibiting STAT3 phosphorylation, and also suppressed the expression of psoriasis-induced cytokines. If the efficacy of brazilin in improving psoriasis is verified through animal models and clinical trials in the future, it may represent a potentially therapeutic substance for psoriasis patients.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.373-383
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• 2022

Inflammation caused by active oxygen and the resulting barrier damage have been consistently pointed out as the cause of wrinkle formation. In this study, effective index ingredient search and efficacy analysis were performed to verify the value of use as a functional cosmetic material related to antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and skin barrier improvement, and anti-aging for extracts of four types of Eleutherococcus divaricatus var. chiisanensis (ED), Eleutherococcus senticosus (EN), Eleutherococcus sessiliflorus (ES), and Eleutherococcus sieboldianus (EI) belonging to the Eleutherococcus genus. To identify the effective index composition, the content of the ingredients was measured by high-performance liquid chromatography. The content of eleutheroside E and chlorogenic acid was the highest in ED among the Eleutherococcus genus. As for anti-oxidant activity, DPPH radical scavenging activity was the highest in ED. In anti-inflammatory effects, ED extracts inhibited nitric oxide generation in inflammatory macrophage cells due to lipopolysaccharide by 40% at 100 ㎍/mL. In the case of IL-6 inhibition, which is known as a pro-inflammatory cytokine, ED showed 41% inhibition at 100 ㎍/mL. In addition, filaggrin and involucrin, which are skin barrier-related factors, were increased by 2.5 times and 1.6 times, respectively, in 100 ㎍/mL of ED extracts, and as for the collagenase, which is a wrinkle-related factor, ED extract showed 29% efficacy at 100 ㎍/mL. Thus, these result suggested that ED extract, among the four Eleutherococcus genus, can be used as a cosmetic ingredient for suppressing inflammation in the skin, reinforcing the skin barrier, and reducing wrinkles.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.313-321
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• 2023

Platycodon grandiflorus (P. grandiflorus) flower is a perennial plant belonging to the family Campanulaceae and has many excellent pharmacological effects, so it has been used as a medicinal ingredient since ancient times. In addition, anthocyanin is a purple or blue natural pigment contained in plant flowers and fruits, and is known as a powerful antioxidant. The purpose of this study was to confirm the dermatological functionality of P. grandiflorus flower extract and the value of the bluish anthocyanin contained in flowers as a cosmetic material as a natural pigment. Firstly, 50% ethanol and 80% ethanol were added to the P. grandiflorus flower and extracted under reflux for 4 h at 25, 60, and 80 ℃, and the pH of each treatment group was similar. Based on the anthocyanin content and chromaticity (E^*ab), 50% ethanol 60 ℃ extraction conditions showing the color development most similar to the natural color of the P. grandifloras flower were selected, and a sample was prepared by concentrating and lyophilizing. The analysis results showed that the total phenol, total flavonoid, and total anthocyanin contents were in the ranges of 23 ㎍/mL, 16 ㎍/mL, and 0.17 ㎍/mL, respectively. The P. grandiflorus flower extract suppressed the production of nitric oxide (NO) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced RAW264.7 cells. Furthermore, the P. grandiflorus flower extract showed wound healing effects through the promotion of skin cell migration in TNF-α stimulated human keratinocytes. The stability of anthocyanin and extract color was studied during a storage period of 50 days at various temperatures (4 ℃, 25 ℃, and 45 ℃). Color values (L, a, and b) of the P. grandiflorus flower extract changed over 50 days, whereas the bluish-purple color of the extract was stabilized using 5% maltodextrin. These results suggest that P. grandiflorus flower extract may be useful as a natural cosmetic pigment.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.435-445
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• 2023

The aim of this study was to explore the effects of vinegar extract from seed of common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) and seed of tartary buckwheat (F. tataricum Gaertner) on acute ethanol-induced hangover in Sprague-Dawley rats. Vinegar extract from buckwheat is rich choline, quercetin and its glycoside, rutin known as flavonoid antioxidants. The test extract containing buckwheat was proven to alleviate hangovers through a significant reduction in the concentration of alcohol and acetaldehyde in the context of an alcohol-induced hangover model. Hepatic alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activities were significantly higher in buckwheat vinegar-treated rats than in ethanol-treated rats. Moreover, tartary buckwheat vinegar upregulated antioxidant enzyme such as superoxide dismutase and Catalase activities in liver tissues. These results suggest that buckwheat vinegar extract could alleviate ethanol-induced hangover symptoms by elevating activities related to hepatic ethanol-metabolizing enzymes against ethanol induced metabolites, and in particular, tartary buckwheat should be further developed to be a novel anti-hangover material.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.37-48
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• 2024

Songla (Usnea diffracta Vain.) is one of the lichens belonging to the genus Usnea, and pharmacological activities such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor and cardiovascular protection have been reported in previous studies, but its efficacy in skin and hair is not well known. In this study, the effect of Usnea diffracta extract (UDE) on anti-aging and dermal papilla cell proliferation was verified in vitro. As a result of the experiment, it was confirmed that the UDE significantly reduced the expression of MMP-1 and the activity of MAPKs (ERK, p38, JNK) and AP-1 (c-Fos, c-Jun), which were increased by UVA in HDFn. In addition, the UDE significantly increased the proliferation of HFDPC and significantly increased the mRNA expression of VEGF and KGF, which are hair growth factors. Accordingly, the phosphorylation of ERK/CREB involved in hair proliferation and expression of growth factors was increased in a concentration-dependent manner. The main component represented by the main peak was separated and purified using Prep LC by concentrating the UDE, which was confirmed as diffractaic acid through NMR and Mess analysis. Isolated diffractaic acid significantly reduced the expression of MMP-1 increased by UVA in HDFn and increased the proliferation of HFDPC in a concentration-dependent manner. The result suggest that UDE proved its usability as a natural cosmetic material with anti-aging and dermal papilla cell activation effects.