본 연구에서는 현재까지 화장품 소재로써 다양한 연구가 진행되지 않은 현지초 추출물의 효능평가 및 항염 관련 활성 연구를 진행하였다. 현지초 추출물의 항산화능을 확인하기 위해 전자공여능 및 ABTS+ 라디칼 소거능을 측정한 결과, 각각 50 μg/ml의 농도에서 91%, 94%를 나타내어 항산화능이 우수함을 확인할 수 있었다. 미백활성 측정을 위해 tyrosinase 저해활성 측정을 실시하였으며 최고 농도인 1,000 μg/ml에서 24.8%의 저해능이 나타났다. 현지초 추출물의 주름개선 활성을 알아보기 위해 elastase 및 collagenase 저해활성 측정을 실시하였으며 그 결과, 각각 최고 농도인 1,000 μg/ml에서 30.6%, 90%의 저해능이 나타났고 collagenase 저해활성에서 우수한 저해능을 확인할 수 있었다. 세포 실험 진행을 위해 현지초 추출물 처리에 따른 대식세포 Raw 264.7의 생존율을 MTT assay에 의거하여 진행하였으며 100 μg/ml의 농도에서 83.6%이상의 세포 생존율을 나타내어 이하의 세포 관련 실험 진행은 100 μg/ml 이하의 농도의 현지초 추출물을 가하여 실험을 실시하였다. NO assay에 의하여 현지초 추출물 처리에 따른 NO 생성 저해 활성을 측정한 결과, 100 μg/ml의 농도에서 74.9%의 저해율을 확인하였다. 단백질 발현 억제능을 알아보기 위해 western blot을 진행하였으며 현지초 추출물은 COX-2 및 iNOS 두 인자 모두 농도의존적으로 단백질 발현량이 저해됨을 확인할 수 있었다. 이러한 결과들에 의해 현지초 추출물은 항염 관련 기능성 화장품 소재로써 활용 가능성이 있다고 사료된다.
We evaluated the efficacy of Geranium thunbergii (GT), which has so far been understudied as a cosmetic material, and conducted anti-inflammatory-related activity studies. We measured the electron donation ability and ABTS+ radical scavenging ability to confirm the antioxidant ability of GT and found values of 91% and 94% at a concentration of 50 μg/ml, respectively, confirming that GT had excellent antioxidant ability. Tyrosinase inhibitory activity was measured to evaluate whitening activity, and it was found that inhibitory activity was 24.8% at the highest concentration of 1,000 μg/ml. Elastase and collagenase inhibitory activity were measured to determine the wrinkle improvement activity of the GT; 30.6% and 90% inhibitory activity were shown at the highest concentration of 1,000 μg/ml, respectively. Excellent inhibitory activity was confirmed through the measurement of collagenase inhibitory activity. Before the cell experiments were conducted, the survival rate of the macrophages Raw 264.7 according to GT treatment was determined based on the MTT assay, and the cell survival rate was greater than 83.6% at a concentration of 100 μg/ml. Subsequent cell-related experiments were conducted at concentrations of 100 μg/ml or less. The NO production inhibitory activity according to the GT treatment by NO assay was measured, and a 74.9% inhibitory rate was confirmed at a concentration of 100 μg/ml. Western blotting was performed to determine protein expression inhibition, and both COX-2 and iNOS factors were concentration-dependently inhibited in GT. Based on these results, GT is considered to have potential as an anti-inflammatory functional cosmetic material.