Antioxidant and Anti-wrinkle Effects of Orostachys japonicus Extracts as Anti-aging Cosmetic Agents

Background: Orostachys japonicus has traditionally been used for antifever, anti‑inflammation, and anticancer. O. japonicus has not yet been studied for cosmetic effects. Objectives: In this study, O. japonicus extracts were investigated to verify the possibility of them as anti-aging cosmetic agents. Materials and Methods: O. japonicus were used to prepare experimental extracts using 90% methanol (MeOH) or ethanol (EtOH) as solvent. Safety and efficacy tests applied in this work are as follows: Folin‑Denis’ method for total phenolic contents, liquid chromatography for component analysis, 3‑[4,5‑dimethyl thiazol‑2‑yl]‑5‑(3‑carboxymethoxyphenyl) ‑2‑(4‑sulfophenyl)‑2H‑tetrazolium (MTS) assay for cytotoxicity, 2,2‑diphenyl‑1‑picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2’‑azino‑bis (3‑ethylbenzothiazoline‑6‑sulfonic acid) (ABTS), and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay for antioxidant activity, biochemical inhibition assays of elastase activity, collagenase activity, matrix metalloproteinase‑1 (MMP‑1) and MMP‑3 mRNA expression), and MMP‑1 protein production for anti-wrinkle activity, and tyrosinase activity inhibition assay for whitening activity. Results: This research revealed that O. japonicus extracts contained various flavonoids, showed no adverse cytotoxicity up to 300 or 500 µg/mL in HS68 and B16F10, exhibited significant antioxidant activity, exerted remarkable anti-wrinkle activity, and represented useful whitening activity. Conclusion: This study suggested that O. japonicus extracts could be utilized to develop anti-aging cosmetic agents exerting useful whitening activity as well as excellent antioxidant and anti-wrinkle activities.