Evaluation of Rhodiola rosea Root Fraction as a Functional Cosmetic Ingredient

To develop functional cosmetic material using Rhodiola rosea, the biological activities such as anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, astringent, anti-tyrosinase, and anti-elastase activity were investigated with methanol, n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, n-butanol, and water fractions of R. rosea Root. DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities of ethyl acetate fraction were increased in a dosedependent manner; the activities were higher than other fractions. The total phenolic content of ethyl acetate fraction also showed a relatively high value of 500.485±4.848 mgGAE/g. The ethyl acetate fraction also significantly decreased LPS-induced NO production and IL-6 secretion compared with untreated control cells at above 5-100 μg/mL concentrations. The astringent activity of ethyl acetate fraction was 94.31% at a concentration of 500 μg/mL, and the activity of ethyl acetate fraction was similar to that of tannic acid. The mushroom tyrosinase inhibition abilities of hexane, ethyl acetate, and butanol were 10.44%, 17.53%, and 14.55%, respectively, at 100 μg/mL. Furthermore, an elastase inhibition rate showed a relatively high effect at 100 μg/mL, 45.46% of inhibition rate in the ethyl acetate and 45.07% of inhibition rate in the butanol fraction. These results indicate that R. rosea Root would be used as a natural material in the functional cosmetic and beauty-food industries.