A Study on Effects of <i>Lespedeza cuneata</i> Extract on the Improvement
of Scalp Conditions in Adult Men in Their 30~40s

Kim, NaYeon; Kim, JuSub; Kim, NaYeon; Kim, JuSub

Kor J Aesthet Cosmetol > Volume 13(6); 2015 > Article

Kor J Aesthet Cosmetol 2015;13(6): 735-742.

야관문 추출물을 이용한 30~40대 남성의 두피 개선 효과 연구

김나연, 김주섭

A Study on Effects of Lespedeza cuneata Extract on the Improvement of Scalp Conditions in Adult Men in Their 30~40s

NaYeon Kim, JuSub Kim

ABSTRACT

This study conducted cytotoxicity and anti-inflammatory tests on Lespedeza cuneata extract. The study results found the followings: RAW 264.7 cells’ viability was 78%. The inhibition of production was as high as 84% at 25 ㎍/mL. It wasn’t able to confirm decrease in cytokine in pro-inflammatory mediators such as iNOS, IL-1β and IL-6. In a protein kinase inhibition test, however, p-JNK was slightly suppressed at high concentration while p-ERK was inhibited at both low and high concentrations. Based on the results of this anti-inflammatory test, scalp tonic was produced with Lespedeza cuneata. Then, keratin, microbial biomass, erythema dose and image analyses were conducted against adult men (in their 30~40s) suffering from a scalp problem after dividing them into a control group (11 people), Lespedeza cuneata-added scalp tonic group (“T” group, 11 people) and ‘Lespedeza cuneata-added scalp tonic+scalp cleansing’ group (“TC” group, 11 people) for four weeks. First, in terms of keratin, no significant change was found in a control group while it significantly declined in T group (by 50.3%) and TC group (58.5%). In microorganism as well, no significant difference was observed in a control group. It slightly decreased in T group (63.8%, p=.066) while a significant decrease was detected in TC group (74.5%). In changes in erythema, T and TC groups decreased by 36.6% and 38.9% respectively with statistical significance. In image analysis as well, no significant difference was found in a control group while improvement of erythema was detected in both T and TC groups. Compared to a control group, therefore, scalp improvement effects were observed in T and TC groups. The anti-inflammatory effects of Lespedeza cuneata were verified. According to the said results, it appears that Lespedeza cuneata extract is considerably valuable as the material of scalp cosmetics.

Key words: Anti-inflammation, Erythema Dose, Microorganism, Lespedeza Cuneata, Scalp