Kolmar Korea (South Korea)

ABSTRACTBackgroundThis study aimed to establish a novel method for evaluating ultraviolet (UV) protection efficacy on hair, focusing on the relationship between sun protection factor (SPF) and UV‐induced hair color changes. We propose a hair SPF (HSPF) that measures the extent of hair color change following UV irradiation.Materials and MethodsIn in vitro tests, we used UV standard samples with known SPF values (P2, P5, and P8) to construct a standard curve according to hair color changes before and after UV irradiation. Hair samples were analyzed using the CIELAB color space system, calculating the ΔE value to represent the color difference. To assess the UV protection properties of various hair care formulations (oils, essences, and balms), we compared their HSPF with the standard curve. Meanwhile, in vivo tests followed the ISO 24444 guidelines, involving ten participants to validate the correlation between the in vitro and in vivo methods.ResultsHigher SPF products resulted in smaller ΔE values, indicating less color fading and greater protection. The in vitro HSPF values strongly correlated with the in vivo SPF results, particularly for oils and balms (R2 = 0.734). However, formulations with high‐moisture content exhibited lower correlation.ConclusionThe HSPF offers a new perspective on the level of hair protection from UV damage and may be promising for the future development and efficacy testing of UV protection products for hair.

Peptides are recognized as multifunctional bioactive ingredients in cosmetic science, as they offer diverse beneficial effects such as skin rejuvenation, anti-aging, and skin barrier enhancement. In this study, we applied a cheminformatics-assisted peptidomimetic design platform to design novel peptides targeting heat shock protein 47 (Hsp47), a collagen-specific molecular chaperone that is downregulated during skin aging. Using molecular fingerprint similarity-based peptide design and protein–peptide docking simulations, five candidate peptides were screened, among which ICP-1225 (TY) emerged as a potent stimulator of Hsp47 and collagen (COL1A1 and COL3A1) expression in dermal fibroblasts. To improve stability and skin penetration, fatty acid-conjugated derivatives of ICP-1225 were synthesized, and acetyl-TY (ICP-1236) demonstrated the most consistent upregulation of Hsp47 and collagen in vitro. Restoration of Hsp47 protein expression and dermal collagen levels in UVB-damaged ex vivo human skin explants was also observed. These findings highlight the potential of cheminformatics-assisted peptide design in the development of next-generation cosmetic actives. ICP-1236 represents a promising anti-wrinkle candidate through the modulation of Hsp47 and collagen pathways, warranting further clinical evaluation.

ABSTRACTMany studies have reported that flavonoids can effectively suppress metabolic diseases related to obesity. Santa Herba extract (SHE), which is rich in flavonoids, has shown potential anti‐obesity effects through clinical evaluations, but its anti‐obesity mechanisms remain unclear. Therefore, an obese mouse model was established to further investigate its underlying mechanisms and biological effects. C57BL/6 mice were fed a high‐fat diet (HFD) for 4 weeks to induce obesity and subsequently treated for 12 weeks with Orlistat (30 mg/kg) or SHE (50, 100, or 200 mg/kg). Body weight, food intake, fat mass (DEXA), serum biochemistry, histological changes, and gene/protein expression in liver and adipose tissue were analyzed. SHE200 reduced body weight by approximately 10%, fat mass by 15%, liver weight by nearly 40%, and epididymal adipocyte size by about 24% compared to the HFD group. Serum HDL was increased by approximately 1.2‐fold, while LDL, ALT, and AST levels were reduced to 0.8‐, 0.5‐, and 0.6‐fold of HFD levels, respectively. Leptin levels were also reduced to 0.6‐fold of HFD levels, reflecting improvements in hormonal balance. In adipose tissue, FAS and ACC were reduced to approximately 0.6‐fold of HFD levels, while key adipogenic transcription factors SREBP1c, CEBPα, and PPARγ were decreased to 0.5‐, 0.6‐, and 0.3‐fold, respectively. PGC1α and CPT1α expression were modulated by SHE treatment, showing a 1.9‐fold increase and 0.4‐fold reduction, respectively. In liver tissue, similar reductions were observed, with FAS and ACC downregulated to 0.6‐ and 0.7‐fold, and SREBP1c, CEBPα, and PPARγ suppressed to 0.4‐, 0.5‐, and 0.3‐fold, respectively. Notably, PGC1α expression increased by approximately 2.2‐fold, while CPT1α was reduced to about 0.5‐fold. The findings underscore the potential of SHE as a natural, multi‐targeted therapeutic agent for managing obesity and associated metabolic disorders.

The arcuate fascicle (AF) is the main fibre tract in the brain for human language. It connects frontal and temporal language areas in the superior and middle temporal gyrus (MTG). The AF’s connection to the MTG was considered unique to humans and has influenced theories of the evolution of language. Here, using high-resolution diffusion MRI of post-mortem brains, we demonstrate that both wild and captive chimpanzees have a direct AF connection into the MTG, albeit weaker than in humans. This finding challenges the notion of a strictly human-specific AF morphology and suggests that language-related neural specialisation in humans likely evolved through gradual evolutionary strengthening of a pre-existing connection, rather than arising de novo. It is likely that this neural architecture supporting complex communication was already present in the last common ancestor of hominins and chimpanzees 7 million years ago, enabling the evolution of language processes in the human lineage.

Several studies have suggested that adiponectin is an anti-aging molecule based on its potential involvement of adipose tissue in skin aging. In this study, we investigated the anti-photoaging efficacy of an adiponectin expression-stimulating peptide derivative, pentasodium tetracarboxymethyl hexanoyl dipeptide-12 (PTHD-12), in in vitro and ex vivo human skin explant models. A double-blind, randomized, comparator placebo-controlled study was performed to confirm clinical efficacy. After irradiation with 50 mJ/cm2 of UVB, a UV-induced decrease in adiponectin expression and an increase in inflammatory cytokines in cultured human dermal fibroblasts were prevented by the PTHD-12 treatment test peptide. Mitigation of cellular senescence and senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) expressions induced by UVB (50 mJ/cm2) exposure were also mitigated by the post-treatment of PTHD-12, which was also observed in an ex vivo human skin explant model. The restoration of filaggrin, loricrin, and claudin-1 protein expression in a cultured human skin explant was observed. A clinical study further confirmed that the restoration of UVB-induced skin damage, represented by increased skin redness and trans-epidermal water loss, was accelerated by the use of test peptide PTHD-12-containing products. These results suggest that targeting adiponectin may be a plausible strategy for the development of anti-aging ingredients.

Flaxseed meal, rich in water-soluble gums, improves the texture of gluten-free (GF) products. Bioactive antioxidant peptides from flaxseed, known as linusorbs (LOs) or cyclolinopeptides, may provide health benefits. However, the stability of flaxseed-derived LOs during dough preparation, baking, and storage remains unclear. To investigate this, GF bread dough and bread were prepared with flaxseed meal, and the LO content was determined in the flaxseed meal, the bread flour with the flaxseed meal, the dough, and the bread. The LO levels were also monitored during storage at various temperatures (-18 °C, 4 °C, and 22-23 °C) for 0, 1, 2, and 4 weeks using high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection (HPLC-DAD). The levels of oxidized LOs, such as [1-9-NαC],[1-(Rs,Ss)-MetO]-linusorb B2 (LO14), remained relatively stable in the flaxseed meal and the flour derived from it across under all conditions for up to 4 weeks. Due to microbial contamination, the dough could not be stored at either 4 or 21 °C, and the bread could only be stored at 21 °C for one week. However, the bread and dough could be stored for up to 4 weeks at -18 °C, and the bread at 4 °C, without a significant loss of LOs. The main changes in LOs occurred during processing rather than storage. Reduced LOs were found in higher concentrations in the flour and meal compared to the dough and bread, without a corresponding increase in oxidized LOs. The flaxseed meal-fortified bread maintained oxidative stability when stored at low temperatures. This is the first study to investigate the effect of baking conditions on LO content and antioxidant properties.

In this study, we investigated the effects of whey protein hydrolysate (WPH) fermented with Lactobacillus brevis on sleep behavior and GABAergic mechanisms in rodent models. Fermentation converted the glutamate in WPH to high (3.15 ± 0.21 mg/mL) levels of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Fermented WPH (WP-SF) enhanced sleep duration in mice by increasing GABA content in the brain. The increase in sleep duration induced by WP-SF resulted from an increase in delta wave activity during non-rapid eye movement sleep, and its sleep-promoting effect in a caffeine-induced insomnia model was characterized by an increase in delta waves. WP-SF increased GABAergic receptors at both mRNA and protein levels. Cotreatment with GABAA receptor antagonists abolished the sleep-promoting effects of WP-SF, indicating that WP-SF shares binding sites with antagonists on GABAA receptors. Collectively, WP-SF effectively increased sleep duration by enhancing delta wave activity through GABAergic activation; thus, it is suggested as a functional food-grade ingredient for promoting sleep.

BackgroundAvascular necrosis (AVN) is a medical condition characterized by the destruction of bone tissue due to a diminished blood supply. When the rate of tissue destruction surpasses the rate of regeneration, effective treatment becomes challenging, leading to escalating pain, arthritis, and bone fragility as the disease advances. A timely diagnosis is imperative to prevent and initiate proactive treatment for osteonecrosis. We explored the potential of differentially expressed proteins in serum-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) as biomarkers for AVN of the femoral head in humans. We analyzed the genetic material contained in serum-derived exosomes from patients for early diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of avascular necrosis.MethodsEVs were isolated from the serum of both patients with AVN and a control group of healthy individuals. Proteomic analyses were conducted to compare the expression patterns of these proteins by proteomic analysis using LC-MS/MS.ResultsOur results show that the levels of IGHV3-23, FN1, VWF, FGB, PRG4, FCGBP, and ZSWIM9 were upregulated in the EVs of patients with AVN compared with those of healthy controls. ELISA results showed that VWF and PRG4 were significantly upregulated in the patients with AVN.ConclusionsThese findings suggest that these EV proteins could serve as promising biomarkers for the early detection and diagnosis of AVN. Early diagnosis is paramount for effective treatment, and the identification of new osteonecrosis biomarkers is essential to facilitate swift diagnosis and proactive intervention. Our study provides novel insights into the identification of AVN-related biomarkers that can enhance clinical management and treatment outcomes.

Background and objective NXT15906F6 (TamaFlexTM) is a proprietary herbal composition containing Tamarindus indica seeds and Curcuma longa rhizome extracts. NXT15906F6 supplementation has been shown clinically effective in reducing knee joint pain and improving musculoskeletal functions in healthy and knee osteoarthritis (OA) subjects. The objective of the present study was to assess the possible molecular basis of the anti-OA efficacy of NXT15906F6 in a monosodium iodoacetate (MIA)-induced model of OA in rats. Methods Healthy male Sprague Dawley rats (age: 8–9 wk body weight, B.W.: 225–308 g (n = 12) were randomly assigned to one of the six groups, (a) vehicle control, (b) MIA control, (c) Celecoxib (10 mg/kg B.W.), (d) TF-30 (30 mg/kg B.W.), (e) TF-60 (60 mg/kg B.W.), and (f) TF-100 (100 mg/kg B.W.). OA was induced by an intra-articular injection of 3 mg MIA into the right hind knee joint. The animals received either Celecoxib or TF through oral gavage over 28 days. The vehicle control animals received intra-articular sterile normal saline. Results Post-treatment, NXT15906F6 groups showed significant (p < 0.05) dose-dependent pain relief as evidenced by improved body weight-bearing capacity on the right hind limb. NXT15906F6 treatment also significantly reduced the serum tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α, p < 0.05) and nitrite (p < 0.05) levels in a dose-dependent manner. mRNA expression analyses revealed the up-regulation of collagen type-II (COL2A1) and down-regulation of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-3, MMP-9 and MMP-13) in the cartilage tissues of NXT15906F6-supplemented rats. Cyclooxygenase-2 and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) protein expressions were down-regulated. Decreased immunolocalization of NF-κβ (p65) was observed in the joint tissues of NXT15906F6-supplemented rats. Furthermore, microscopic observations revealed that NXT15906F6 preserved MIA-induced rats’ joint architecture and integrity. Conclusion NXT15906F6 reduces MIA-induced joint pain, inflammation, and cartilage degradation in rats.