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Moringa oleifera Lam. has multiple biological properties that are applicable to developing cosmeceuticals. The objective of this study was to evaluate anti-inflammatory effects of M. oleifera on normal human keratinocytes. The antiinflammatory effects of water extract and 50% ethanol extract of M. oleifera leaves, and of the bioactive compound astragalin, on UVB-irradiated human keratinocytes were investigated. The levels of inflammatory mediators IL-1, IL-8, NO and PGE2 released from keratinocytes were measured using ELISA and Griess assays. UVB irradiation increased the release of IL-1, IL-8 and PGE2 into cell culture media after 24 h. The effect was significantly decreased by treatments with astragalin and M. oleifera leaf extracts, of which the 50% ethanol extract showed stronger inhibition than the water extract. These results suggest that this extract is a potential ingredient in products for relieving UVB-induced skin inflammation. Astragalin could be used as a bioactive positive control in the quality control of the extract.

Health benefits of GABA and GABA-enriched foods via anti-obesity activity have been demonstrated in animals. However, the functional roles of GABA especially as non-neurotransmitter in adipocytes have not been thoroughly clarified. Thus, this study aimed to assess the impact of GABA on adipogenesis and lipolysis using 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Oil Red O staining was used to assess lipid accumulation and glycerol release was determined as an indicator of lipolysis. The results showed that treatment with GABA (100-500 µM) during adipocyte maturation decreased lipid accumulation by 20-30%. GABA clearly induced the release of glycerol in a dose-dependent manner within 4 h of treatment, and GABA at 500 µM increased glycerol release about two-fold relative to control. GABA-mediated lipolysis depended on both GABA-A and GABA-B receptors as well as on β-adrenergic receptors. The findings suggest that GABA exhibits non-neuronal functions by promoting lipolysis and by suppressing fat accumulation in adipocytes, which potentially support anti-obesity activity of GABA and GABA-enriched products.