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Purpose: As the demand for natural cosmetics increases, properly managing production and quality control should be prioritized. Chlorogenic acid (CGA), epicatechin gallate (ECG), and rosmarinic acid (RMA) were selected to validate the cosmetic composite LOL, a mixture of 50% EtOH extract of Ligularia stenocephala (LS), Orostachys japonica (OJ), and Lavandula angustifolia (LA). Methods: Highperformance liquid chromatography with a diode array detector (HPLC-DAD) was used to simultaneously analyze the three LOL compounds from LOL (Ligularia stenocephala , Orostachys japonica , Lavandula angustifolia ). Linearity, accuracy, and precision analyses were performed using HPLC-DAD, and the anti-oxidative effects were evaluated through a 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging assay. Results: All three extracts showed a high DPPH radical-scavenging effect, and the detected marker compounds showed significant linearity (R2≥0.9997). The limit of detection (LOD) of CGA, ECG, and RMA was 0.83 μg/mL, 0.33 μg/mL, and 0.20 μg/mL, respectively. Meanwhile, the limit of quantification (LOQ) of CGA, ECG, and RMA was 2.51 μg/mL, 0.99 μg/mL, and 0.61 μg/mL, respectively. Method validation showed acceptable precision (intra-and inter-day precision, CGA, ECG, and RMA, 1.77, 1.42, 0.80% and 1.09, 0.72, 1.42%, respectively) and recovery (CGA, ECG, and RMA, 102.00%–117.78%, 94.40%-108.06%, and 93.79%–107.05%). Conclusion: The contents of the three markers were 13.99 μg/mL CGA, 8.28 μg/mL ECG, and 8.40 μg/mL of RMA, respectively. This study also suggests that the developed method can validate the LOL cosmetic composition quality control process.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is linked to an extensive neuron loss via accumulation of amyloid-beta (Aβ) as senile plaques associated with reactive astrocytes and microglial activation in the brain. The objective of this study was to assess the therapeutic effect of WS-5 ethanol extract in vitro and in vivo against Aβ-induced AD in mice and to identify the extract’s active constituents. In the present study, WS-5 exerted a significant inhibitory effect on acetylcholinesterase (AChE). Analysis by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed that WS-5 prevented Aβ oligomerization via inhibition of Aβ1-42 aggregation. Evaluation of antioxidant activities using 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) demonstrated that WS-5 possessed a high antioxidant activity, which was confirmed by measuring the total antioxidant status (TAS). Furthermore, the anti-inflammatory properties of WS-5 were examined using lipopolysaccharide-stimulated BV-2 microglial cells. WS-5 significantly inhibited the lipopolysaccharide–induced production of nitric oxide and two proinflammatory cytokines, TNF-α and IL-6. The memory impairment in mice with Aβ-induced AD was studied using the Morris water maze and passive avoidance test. Immunohistochemistry was performed to monitor pathological changes in the hippocampus and cortex region of the mouse brain. The animal study showed that WS-5 (250 mg/kg) treatment improved learning and suppressed memory impairment as well as reduced Aβ plaque accumulation in Aβ-induced AD. HPLC analysis identified the extract’s active compounds that exert anti-AChE activity. In summary, our findings suggest that WS-5 could be applied as a natural product therapy with a focus on neuroinflammation-related neurodegenerative disorders.

In order to discover lifespan-extending compounds made from natural resources, activity-guided fractionation of Zingiber officinale Roscoe (Zingiberaceae) ethanol extract was performed using the Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) model system. The compound 6-gingerol was isolated from the most active ethyl acetate soluble fraction, and showed potent longevity-promoting activity. It also elevated the survival rate of worms against stressful environment including thermal, osmotic, and oxidative conditions. Additionally, 6-gingerol elevated the antioxidant enzyme activities of C. elegans, and showed a dose-depend reduction of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation in worms. Further studies demonstrated that the increased stress tolerance of 6-gingerol-mediated worms could result from the promotion of stress resistance proteins such as heat shock protein (HSP-16.2) and superoxide dismutase (SOD-3). The lipofuscin levels in 6-gingerol treated intestinal worms were decreased in comparison to the control group. No significant 6-gingerol-related changes, including growth, food intake, reproduction, and movement were noted. These results suggest that 6-gingerol exerted longevity-promoting activities independently of these factors and could extend the human lifespan.