Background : Domestic use of cosmetics has largely been dependent on imports for the opening of cosmetics raw materials, but research has been progressing actively on natural ingredients to develop new materials.
Methods and Results : The extracts of hot–water and ethanol extracts from Stachys sieboldii were tested cytotoxicity, inhibition of melanin biosynthesis and NO production activity. The cytotoxicity of the hot water extract of S. sieboldii were 98.4, 95.0, 93.9 and 90.6%, respectively, when treated with 10, 50, 100, 500 ㎍/㎖. Cytotoxicity of S. sieboldii ethanol extract was 97.1, 95.3, 94.6 and 94.4%, respectively, at the concentrations of 10, 50, 100 and 500 ㎍/㎖. Melanin biosynthesis inhibitory effect of α-MSH at 100 μM increased to 118.1% in melanin, but decreased to 92.3% in S. sieboldii ethanol extract. NO production inhibition increased to 109.2% when treated with LPS and was 103.3% at 500 ㎍/㎖ of hot water extract and 105.9% at 500 ㎍/㎖ of ethanol extract of S. sieboldii.
Conclusion : The ethanol extract of S. sieboldii did not showed the cytotoxicity, and reduce NO production. Therefore, ethanol extract of S. sieboldii had an potentials for developing whitening cosmetics.