The cosmetics industry expects skin improvement and anti-aging effects by using natural products and natural extracts. In particular, herbal extracts are ingredients with traditionally proven pharmacological efficacy, and are in the spotlight as effective ingredients for maintaining skin health and improving skin troubles. In this study, the antioxidant, anti-inflammation, and wrinkle improvement effects were evaluated by using herbal ingredients such as Dioscorea opposita, Angelica dahurica, Rehmannia glutinosa, Panax ginseng and Ophiopogon japonicus. The antioxidant activity of the herbal complex was confirmed by measuring DPPH and ABTS+ radical scavenging activity, and after a cytotoxicity test using the MTT assay, it showed a concentration-dependent inhibition effect on NO production by LPS stimulation in RAW 264.7 cells. In addition, in the analysis of MMP-1, MMP-2 and procollagen gene expression induced by H2O2 in HDF cells, the expression of MMP-1 was suppressed in a dose-dependent manner by the herbal complexes. This is expected to make a significant contribution to wrinkle improvement and skin elasticity enhancement. These results suggest that herbal complexes can be used as promising cosmetic materials for skin improvement and anti-aging.

The cherry tree borer, Synanthedon bicingulata (Staudinger, 1887), is considered as a tree boring pest boring into cambium layer and weakens the tree. Cherry trees, the host species of S. bicingulata, are the most abundant ornamental trees in South Korea. However, there has been insufficient study conducted on ornamental trees compared to orchards. The study aimed to investigate the injury patterns caused by their larvae based on height and direction they faced. Since life cycle of S. bicingulata in Gangwon province had not been surveyed, occurrence pattern was also investigated using sex attractant. Injury patterns of 253 cherry trees in Chuncheon, were surveyed in April 2023. As a result, the injury occuring under 1 m in height was 2.61 times more extensive than injury between 1m and 2m in height of trunk. Also, the injury on the south-faced trunks was 2.68 times larger than on the north-faced trunks.