본 연구에서는 홍차 흑효모 발효물의 기능성화장품 소재로서의 가능성을 규명하고자 항산화, 미백, 항주 름 효능을 확인하였다. 홍차 흑효모 발효물의 결과는 홍차 추출물, 흑효모 발효물과 비교하여 나타내었다. 항산 화능 평가 결과 홍차 흑효모 발효물은 흑효모 발효물보다 뛰어난 DPPH 라디칼 소거능을 나타냈으며 홍차 추출 물과는 유사한 결과를 나타냈다. 과산화수소로 유도된 세포 내 활성산소종 실험에서도 홍차 흑효모 발효물은 유의적 제거 활성을 보였다. 또한 홍차 흑효모 발효물은 tyrosinase 저해 활성을 보이며 Melan-a, B16F10 세포를 이용한 멜라닌 형성이 억제됨을 확인하였다. 항주름 효능 확인을 위해 콜라겐 분해 효소(MMP-1)를 측정한 결과 홍차 흑효모 발효물이 홍차 추출물, 흑효모 발효물보다 높은 항주름 활성을 보였다. 본 연구 결과를 통해 홍차 흑효모 발효물은 항산화능 효능을 보이며 미백, 항주름 효능을 보아 기능성 화장품 소재로 개발될 수 있음을 확인하였다.

β-Glucan is a natural compound contained in cell walls of yeast or fungi, and cereal’s fiber. It is also known to boost the immune system in human. Aureobasidium is a producer of water-soluble β-1,3/1,6-glucan. In this study, natural killer (NK) cell and macrophage activity were tested to investigate the effects of β-1,3/1,6-glucan isolated from A. pullulans on immune activity. Activation of NK cell was increased about 63-39% by the treatment of 10-200 μg/mL β-1,3/1,6-glucan than control. Besides, only 10 μg/mL of β-1,3/1,6-glucan was enough to boost activation of NK cell. Phagocytosis of macrophage was increased to 15~21% by the treatment of 10~200 μg/mL of β-1,3/1,6-glucan than zymosan-treatment. In LP-BM5 proliferating inhibition test, relative mRNA level of LP-BM5 virus was decreased in β-1,3/1,6-glucan-treated cell about 36~74% than control. The decline of LP-BM5 mRNA level appeared to depend on the concentration of β-1,3/1,6-glucan. These results suggest that pure β-1,3/1,6-glucan from A. pullulans might be contributing to enhancement of immune activity through the activation of NK cell and phagocytosis of macrophage. Moreover, treatment of the β-1,3/1,6-glucan could increase the resistance to virus infection such as LP-BM5 through the restraining of the multiplication.