Korean Journal of Plant Resources ISSN:1226-3591(Print) 2287-8203(Online) 한국자원식물학회지

Hijikia fusiforme (HF), a member of brown algae family, exerts various pharmacological effects, including preventing arteriosclerosis and menopausal disorders. This study aimed to elucidate the ameliorative effect of HF on skin inflammation. We investigated the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect of HF extract to evaluate its potential as a functional materials. The antioxidant activity of HF was determined using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazy (DPPH) scavenging and 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS+) scavenging. To determine the pharmacological mechanism of HF in inflammatory reaction, we evaluated the effects of HF on interleukin (IL)-8, IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α production and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) activation in activated- human mast cells (HMC)-1. Results showed that HF had the high DPPH and ABTS+ radical scavenging activity, and it suppressed IL-8, IL-6 and TNF-α production in a concentration-dependent manner. Moreover, HF significantly ameliorated NF-kB activation in activated- HMC-1. Hence, these results provide evidence that HF’s potential for skin inflammation therapy.