Study on the Bioactive Characteristics of Barley Sprout Extracts as a Raw Material for Beauty Products

Abstract

This study investigated the anti-oxidative effects, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory activities of barley sprout extracts by extraction processes to evaluate its use as a functional raw material for beauty products. The extracts are water extraction (WE) at 100℃, ethanol extraction (EE) at room temperature, ultrasonification for 6 h with ethanol solution and then extraction for 12 h at 60℃ (USEE) and high pressure extraction for 9 min and then extraction for 12 h at 60℃ with ethanol solution (HPEE). The result of the 2,2‘-azinobis[3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6- sulfonic acid] (ABTS) radical scavenging activity of all extracts was highest at 5,000 μg/mL as 97.9~99.85% and was significantly increased in a concentration-dependent manner. In an antimicrobial activity test, the USEE showed relatively high antimicrobial activity against S. epidermidis, S. aureus, E. coli and P. acnes. Furthermore, barley sprout extracts exhibited no cytotoxicity in RAW 264.7 cells. Also anti-inflammatory activity by nitric oxide (NO) assay showed lipopolysacchride (LPS)-induced NO was significantly inhibited following treatment with USEE of 100 μg/mL, and the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) proteins were significantly inhibited following treatment with EE, USEE and HPEE of 100 μg/mL. Accordingly, it can be concluded that barley sprout USEE has the potential to be used as a functional beauty and cosmetic material.