J. Cosmet. Sci., 68, 271–283 ( July/August 2017) 271 The antiwrinkle and antimelanogenic effects of the nonedible part of Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench and their augmentation by fermentation DA EUN LEE, JEONG EUN KWON, EUI SU CHOUNG, SUNG RYUL LEE, and SE CHAN KANG, Department of Oriental Medicine Biotechnology, Kyung Hee University, Yong-in 17104, Republic of Korea (D.E.L., J.E.K.,S.C.K.), DanjoungBio Co., Ltd., Wonju 16303, Republic of Korea (E.S.C.), and Department of Integrated Biomedical Science, Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disease Center, College of Medicine, Inje University, Busan 47392, Republic of Korea (S.R.L.) Accepted for publication July 18, 2017. Synopsis Sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] is a major cereal crop. Despite the wide cultivation of sorghum, its stalks are used as hay and silage. The plant has numerous bioactive compounds including cosmeceutical ingredients. Thus, we investigated the antimelanogenic and SSE that is prepared from the stalk of Sorghum bicolor L. (SSE) after ethanol (EtOH) extraction. Based on the antioxidant capacity, antityrosinase activity, and suppression of the protein expression levels of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-1, -2, and -3 in human neonatal foreskin HDF-N cells, a 50% EtOH extraction of SSEs showed antimelanogenic and antiwrinkle potential. To enrich the cosmeceutical potential of SSE, a fermentation process was applied to SSE with the use of the fungus Aspergillus oryzae NK ( f SSE). On additional fermentation, the cosmeceutical potential of SSE increased with further enhancement of antityrosinase activity and suppression of MMP-1, -2, and -3 protein expression. SSE contains p-coumaric acid, and its level was enriched by the fermentation process. Collectively, SSE and its fermented product can serve as good ingredients in new cosmeceutical compounds. INTRODUCTION In modern society, skin whitening and the reduced appearance of wrinkles are effec- tive methods for maintaining a youthful appearance, even in middle-aged or elderly people (1–3). Overexposure to the sun, especially ultraviolet radiation (UV) and nor- mal aging may result in some undesirable effects on skin health, such as a wrinkle formation and abnormal pigmentation (4,5). Numerous environmental pollutants caused by industrialization and urbanization can impair skin health and accelerate Address all correspondence to Se Chan Kang at sckang@khu.ac.kr, and Sung Ryul Lee at lsr1113@inje.ac.kr.

JOURNAL OF COSMETIC SCIENCE 272 skin aging (6). Extrinsic skin aging is caused by environmental factors and results in coarse wrinkles and unevenly distributed pigmentation (7,8). Intrinsic aging is associated with skin damage caused by endogenous reactive oxygen species (ROS). It has been suggested that both aging processes involve oxidative stress and an infl ammatory response in the skin (8,9). In addition to their clinical uses, such as the treatment of pigmentary disorders, skin whitening compounds are used in cosmetics to obtain a lighter skin appearance (2). Because having a youthful appearance may affect mental well-being, body image, and quality of life, skin-care and antiaging cosmetics are the center of attention in different societies in countries around the world, including Asia (10,11). Skin color is determined by a combination of four biochromes, including oxyhaemoglo- bin (red), reduced haemoglobin (blue), carotenoids (yellow), and melanin (orange-black) (3). Melanin is produced in the melanosomes of melanocytes and serves as a shield to protect DNA against damage caused by UV that induces ROS to act as a signal for the proliferation of melanocytes and melanogenesis. However, excessive accumulation of melanin and/or melanosome darkens skin color (12). Melanin production is regulated by a glycoprotein tyrosinase (13). Transcription of tyrosinase is controlled by microphthal- mia transcription factor and/or alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (14). Thus, skin depigmentation can be achieved by interfering before, during, or after melanin synthe- sis. In addititon, the structural integrity of the skin is maintained by extracellular ma- trix, such as Type I collagen, however, collagen breakdown is prevalent in photo-aged skin (5). Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are zinc-containing endopeptidases that play a critical role in the degradation of collagens (15). The expression of MMPs is pri- marily regulated at the transcriptional level, but aberrant activation of transcription factors, such as the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), activator protein-1, signal transduc- ers and activators of transcription, and the Smad family of proteins, causes robust pro- duction of specifi c MMPs (16). Excessive degradation of collagens by MMPs may cause the destruction of healthy skin architecture and result in the formation of wrinkles as- sociated with aging. In a large variety of whitening products, the use of different natural whitening agents is noticeable because of serious safety concerns associated with corti- costeroids, tretinoin, and hydroquinone (2,3). Among botanic ingredients, one of the active ingredients from plants is an arbutin isolated from uva ursi bearberry (3). Numer- ous efforts aimed at preventing skin aging or obtaining skin whitening without safety concerns are underway. Sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] is a major cereal crop which, along with rice, maize, and wheat, is cultivated all over the world. Sorghum is used in various ways, includ- ing as food, teas, and beer, and its extracts are used in traditional medicine (17). However, unlike the grain, the byproducts of sorghum, such as the stalk, are not actively used. Leaves and stems remaining after grain harvest are used as hay and silage. Recent studies have shown that the stalk of sorghum has antioxidant, anti-infl ammatory, and antianemic properties (18), but its benefi cial effect on skin whitening and its skin antiaging potential have not been studied. The development of safe yet effective melanogenesis inhibitors is one of the challenges of dermatological research and the cosmetic industry. Thus, we investigated the antiwrinkle and antimelanogenesis potentials of an EtOH extract from Sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] stalk and its fermented Sorghum stalk. We evaluated its in vitro antioxidant capacity, antityrosinase activity, and ability to suppress MMP-1, -2, and -3.