Whitening and Anti-inflammatory Effects of Geranium maculatum Liposomes

Purpose: In this study, cytotoxicity and whitening effects of liposomes and non-liposomes containing Geranium maculatum (G. maculatum) were measured to confirm their functionality as a cosmetic material.Methods: The cytotoxicity test was used to measure the effect of G. maculatum in liposomes and non-liposomes on B16F10 cells, and the whitening test was performed to measure the inhibitory effect of G. maculatum in liposomes and non-liposomes on melanin and tyrosinase production. Furthermore, the effect of G. maculatum liposomes on LPS-induced NO production was determined in RAW 264.7 cells. Cell viability was measured using the MTT assay.Results: G. maculatum in liposomes showed higher a cytotoxicity to B16F10 cells than G. maculatum in non-liposomes. Examination of the inhibitory effect on melanin production and tyrosinase production revealed that G. maculatum in liposomes produced a stronger whitening effect than that in non-liposomes. In addition, the experiments using RAW 264.7 cells showed that liposomes containing G. maculatum not only inhibited NO production but also resulted in higher cell viability than non-liposomes containing G. maculatum. Conclusion: Liposomescontaining G. maculatum exert an antiseptic effect through a significant inhibition of NO production. They are preferred as a cosmetic material owing to their inhibitory activity on tyrosinase and melanin production.