Comprehensive Evaluation of the Bioactive Components and Multifunctional Biological Activities of Hwaljingigo; [활진기고(Hwaljingigo)의 생리활성 성분 및 다중기능성 효능 평가 ⁃연구노트⁃]

초록

This study comprehensively characterized the phytochemical composition, antioxidant potential, and multifunctional biological activities of a commercial Hwaljingigo (HGG), a traditional medicinal preparation widely consumed in East Asia. The physiological activities of HGG were evaluated systematically using diverse in vitro models, including inflammation, muscle atrophy, photoinduced skin damage, and adipogenesis, to establish a comprehensive functional profile. The total phenolic, flavonoid, and proanthocyanidin contents were quantified using validated spectrophotometric assays, while the antioxidant capacity was assessed through 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, 2,2′-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid), ferric reducing antioxidant power, reducing power, and oxygen radical absorbance capacity analyses. The biological efficacy was investigated in RAW 264.7 macrophages, C2C12 myotubes, human dermal fibroblasts, and 3T3-L1 adipocytes, and the cytotoxicity was evaluated using 2,3-bis(2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium-5-carboxanilide innersalt (XTT) assays. HGG contained substantial levels of phenolic (1.83±0.03 mg gallic acid equivalents/mL), flavonoid (1.56±0.02 mg quercetin equivalents/mL), and proanthocyanidin (5.64±1.00 mg catechin equivalents/mL) compounds and exhibited pronounced, dose-dependent antioxidant activity. Functionally, HGG significantly suppressed nitric oxide production in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated macrophages, alleviated dexamethasone-induced myotube atrophy, protected against ultraviolet B-induced cytotoxicity in dermal fibroblasts, and markedly reduced lipid accumulation in adipocytes. In conclusion, the broad-spectrum bioactivities of HGG are closely associated with its rich phytochemical composition and redox-modulating properties, supporting its potential as a multifunctional functional food ingredient. © 2026 The Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

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