This study evaluated the potential of Ulmus davidiana var. japonica root bark as a functional cosmetic ingredient by comparison with its extracts non-fermented (NFE) and fermented by Bacillus velezensis (FE). To address the limited stability and bioav...
This study evaluated the potential of Ulmus davidiana var. japonica root bark as a functional cosmetic ingredient by comparison with its extracts non-fermented (NFE) and fermented by Bacillus velezensis (FE). To address the limited stability and bioavailability of plant-derived extracts, fermentation was applied and biological activities were assessed at a consistent concentration of 0.5%. FE showed enhanced antioxidant properties, with a 0.996% increase in DPPH and a 0.352% increase in ABTS radical scavenging activity compared to NFE. In an inflammation model, FE inhibited nitric oxide production in LPS-stimulated Raw264.7 cells by 75.17%, versus 67.84% with NFE. Moisturizing activity was confirmed by a 2.13-fold increase in hyaluronic acid secretion in HaCaT keratinocytes. FE also exhibited significant photoprotective effects, improving cell viability under UVA and UVB exposure by 99.01% and 56.70%, respectively, in Hs68 fibroblasts. Whitening efficacy was demonstrated by 51.79% tyrosinase inhibition, 44.29% L-DOPA oxidation suppression, and 37.98% downregulation of tyrosinase mRNA. Additionally, FE reduced MMP-1 expression by 59.64% and enhanced procollagen type I synthesis by 3.03-fold in UVB-irradiated fibroblasts. These findings suggest that fermentation markedly improves the dermatological functionality of Ulmus davidiana, supporting its use as a multifunctional ingredient in cosmeceutical formulations.