In order to investigate the potential of a Sanguisorba officinalis root extract as an active ingredient for wrinkle-care cosmetics, we measured its free radical scavenging activity, elastase inhibitory activity, expression of MMP-1 (matrix metalloprotease-1) in vitro, and type I collagen synthesis in normal human fibroblast cells. To isolate the main components from the S. officinalis root extract, we purified the extract by solvent fractionation, column chromatography, and recrystallization. The active component was identified as ziyuglycoside I by a spectroscopic analysis. Ziyuglycoside I increased the expression of type I collagen in a dose-dependent manner (by up to 71.3% at 50 muM). A clinical study of a formulation containing ziyuglycoside I, which involved visual evaluation and image analysis, showed a significantly different effect (p<0.05) of the test formulation from that of the placebo. This result suggests that ziyuglycoside I isolated from S. officinalis root extract could be used as an active ingredient for cosmetics.