• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.57 no.4
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• pp.365-371
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• 2014

In the present study, we investigated the biological activities of Xylosma congesta leaf ethanol extract (XCO) using a variety of in vitro and cell culture model systems for anti-melanogenic, anti-wrinkle, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant activities. First, XCO markedly inhibited ${\alpha}$-melanocyte stimulating hormone-stimulated melanin synthesis in B16F10 cells. Secondly, XCO marginally induced procollagen synthesis in CCD-986SK cells. Thirdly, XCO dose-dependently suppressed lipopolysaccharide-induced nitric oxide (NO) production in RAW 264.7 cells. XCO did not affect cell viability at different concentrations used in this study, indicating that XCO-mediated inhibition of melanin, procollagen and NO synthesis is not mediated by cytotoxicity. Finally, XCO was found to exert anti-oxidant effect. Taken together, these findings demonstrate for the first time that XCO possesses anti-melanogenic, anti-wrinkle, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant activities, and suggest further evaluation and development of XCO as a functional supplement or cosmetic that may be useful for whitening skin, reducing wrinkles and treating inflammatory responses.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.37-47
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• 2019

Recently, due to the increase in skin diseases caused by particulate matter, endocrine disruptor and environmental changes, the trend of development of cosmetic materials has been shifting to the more safe and effective ingredients based on natural materials rather than existing synthetic compounds like steroids and antihistamines. This study aimed to develop a new natural cosmetic materials using oriental herbs such as Eucommiae cortex, Alpinia oxyphylla Miquel and Bombyx batryticatus. First, DPPH assay was performed to examine the antioxidative activity of the herbal extract (Mix) and 98.8% DPPH radical scavenging activity was confirmed at $400{\mu}g/mL$ concentration of it. In order to confirm the whitening efficacy of oriental herbal extracts(mix), the amount of melanin synthesized after stimulation of ${\alpha}-MSH$ with B16F10 cells was measured. Results showed that it was decreased to 27.1% comparing with the only ${\alpha}-MSH$ treated group, which confirmed the whitening efficacy. Also, both nitric oxide(NO) production and iNOS and COX-2 expression were significantly reduced in RAW264.7 macrophages activated by LPS in the presence of the extracts(Mix). The mRNA expression of the inflammatory cytokines such as $IL-1{\alpha}$, $IL-1{\beta}$, IL-6, and $TNF-{\alpha}$ was also analyzed to confirm the inhibition effect of the extracts on inflammation. Finally, to confirm the enhancement of skin barrier function, the expression of claudin 1 gene, a tight junction protein, was observed using human keratinocyte HaCaT cells and increased as concentration dependent manner. From these results, it is concluded that the oriental herbal extracts(Mix) containing Eucommiae cortex, Alpinia oxyphylla Miquel and Bombyx batryticatus is effective for antioxidant, anti-inflammation, skin whitening, and skin barrier and thus could be applied as a new natural cosmetic material.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.73-78
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• 2009

In order to investigate the potential of a Dayflower (Commelina communis L.) extract as an active in gredient for whitening cosmetics, we prepared aqueous Commelina communis L. extract We measured its mushroom tyrosinase inhibitory activity, cellular tyrosinase activity, and melanin synthesis inhibitory activity in B16 melanoma cells. It did not show inhibitory activity against mushroom tyrosinase but showed melanin synthesis inhibitory activity. In a melanin synthesis inhibition assay using mouse B16-F10 melanoma cell, it suppressed melanin production up to 32% at a concentration of $1,000{\mu}/mL$ without cytotoxicity, and also reduced cellular tyrosinase activity to above 50 % above the concentration of $250{\mu}g/mL$. In study on the melanogenic protein expressions, it had especially influence on expression of tyrosinase protein, which is a well-known key protein on melanogenesis, and tyrosinase expression was gradually decreased in a dose-dependent. Dayflower also blocked N-glycosylation of TRP-2, but affected on the expression of TRP-1 rather than on blocking of N-glycosylation processing. Therefore, this result suggests that aqueous Commelina communis L. extract could be used as an active ingredient for whitening cosmetics.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.167-172
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• 2004

In the human skin, vitamin C (L -ascorbic acid) that is well known as the activated materials has effects that is skin anti-aging and wrinkle repair by giving impetus to collagen biosynthesis and anti-oxidation, and that is the sun screen, a wound recovering, inhibition melanogenesis and so on. In spite of its effects, vitamin C has the defects of the skin stimulation and easily oxidized instability by water, air, heat and light. For solving their matters, many investigation is advanced and its results are synthesized the various vitamin C derivatives. And yet they have not solved the unstable property of vitamin C and were still insufficient for the comparing with the effect of the pure vitamin C itself. In this study, in order to prepare vitamin C derivative of being improved the stability and to apply vitamin C effect in the skin, we prepared new vitamin C derivative, phytosphingosine ascorbate, by using phytosphingosine, one of sphingolipids, which have a distinguished skin affinity. Phytosphingosine ascorbate can be prepared as the ionic bond between amine group (-NH$_2$) of phytosphingosine and hydroxy group (-OH) of vitamin C by way of the relatively simple reaction. So the structure and properties of the synthesized phytosphingosine ascorbate was confirmed the use of elemental analysis (C 58.3 : H 9.3 : N 2.8 : O 29.5), MALDI TOF-MS (Mw=492.58), Ultraviolet spectra (268.5nm), lH NMR, FT-IR spectra, thermal analysis (m.p=l54$^{\circ}C$), HPLC and so on. And we could confirm the anti-bacterial and anti-oxidation effects. Based on these results, we could confirm to prepare a new material that was expected of both effects of vitamin C and phytosphingosine and that is improved properties of vitamin C.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.327-335
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• 2011

5,4'-dihydroxystilbene-3-O-${\beta}$-D-glucopyranoside (Polydatin) is one of the stilbenes found in Polygonum cuspidatum (P. cuspidatum), however, the effects of polydatin on skin biology remain to be elucidated. In this study, we obtained polydatin from P. cuspidatum and investigated the effects of polydatin in skin-derived melanocytes and fibroblasts. In melanocytes, polydatin inhibited not only the tyrosinase activity and melanin production but the expression of melanogenic factors, tyrosinase and microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF). In addition, the level of type I procollagen in fibroblasts was analyzed, and polydatin significantly induced the production of type I procollagen in a dose-dependent manner. Finally we conformed that topical treatment of polydatin improved wrinkle and induced whitening of human skin in vivo. These data provide evidence that polydatin can be a potent candidate for the improvement of both skin wrinkle and whitening from the point of industry view.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.144-151
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• 2017

This study examined the anti-inflammatory and whitening effects of Amaranth (Amaranthus spp L.) seed extract. Amaranthus spp L. seeds were extracted using 70% ethanol and then fractionated sequentially with n-hexane, dichloromethan, ethyl acetate and butanol. For the study of anti-inflammatory activity in RAW 264.7 cells, EtOAc fraction of Amaranthus spp L. seeds significantly inhibited nitrogen oxide production as well as the protein level of iNOS. Furthermore, EtOAc fraction of Amaranthus spp L. seeds inhibited expression of $TNF-{\alpha}$, PGE2 and the protein level of COX-2 in a dose-dependent manner. Inaddition, the tyrosinase inhibitory activities of the Amaranthus spp L. seed 70% ethanol extract and subfractions were also measured to see if these extracts can be used as an ingredient for whitening cosmetics. Tyrosinase is an oxidase that is a rate-limiting enzyme for controlling the production of melanin. Therefore, tyrosinase inhibitors have become increasingly important in cosmetics and medical products with regards to hyperpigmentation. EtOAc fraction of Amaranthus spp L. seeds showed mushroom tyrosinase inhibitory activity in a dose-dependent manner. This activity was more potent than that of a positive control cynandione A. These results suggest that Amaranthus spp L. seeds may be a valuable natural ingredient for the food and cosmetics industries.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.9
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• pp.946-951
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• 2014

Melanin plays a key role in the protection of skin from ultraviolet light that generates reactive oxygen species (ROS), such as superoxide, hydroxyl radical, singlet oxygen and hydrogen peroxide. However, the ROS leading to the oxidation of lipids, proteins and DNA are involved in the overproduction of melanin that is known to cause melasma, age spots and freckles. Among the herb medicines, Ulmus macrocarpa used in this study was reported to contain flavonoids as a main component. The aim of this study is to investigate the whitening and anti-oxidant effects of Ulmus macrocarpa ethanolic extracts (UMEE) in B16F1 cells. UMEE below $3.12{\mu}g/ml$ did not show cytotoxicity. In an anti-oxidant experiment, UMEE showed not only high reducing power and scavenging activity on DPPH, but it was also observed that UMEE exhibit an inhibitory effect on lipid peroxidation. UMEE did not display an inhibitory effect on tyrosinase activity in vitro. However, UMEE inhibited melanin synthesis in B16F1 cells. In addition, UMEE reduced the expression levels of tyrosinase and tyrosinase-related protein-2 (TRP-2), which are key enzymes in melanogenesis. These results indicate that UMEE exert a whitening effect through the inhibition of both tyrosinase and TRP-2 expressions as well as anti-oxidant activity, suggesting that UMEE could have the functional potential for a whitening effect on the skin.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.7
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• pp.755-761
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• 2019

Kojic acid (KA) is produced by Aspergillus oryzae-sort of like mushrooms, which is commonly called as koji in Japan. KA is used as a chelation agent and a preservative preventing oxidative browning of fruits. KA also shows antibacterial and antifungal properties. Because KA stops the production of melanin by inhibiting tyrosinase in the biosynthetic pathway from tyrosine to melanin in skin, it has been applied as a skin lightening ingredient in cosmetics. Since some animal studies have shown that high amounts of KA had side effects such as in liver, kidney, reproductive, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, respiratory, brain, and nervous system, more efficient KA derivatives are needed to be developed in order to safely apply as a skin lightening ingredient. A series of KA derivatives via conjugated with triazole by click reaction were synthesized and their in vitro tyrosinase inhibitory activities were evaluated. Most of all KA derivatives have shown in moderate tyrosinase inhibitory activities. In case of KA-hybrid compound, 1~3 have shown tyrosinase inhibitory activities about 50~10,000 times more effective tyrosinase inhibitor compared to KA itself. Specifically, the $IC_{50}$ value of KA-hybrid compound, 2 was $0.0044{\pm}0.74{\mu}M$ against tyrosinase. It is about 10,000 times more effective tyrosinase inhibitor compared to KA itself ($IC_{50}=45.2{\pm}4.6{\mu}M$).

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.485-492
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• 2021

In this study, the whitening effect of Abelmoschus esculentus extract was investigated to confirm its applicability in cosmetics. To determine the whitening effect, the tyrosinase-inhibitory activity of Abelmoschus esculentus hot water extract (AEWE) and 70% ethanol extract (AEEE) was measured. At the final concentration of 1000 ㎍/ml, AEWE showed an inhibitory activity of 22.2% and AEEE of 32.8%. To determine the whitening effect at the cellular level, the viability of melanoma cells treated with AEWE and AEEE was evaluated using the MTT assay. At concentrations of 100 ㎍/ml or less, both AEWE- and AEEE-treated groups showed cell survival rates of >95%. Furthermore, in both AEWE- and AEEE-treated melanoma cells, the melanin content decreased in a concentration-dependent manner. The inhibitory effects of AEWE and AEEE used at 5, 10, 50, and 100 ㎍/ml on protein expression were measured by western blot, with β-actin as the positive control. At a concentration of 100 ㎍/ml, AEWE showed an inhibitory effect of 88.1%, 24.8%, 62.2%, and 42.9% on microphthalmia-associated transcription factors (MITF), tyrosinase, tyrosinase-related proteins (TRP)-1, and TRP-2 factors, respectively. At the same concentration, AEEE showed inhibitory effect of 65.3%, 58.3%, 66.2%, and 65.3% against MITF, tyrosinase, TRP-1, and TRP-2 factors, respectively. In conclusion, the whitening effects of AEWE and AEEE were verified, and their applicability as a natural ingredient in cosmetics was confirmed.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.54 no.3
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• pp.280-287
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• 2022

The loquat (Eriobotrya japonica) is a fruit tree belonging to the Rosaceae family. Loquat fruit extracts from three cultivars (Tanaka, Mogi, and Jinwang) were prepared using absolute methanol and homogenization and ultrasound sonication procedures. We measured the total phenolic and flavonoid content of the fruit extracts and their antioxidant capacities. In addition, we evaluated tyrosinase activity and anti-melanogenic effects in B16F1 melanoma cells. The fruit extract from cv. Tanaka had the highest total phenolic content and showed the highest antioxidant capacity in the ABTS assay. The loquat fruit extract from cv. Jinwang had the highest total flavonoid content and showed the highest antioxidant capacity in the DPPH assay. Loquat fruit extracts from the Tanaka and Jinwang cultivars effectively inhibited mushroom tyrosinase activity. The loquat fruit extracts reduced intracellular oxidative stress in B16F1 melanoma cells. Treating B16F1 melanoma cells with loquat fruit extract from cv. Tanaka at a concentration of 125 ㎍/mL effectively inhibited melanin synthesis. However, treating the B16F1 melanoma cells with loquat fruit extracts from the Jinwang and Mogi cultivars did not. These results suggest that loquat fruit extracts from the Tanaka cultivar may serve as potential sources of antioxidants and act as a skin-whitening agent.