• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.143-149
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• 2009

Several hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives, p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid, N,N'-dicoumaroylputrescine (DCP), N-p-coumaroyl-N'-feruloyl-putrescine (CFP), and N,N'-diferuloylputrescine (DFP) were isolated and purified from corn bran. To develop the skin whitening agent, we investigated the effects of hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives from corn bran, on melanogenesis. CFP and DFP inhibited melanin synthesis in a dose dependent manner up to 44.7 ${\pm}$ 6.0 %, and 58.5 ${\pm}$ 3.1 % at a concentration of 50 ${\mu}g/mL$, respectively. The intracellular tyrosinase activity decreased about 42.5 ${\pm}$ 14.6 %, and 9.0 ${\pm}$ 4.4 % at a concentration of 50 ${\mu}g/mL$ of CFP and DFP, respectively. Our results suggest that inhibitory effects of hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives on melanogenesis are due to the inhibition of the intracellular tyrosinase activity. These results indicate that these hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives from corn bran may be potential natural skin whitening agents.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.137-143
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• 2010

Yuza (Citrus junos Sieb ex TANAKA) is a citrus fruit that is cultivated in northeast Asia. Citron is known for containing abundant antioxidants such as vitamin C, flavonoids, for example hesperidin and hesperetin, and terpenoids such as limononin. When mature citron is processed for tea or other beverage food products in Korea, massive amounts of seeds and pericarp are remained as waste. This study aimed to exploit the processed remnant of Citron for developing functional cosmetic applications. Ethanol extracts of Yuza seed and pericarp did not show significant radical scavenging activities measured by DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) method. But they contained significantly high phenolic compounds. Cultured human dermal fibroblasts and HaCaT keratinocytes were irradiated with 25 mJ UVB and the citron extracts were added to the medium of each culture. Cellular damages caused by UVB irradiation were prevented by the addition of the Yuza extract. In addition, the reduction of the enhanced MMP-1 expression after irradiation of UVB in human dermal fibroblasts was observed. Also the increased level of pro-inflammtory TNF-$\alpha$ in the UVB irradiated HaCaT cells was decreased. The collagen expression was enhanced by the extract. Yuza extract markedly inhibited melanin production from $\alpha$-MSH treated B16F1 melanoma cells. Melanin assay, tyrosinase zymography results indicated that Yuza extract had strong depigmenting activity. In conclusion, Yuza ethanol extracts have good anti-photoaging and strong anti-melanogenic efficacies.

• Journal of Mushroom
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.318-323
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• 2018

This study investigated whether Ganoderma lucidum (Y2)-mediated fermentation of Artemisia capillaris extract (ACE) could synergistically enhance its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and tyrosinase-inhibiting activities. Both G. lucidum extract and fermented ACE exhibited 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging ability, but with poorer efficacy than ACE (even at a low ACE concentration). Viability of RAW264.7 macrophages was significantly reduced in the presence of ACE (150 mg/mL and above). However, this effect was greatly mitigated upon G. lucidum-mediated ACE fermentation. Additionally, relative to the same concentration ($25{\mu}g/mL$) of G. lucidum mycelial extract, ACE exhibited an improved ability to significantly inhibit RAW264.7 macrophage nitric oxide (NO) production. Finally, relative to the same concentration ($200{\mu}g/mL$) of a positive control (arbutin), fermented ACE exhibited an approximately 3.66 times higher capacity for tyrosinase inhibition. These results suggest that G. lucidum-fermented ACE possesses enhanced tyrosinase-inhibiting activity and may be of utility as a skin-lightening agent.

• 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 ($IC_{50}=45.2{\pm}4.6{\mu}M$).

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.105-112
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• 2022

2'-fucosyllactose (2'-FL) is the most abundant human milk oligosaccharide (HMO) present in breast milk, promoting the growth of beneficial microorganisms in the gut and aiding in the relief of allergic and inflammatory reactions. In this study, the anti-melanogenic effects of 2'-FL, and its potential for application in whitening cosmetics, were evaluated. MTT assay was performed on MNT-1 cells, human-derived melanocytes. 2'-FL was treated and replaced at 48 h intervals for 7 days, and it was confirmed that there was no cytotoxicity at 20 g/L or less, while a 40% reduction in melanin production was also observed. Western blot analysis of TYR and TYRP1, factors involved in melanogenesis, revealed that 2'-FL treatment reduced their expression levels. In addition, 2'-FL application and observation of the autophagy marker microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3) revealed it was converted from LC3-I to LC3-𝚷, indicating increased autophagy. Likewise, confocal microscopy revealed an increase in LC3 puncta after 2'-FL treatment. Therefore, it is suggested that 2'-FL-mediated activation of autophagy reduces melanogenesis by inhibiting the expression levels of TYR and TYRP1 proteins. In conclusion, it has been confirmed that 2'-FL induces autophagy and suppresses melanin production, so its potential as a whitening cosmetic material is expected.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.31 no.7
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• pp.654-661
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• 2021

In this study, in order to isolate excellent whitening agents from fungal cultural broth, various fungi were collected from wild areas in South Korea and then screened for tyrosinase inhibition activity, as tyrosinase is a precursor for the biosynthesis of melanin in regulating skin color. A fungus strain that inhibits tyrosinase activity has been identified and confirmed as Trichoderma viridescens (later renamed T. viridescens SW-1) via ITS sequencing. In T. viridescens SW-1, tyrosinase inhibitory activity was strongest on day three of culture. A 5% culture broth showed a tyrosinase inhibitory activity greater than 90% and exhibited high thermostability on day three. At 10% culture broth, the accumulations of intra- and extracellular melanin were inhibited above 27.1% and 7.5%, respectively. In summary, the physical and functional properties of the tyrosinase inhibitory substances of T. viridescens SW-1 included high levels of inhibition of melanin synthesis and antioxidative activity as well as thermostability. Therefore, we suggest that the whitening substance identified from the cultural broth of T. viridescens SW-1 has potential for application as a functional cosmetic ingredient.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.22 no.7
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• pp.889-896
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• 2012

Melanin synthesis is catalyzed by tyrosinase. To investigate the whitening effect of Hizikia fusiformis, fractions from ethanol extract of H. fusiformis were prepared by a systematic fractionation procedure with solvents such as methanol, hexane, butanol, and $H_2O$. The ethanol extract and its fractions were then subjected to evaluate the inhibitory effects on the tyrosinase activity and melanin synthesis in murine B16F10 melanoma cells. The ethanol extract and aqueous fraction exhibited a whitening effect with no cytotoxicity. The ethanol extract showed the highest whitening effect among the samples. The inhibitory effect of $100{\mu}g/ml$ of ethanol extract was higher than that of $10{\mu}g/ml$ of arbutin, but it was lower than that of $10{\mu}g/ml$ of kojic acid. Furthermore, the inhibitory effects of $100{\mu}g/ml$ of methanol, hexane, butanol, and aqueous fractions were similar to those of $10{\mu}g/ml$ of arbutin. The antioxidant activities were examined by comparing the results with that of ascorbic acid as a positive control. The ethanol extract and aqueous fraction showed relatively higher DPPH radical-scavenging activities compared with the other samples. Furthermore, $500{\mu}g/ml$ of ethanol extract and aqueous fraction diminished LPS-induced iNOS expression to 82 and 80%, respectively. These results suggest that ethanol extract and aqueous fraction of H. fusiformis could be used as cosmetic ingredients for whitening and skin protection effects.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.49-70
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• 2017

Objectives: The present study is to observe the skin-regeneration, anti-wrinkle, whitening and skin moisturizing effects of Cheongsangbangpung-tang (CSBPT) with cytotoxicity. Methods: In the present study, cytotoxicity of CSBPT lyophilized aqueous extracts (yield=18.71%) was experimented against human normal fibroblast cells and B16F10 murine melanoma cells by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium Bromide (MTT) assay, and skin regeneration and anti-wrinkle effects were also showed through the assay of collagen type I synthesis by an enzyme immunoassay (EIA) kit as comparing with transforming growth factor (TGF)-${\beta}1$, hyaluronidase, collagenase and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-1 inhibitory assays as comparing with oleanolic acid (OA), and elastase inhibitory effects as comparing with phosphoramidon disodium salt (PP). In addition, whitening effects of CSBPT were observed by tyrosinase inhibitory assay and melanin formation test in B16/F10 melanoma cells as comparing with arbutin, and skin moisturizing effects were measured through mouse skin water contents test, respectively. Results: No CSBPT treatment related cytotoxic effects were demonstrated against human normal fibroblast cells and B16/F10 murine melanoma cells. CSBPT concentration-dependent increased collagen type I synthesis at human normal fibroblast cells. It also effectively suspreessed hyaluronidase, collagenase, elastase and MMP-1 activities, which were enzymes that related to declining of ECM and formation of wrinkle. CSBPT supressed B16/F10 melanoma cells's melanin productions with tyrosinase activity, which was an enzyme connected with melanin formation, and dose-dependent and significant increases of skin water contents were detected in CSBPT treated mouse skin as compared with vehicle control skins. Conclusions: CSBPT showed favorable and enough skin regeneration, anti-wrinkle, whitening and skin moisturizing effects at least in a condition of this experiment. However, more detail mechanism and in vivo skin protective efficacy studies should be conducted in future with the screening of the biological active compounds in individual herbs of Cheongsangbangpung-tang.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.279-285
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• 2011

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the skin whitening effect of the extracts of 3 herbs, Ligularia fischeri, Solidago virga-aurea and Aruncus dioicus, which were collected from Ullung island. Tyrosinase inhibition activities were 33% in pre-fermented extracts and 45% in post-fermented ones. When tyrosinase activities in B16F10 murine melanoma cells were tested, activities in pre- and post-fermented extracts were 41 and 56.5%, respectively. Thus, the post-fermented extracts might have greater skin whitening effects. The protein expression of MITF, TRP-1, TRP-2, and tyrosinase, which are all skin-whitening related transcription factors, showed that both pre- and post-fermented herbs inhibited protein biosynthesis in B16F10 melanoma cells. Post-fermented herb extracts especially showed a greater decrease of protein expressions. The expression of MITF, a regulatory transcription factor, was also decreased by both extracts but was greater in the post-fermented ones. From the results, it can be concluded that the 3 herb extracts from Ullung island may inhibit melanin biosynthesis by the suppression of MITF activity in a signaling pathway. Results indicate that the post-fermented herbs tested in the present study had skin whitening activities and can be used as functional ingredients for food and cosmetic compositions.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.14-34
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• 2016

Objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of cytotoxicity, skin regeneration, anti-wrinkle, whitening and skin moisturizing of Oncheongeum (OCE).Methods: The cytotoxicity of OCE lyophilized aqueous extracts (yield=13.82%) was observed against human normal fibroblast cells and B16/F10 murine melanoma cells by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium Bromide (MTT) assay, and skin regeneration and anti-wrinkle effects were also evaluated through the assay of collagen type I synthesis compared to the transformation of the growth factor (TGF)-β1, hyaluronidase, collagenase and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-1 inhibitory assays compared to oleanolic acid (OA), and elastase inhibitory effects compared to phosphoramidon disodium salt (PP). In addition, OCE’s whitening effects were measured by a tyrosinase inhibitory assay and melanin formation test in B16/F10 murine melanoma cells compared to arbutin, and skin moisturizing effects were observed through a mouse skin water content test, respectively. Results: No OCE treatment-related cytotoxic effects appeared on human normal fibroblasts and B16/F10 murine melanoma cells. OCE concentration-dependently increased the collagen Type I synthesis on human normal fibroblast cells, and also effectively inhibited hyaluronidase, elastase, collagenase and MMP-1 activities. In addition, OCE inhibited melanin production of B16/F10 murine melanoma cells and activity of tyrosinase. And significant and dose-dependent increases of skin water content were detected in OCE-treated mouse skin compared to vehicle control skins. Conclusions: OCE showed favorable and sufficient effects in skin regeneration, anti-wrinkle, whitening and skin moisturizing in this experiment. But more detail mechanisms and studies on the skin protective efficiency of in vivo are needed with the screening of active biological compounds in individual OCE herbs.