• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.149-156
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• 2020

Sodium 2-mercaptoethanesulfonate (mesna) is a protective agent that is widely used in medicine because of its antioxidant effects. Recently, reactive oxygen species (ROS) were shown to increase pigmentation. Thus, ROS scavengers and inhibitors of ROS production may suppress melanogenesis. Forkhead box-O3a (FoxO3a) is an antimelanogenic factor that mediates ROS-induced skin pigmentation. In this study, we aimed to investigate the whitening effect of mesna and the signaling mechanism mediating this effect. Human melanoma (MNT-1) cells were used in this study. mRNA and protein expression were measured by real-time quantitative PCR and Western blotting analysis to track changes in FoxO3a-related signals induced by mesna. An immunofluorescence assay was performed to determine the nuclear translocation of FoxO3a. When MNT-1 melanoma cells were treated with mesna, melanin production and secretion decreased. These effects were accompanied by increases in FoxO3a activation and nuclear translocation, resulting in downregulation of four master genes of melanogenesis: MITF, TYR, TRP1, and TRP2. We found that mesna, an antioxidant and radical scavenger, suppresses melanin production and may therefore be a useful agent for the clinical treatment of hyperpigmentation disorders.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.189-193
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• 2012

Oral pigmentation has numerous etiologies. It can be associated with congenital diseases and syndromes, certain acquired diseases, and systemic medications. Pigmented lesions caused by serious disease such as melanoma should be diagnosed correctly, because it would be fatal. For appropriate differential diagnosis, clinicians should know about the etiologies causing oral pigmentation and take patients history carefully. Biopsies would be necessary for histopathological findings. Close follow up for clinical symptoms are also necessary. In this case report, we presented a case of oral hyperpigmentation in Asian patient who was receiving pegylated interferon and ribavirin combination therapy for hepatitis C virus infection.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.47-53
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• 2016

Kaempferia galanga L. is one of the plants in Zingiberaceae family. It is used by people in many regions of Asia and Africa for relieving toothache, abdominal pain, muscular swelling and rheumatism. Tyrosinase is a key enzyme for melanogenesis, and hyperpigmentation is associated with abnomal accumulation of melanin pigment. This study aimed to investigate the inhibition of melanogenesis by hexane extract of Kaempferia galanga L. (HKG) in B16F10 melanoma cells. Cell-free tyrosinase, melanin contents, intracellular tyrosinase activity and western blot analysis were performed to elucidate the effects on anti-melanogenesis. Cytotoxicity of the extracts was measured using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and determined the concentration of 12.5, 25 μg/ml. HKG significantly inhibited to activities of intracellular tyrosinase and melanin synthesis in the absence or presence of α-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH) with dose-dependent manner. And HKG inhibited the expression of tyrosinase, tyrosinase-related protein 1 (TRP-1) and tyrosinase-related protein 2 (TRP-2), regardless of the presence or absence of α-MSH. HKG also down-regulated phosphorylation of p38 and JNK, and up-regulated phosphorylation of Akt. These effects were not related to its cytotoxicity action. These results indicate that HKG has the potential to be a useful therapeutic agent for treating hyperpigmentation disorders and as a beneficial additive in whitening agents in cosmetics industry.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.334-340
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• 2015

Background Full-thickness skin grafts (FTSGs) are generally considered unreliable for coverage of full-thickness finger defects with bone or tendon exposure, and there are few clinical reports of its use in this context. However, animal studies have shown that an FTSG can survive over an avascular area ranging up to 12 mm in diameter. In our experience, the width of the exposed bones or tendons in full-thickness finger defects is <7 mm. Therefore, we covered the bone- or tendon-exposed defects of 16 fingers of 10 patients with FTSGs. Methods The surgical objectives were healthy granulation tissue formation in the wound bed, marginal de-epithelization of the normal skin surrounding the defect, preservation of the subdermal plexus of the central graft, and partial excision of the dermis along the graft margin. The donor site was the mastoid for small defects and the groin for large defects. Results Most of the grafts (15 of 16 fingers) survived without significant surgical complications and achieved satisfactory functional and aesthetic results. Minor complications included partial graft loss in one patient, a minimal extension deformity in two patients, a depression deformity in one patient, and mild hyperpigmentation in four patients. Conclusions We observed excellent graft survival with this method with no additional surgical injury of the normal finger, satisfactory functional and aesthetic outcomes, and no need for secondary debulking procedures. Potential disadvantages include an insufficient volume of soft tissue and graft hyperpigmentation. Therefore, FTSGs may be an option for treatment of full-thickness finger defects with bone or tendon exposure.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.207-212
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• 2014

Skin hyperpigmentation is one of the most common skin disorders caused by abnormal melanogenesis. The mechanism and key factors at play are not fully understood. Previous reports have indicated that cystamine (CTM) inhibits melanin synthesis, though its molecular mechanism in melanogenesis remains unclear. In the present study, we investigated the effect of CTM on melanin production using ELISA reader and the expression of proteins involved in melanogenesis by Western blotting, and examined the involvement of transglutaminase-2 (Tgase-2) in SK-MEL-2 human melanoma cells by gene silencing. In the results, CTM dose-dependently suppressed melanin production and dendrite extension in a-MSH-induced melanogenesis of SK-MEL-2 human melanoma cells. CTM also suppressed a-MSH-induced chemotactic migration as well as the expressions of melanogenesis factors TRP-1, TRP-2 and MITF in a-MSH-treated SK-MEL-2 cells. Meanwhile, gene silencing of Tgase-2 suppressed dendrite extension and the expressions of TRP-1 and TRP-2 in a-MSH-treated SK-MEL-2 cells. Overall, these findings suggested that CTM suppresses a-MSH-induced melanogenesis via Tgase-2 inhibition and that therefore, Tgase-2 might be a new target in hyperpigmentation disorder therapy.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.279-285
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• 2015

Hyperpigmentation on face is a highly anxiety-producing symptom, especially for women from the aspect of beauty. Pigmentation of the skin is related to the amount of melanin that provides protection against UV radiation. In vivo reflectance confocal microscopy is a non-invasive imaging tool allowing visualization of the skin without tissue alteration, by placing a microscopy directly on the living skin. The aim of this study was to develop the new evaluation method of whitening effects using in vivo reflectance confocal microscopy and to validate other instruments for measuring skin colors, and UV-induced hyperpigmentation was elicited on the inside skin of the forearm. It suggested that the new method for whitening effects using the confocal microscopy was useful to evaluate the de-pigmentation products and to easy for understanding to customers.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.81-84
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• 2004

Gingival hyperpigmentation may cause esthetic problems and embarrassment. Especially in patients with a gummy smile. Melanin pigmentation is related to estiologic factor such as hormon, systemic factor, drug, smoking and gingival inflamation. During our search for new inhibitory components on melanogenesis from natural resources, MeOH extracts of more than 100 higher plants were tested for the inhibitory effect on melanogenesis in cultured B-16 mouse melanoma cell lines, and methylene chloride soluble part extract of Cnidii Rhizoma MeoH extraction was found to have potent activity. Cnidii Rhizoma, the root of Cnidium officinale Makino (Umbelliferae), is used for the treatment of abdominal pain, arthralgia, headache, hypertension, intestinal colic and for menstrual disorders and uterine cramps for its anti-blood stagnation effect. Two compounds were isolated and their chemical structures were determined as linoleic acid methyl ester(1), 1,3-dilinoleoyl-2-stearoyl glycerol(2), on the basis of physical and spectral data.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.70-79
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• 2012

Background and Objective : Bowen's disease is a type of an in situ squamous cell carcinoma. Typical type of Bowen's disease present as a gradually growing well-dermarcated erythematous plaque with an irregular border and surface crusting or scaling. This case demonstrates that Bowen's disease which had a relapse during applying the topical imiquimod can be treated by herbal medicine. Methods : A 72-year-old man patient presented with a erythematous plaque on his right medial malleolar area. The diagnosis of Bowen's disease was based on the clinical features. The chief complaints were scales, fissures, crusts and dryness of skin, erythema plaque, hyperpigmentation, bleeding, tenderness on the lesion. He was treated with Mahaengeuigam-Tang for 77 days. The severity of Bowen's disease was evaluated by visible assessment to determine the end-point of clearance. Results : After the treatment, fissures, crusts and dryness of skin and bleeding, tenderness on the lesion were vanished. Scales and erythema plaque, hyperpigmentation of the lesion little remained. Conclusions : Mahaengeuigam-Tang can be used on the treatment of skin disease which has characteristics plaques and crusts of skin.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.73-79
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• 1996

Photochemotherapy(UVA with 8-methoxypsoralen) was given to 30 patients with systemic psoriasis. The results of clearing and long-term(6-month) interval maintenance were reported. Clearing requirements were in general similar to these reported by Melski and Burger. The skin of the 14 patients (46.6%) recovered good skin condition by a once weekly maintenance dose. This result was better than that reported by other authors. 1. During initial treatment period, average number of treatment was 27.3 and average duration treatment was 24.8 weeks. 2. The factors to quit treatment were motion decrease, moving to the remote area, complications, etc. 3. Number of patient who received maintenance treatment was 14. 4. The complications reported from the patients were hyperpigmentation, nausea, headache, pruritis, vomiting, gastritis.

• Proceedings of the SCSK Conference
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• 2003.09a
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• pp.763-764
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• 2003

As melanin is a key material for skin pigmentation, inhibitors of melanin formation have been used to cosmetics and drugs to prevent hyperpigmentation. Therefore, search for effective inhibitor$ from various plants were attempted. For this purpose, I examined in vitro tyrosinase assay system. Tyrosinase showed a maximal activity at 4 units concentration of tyrosinase, 10 minutes, 42$^{\circ}C$ and pH 6.5.