• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.79-95
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• 2003

Objectives: This study was performed to investigate the depigmentation effects of Salt, Acetum, Sesami Semen Nigrum. Methods: Inhibition of tyrosinase activity, melanin production & cell viability in cultured B16 melanoma cells, UV screen and cytoprotective effects on PC12 cells injured by hydrogen peroxide were measured. Results: Salt, Acetum, Sesami Semen Nigrum did not show any inhibitory effects of tyrosinase activity & melanin production in melanoma cells, UV screen and cytoprotective effects on PC12 cells injured by hydrogen peroxide. Conclusions: This study shows that Salt, Acetum, Sesami Semen Nigrum which were generally used for the addition in external application do not have the depigmentation effects. Following this, the depigmentation effects of the other addition which were generally used for external application shoud be examined.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.73-80
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• 2012

Objectives : Under normal condition melanin protects the skin from extracellular stimuli including ultraviolet (UV)-induced oxidative skin damages, but excess production and accumulation of melanin can induce hyperpigmentation causing esthetic problems. Therefore, in this study we tried to search for natural skin whitening materials from marine natural resources. Methods : Water and ethanol extracts of marine natural resources were prepared from Porphyra thalli (PT), Laminariae thallus (LT), Ostreae concha (OC), Sargassum thallus (ST), Undaria thallus (UT), Codium thalli (CT), Enteromorpha thalli (ET), Syngnathoides biaculeatus (SB), and Hippocampus coronatus (Hc). Their effects against UVB and ${\alpha}$-melanocyte stimulating hormone (${\alpha}$-MSH)-induced melanogenesis were investigated based on melanin formation in B16 mouse melanoma cells. The mRNA and protein expression of enzymes involved in the melanogenic process were further examined by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot analysis, respectively. Results : Water extract of Ostreae concha (OCW/E) effectively inhibited UVB and ${\alpha}$-MSH-induced melanin production in B16 melanocytes, which seemed to be mediated by inhibition of mRNA expression of tyrosinase and tyrosinase-related protein 1 (TRP-1). In another experiment, ethanol extracts from Porphyra thalli (PTE/E), Laminariae thallus (LTE/E), Sargassum thallus (STE/E), Undaria thallus (UTE/E), Codium thalli (CTE/E), Syngnathoides biaculeatus (SBE/E), and Hippocampus coronatus (HcE/E) significantly suppressed UVB and ${\alpha}$-MSH-induced melanin formation. Furthermore, ethylacetate fraction isolated form LTE/E (LTE/EEt) decreased UVB and ${\alpha}$-MSH-elevated extracellular melanin levels via inhibition of tyrosinase protein expression. Conclutions : These results suggest that marine natural resources such as Porphyra thalli, Laminariae thallus, Ostreae concha, Sargassum thallus, Undaria thallus, Codium thalli, Syngnathoides biaculeatus and Hippocampus coronatus have anti-melanogenic effects, thereby exhibiting high potentials to be utilized as one of the ingredients for the development of new whitening functional cosmetics.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.674-680
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• 2010

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Fructus Ligustri Lucidi (FLL) on the process of melanogenesis. Cell viability of B16F10 cells was measured by MTT assay and melanin content was assessed using the method of Hosoi with some modifications. Methanol extract of Fructus Ligustri Lucidi (MFLL) significantly inhibited melanin synthesis in a concentration-dependent manner, and it reduced the activity of tyrosinase, the rate-limiting melanogenic enzyme. Additionally, $\alpha$-melanocyte stimulation hormone ($\alpha$-MSH)-induced hyperpigmentation was down-regulated by MFLL. MFLL was fractionated by organic solvent. In the present study, Hexane extract of Fructus Ligustri Lucidi (HFLL) inhibited tyrosinase activity and melanin production of B16F10 cells in the absence or presence of $\alpha$-MSH. Ethyl acetate, butanol and water layers did not affect tyrosinase activity and melanin production. Meanwhile ethyl acetate, butanol and water layers showed DPPH free radical scavenging activity. These results suggest that extract of FLL could be used as functional biomaterial in developing a skin whitening agent having the antioxidant activity.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2023.04a
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• pp.56-56
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• 2023

The cone of Pinus rigida × Pinus taeda (PRT), a plant in the Pinaceae family, has long been used in traditional medicine to treat hemostasis, bruises, and burns. Previous research has shown that regulating oxidation-reduction reactions in reactive oxygen species can help inhibit melanogenesis, the process of melanin synthesis, which is a common target for addressing hyperpigmentation. Inhibiting tyrosinase is also known to be effective in this regard. Based on these findings, we conducted an investigation into the inhibitory effect of the ethyl acetate fraction of PRT (ERT) on melanogenesis in B16 F10 cells. We know that the expression levels of melanin biosynthesis-related proteins, including tyrosinase, TRP-1, and TRP-2, are regulated by MITF (microphthalmia-associated transcription factor) and cAMP, with cAMP affecting the activity of protein kinase A (PKA). PKA can reduce melanogenesis, and CREB reduces the phosphorylation of melanin-producing enzymes. In addition, the MAPK signaling pathway, composed of ERK, JNK, p38, and other factors, is also known to play a role in the inhibition of melanogenesis in melanocytes. Our immunoblotting results showed that ERT inhibited the expression of melanin production-related proteins (tyrosinase, TRP-1, TRP-2, and MITF) that were significantly increased by a-MSH treatment to promote melanin production. Furthermore, the phosphorylation levels of factors related to cAMP/PKA/CREB and MAPK signaling pathways were significantly reduced without affecting the total form. In conclusion, we believe that treatment with ERT can inhibit melanin synthesis by modulating the phosphorylation of cAMP/PKA/CREB and MAPK signaling pathways at the cellular level. These findings suggest the potential of ERT as a raw material for functional cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, thanks to its antioxidant activity and ability to inhibit melanogenesis. We thought that these findings of ERT as a natural plant resource will inspire further research and development in this area.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.240-242
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• 2011

In this study, liquid culture of Tricholoma matsutake mycelia was performed via biomass production, and its inhibitory effects on melanin biosynthesis were evaluated. The Tricholoma matsutake mycelia extract inhibited 38.6% of tyrosinase activity at 100 ppm, which is higher than that of extracelluar medium at same dose. In addition, when 100 ppm of Tricholoma matsutake mycelia extract was treated to melan-a cells for 3 days, 19% of melanin production was reduced without cell toxicity. These results suggested that cultured Tricholoma matsutake mycelia might be useful as a skin depigmenting material.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.104-117
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• 2002

Objective : The aim of this study was to investigate the skin-whitening effect of Kakamseosiokyong-san Method : We investigated that the extracts of Kakamseosiokyong-san inhibit activity of tyrosinase, the enzyme which converts 3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)alanine to dopachrom in the biosynthetic process of melanin. the UV absorbance of the extracts in the UV - A region and UV - B region was measured by UV scanning. the effect of extracts on cell viability and melanin production in cultured B16 mouse melanoma cells was measured, and cytoprotective effects of extracts on PC12 cells injured by hydrogen peroxide was measured by MTT assay Results: The extracts of Kakamseosiokyong-san inhibited activity of tyrosinase. The extracts not only showed inhibitory effects on melanin production in cultured B16 mouse melanoma cells, but also exhibited cytoprotective effects on PC12 cells injured by hydrogen peroxide, but did not showed an absorbance in the UV - A region and UV - B region. Conclusion: These results suggest that Kakamseosiokyong-san inhibit melanin biosynthesis which is involved in hyperpigmentation and could be used as a whitening agent for the skin.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.55-64
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• 2024

The desire of modern people to maintain a healthy and beautiful appearance is increasing day by day along with the increasing interest in skin health and the demand for functional cosmetics. Accordingly, research on functional cosmetic materials with few side effects and excellent efficacy is being actively conducted. Therefore, this study tried to verify the antioxidant and whitening effects of the mixed extracts of Bixa orellana, Ammi majus, and Glycyrrhiza glabra, whose efficacy has been individually verified. Extracts (BAG-1~4) with different extraction methods such as steaming, fermentation, and ultrasonication were prepared for 3 types of natural plants, and antioxidant and whitening effects of these extracts were confirmed. For this purpose, antioxidant, tyrosinase activity, melanin production and stability experiments were conducted. Extracts (BAG-1~4) had no cytotoxicity, and antioxidant and whitening effects were confirmed. BAG-4 extracted by steaming and fermentation showed the best efficacy. It seems that enzymes such as lipase, protease, and amylase increase phenol components by various yeasts involved in the fermentation process, thereby improving antioxidant and melanin production inhibitory effects. It was confirmed that the three types of natural plant extracts could be used as safe and functional cosmetic materials.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.223-229
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• 2015

In this study, we investigated the effect of ethanol extracts from Gentianae scabrae bunge (GSB) on the activities of antioxidant, whitening and anti-inflammation. Viability of cells was measured by neutral red (NR) assay, and inhibitory effects of GSB on melanin synthesis was determined the melanin production in B16F10 cells. The expression level of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) in media was analyzed by ELISA kit, and nitric oxide (NO) production in RAW264.7 cells was monitored by measuring the nitrite content in culture medium. GSB showed highly efficacy in 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, and significantly reduced melanin synthesis in B16F10 cells. MMP-1 production in UVB-stimulated human dermal fibroblast (HDF) cells was inhibited by GSB treatments. NO production was suppressed by the treatment of GSB in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. From this results, it was indicated that GSB could be utilized as anti-aging and whitening cosmetic ingredients.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.89-94
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• 2014

Stem bark extracts of Fraxinus rhynchophylla Hance were found to contain two major bioactive components, esculetin and esculin. Esculetin substantially inhibited melanogenesis in B16F10 melanoma cells, with an $IC_{50}$ value of $2.8{\mu}M$, and reduced melanin synthesis in Melan-A cells. Moreover, esculetin suppressed melanin biosynthesis by inhibiting mushroom tyrosinase activity, with an $IC_{50}$ value of $40{\mu}M$. Taken together, these results suggest that esculetin could serve as an effective skin-lightening agent that inhibits melanin production by regulating the activity of melanogenic enzymes.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.65 no.2
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• pp.93-99
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• 2022

Lysosome organelle extract (LOE) was derived from egg whites. The lysosome is an intracellular organelle that contains several hydrolysis enzymes. Previous studies have reported that LOE performs important functions, such as melanin de-colorization and anti-melanin production in B16F10 melanoma cells. However, its principal molecular and cellular mechanisms have not been elucidated till date. In non-cytotoxic conditions, LOE significantly inhibited α-MSH induced melanin synthesis of murine B16F10 cells. The anti-melanogenic activity of LOE was mediated by suppressing the mRNA expression of tyrosinase enzyme, tyrosinase related protein-1/2 (TRP-1/2), and microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) genes. By performing western blot analysis, we found that LOE significantly attenuated melanogenesis. In this case, LOE helped in increasing extracellular receptor kinase (ERK) phosphorylation in α-MSH induced B16F10 cells. Furthermore, MITF is found to be a key regulatory transcription factor in melanin synthesis; it was down-regulated by LOE through ERK phosphorylation. In this experiment, PD98059 (MEK inhibitor) was used to check whether LOE directly regulated the activity of ERK. Although LOE exerted inhibitory effect on melanin synthesis, we could not observe this effect in PD98059-treated α-MSH induced B16F10. These results strongly indicate that LOE is related to ERK activation and MITF degradation in anti-skin pigmentation. Hence, LOE should be utilized as a whitening agent of skin in the near future.