• Journal of Life Science
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.745-752
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• 2018

Melanogenesis is involved in the pigmentation of the hair, eyes, and skin in living organisms. Various signaling pathways stimulated by ${\alpha}-MSH$, SCF/c-Kit, $Wnt/{\beta}-catenin$, nitric oxide and ultraviolet activate melanocyte, leading to melanin production by tyrosinase, tyrosinase-related protein (TRP)-1, and TRP-2 expressed via the microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF). However, the abnormal regulation of melanogenesis causes dermatological issues such as graying hair and vitiligo. Therefore, the activators that promote melanogenesis are crucial for the prevention of graying hair and the treatment of hypopigmentary disorders. Many melanogenesis stimulators have been studied for the development of novel drugs derived from synthesized compounds and natural products. Here, in addition to providing a description of a common signaling pathway in the melanogenesis of graying hair and the vitiligo process for the development of novel anti-hair graying agents, this article reviews natural herbs and the active ingredients that promote melanin synthesis as a pharmaceutical agent for the treatment of vitiligo. In particular, compounds such as Imatinib and Sugen with a stimulating effect on melanogenesis as a side effect of the drugs, are also introduced. Recent advances in research on natural plant extracts such as Polygonum multiflorum, Rhynchosia Nulubilis, Black oryzasativa, and Orysa sartiva, widely known as traditional and medicinal extracts, are also reviewed.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.270-278
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• 2011

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the skin whitening effect of the extracts, Lycii fructus (LF), Dry-L. foilum (DLF) and Fresh-L. folium (FLF). Tyrosinase inhibition activities was 44% in DLF ethanol extracts at a $500{\mu}g/mL$. When the tyrosinase activities in B16F10 murine melanoma cell were tested, the activities in DLF ethanol extracts was 14% at a $50{\mu}g/mL$ concentration. The protein expression of microphthalmia-associated transcription factor, tyrosinase related protein 1 (TRP-1), TRP-2, and tyrosinase, which are all melanin related factors, showed that LF, DLF and FLF extracts inhibited the protein bio-synthesis in B16F10 melanoma cell. Especially the DLF extract showed greater decrease of protein expressions. Results indicate that the DLF extract tested in the present study had skin whitening activity and can be used as a function a ingredients for food and cosmetic compositions.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.62 no.4
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• pp.391-398
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• 2019

The antioxidant, whitening, and anti-wrinkle activity of Spirodela polyrhiza extracts and fractions were evaluated to determine its efficacy as a functional cosmetic material. 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl and 2,2'-azinobis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid radical scavenging activities were 44.2 and 74.3%, respectively, at 100 ㎍/mL of SE-E (the ethyl acetate fraction of 70% ethanol extract). To measure anti-wrinkle effects, procollagen biosynthesis and matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) inhibition activity were determined. At 25 ㎍/mL of SE (70% ethanol extract), the biosynthesis activity was 48.5%, and SE-E showed the best activity (57.8%) at the same concentration. MMP-1 inhibition activity of SE and SE-E was 13.4 and 28.5%, respectively, at 25 ig/mL. Finally, the inhibition of cellular melanin synthesis and cellular tyrosinase were measured to determine the whitening effect; at 25 ㎍/mL, the inhibition activities of SE were 9.6 and 13.8%, respectively, and those for SE-E were 15.4 and 22.0%, respectively. Our results confirmed the possibility of SE and SE-E as effective functional materials. Further research investigating the antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer activities of S. polyrhiza is necessary to confirm its potential use in the food, cosmetics, and drug industries.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.253-261
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• 2015

In this study, cosmeceutical activities of the co-cultures of both lactic acid bacteria isolated from the hands of women, Lactobacillus rhamnosus (L. rhamnosus) and Lactobacillus paracasei (L. paracasei) were first reported: For whitening and anti-wrinkle activities, the co-culture showed the highest tyrosinase inhibition of 20.68%, compared L. paracasei and L. rhamnosus. The co-culture also showed the highest inhibition of melanin synthesis as 63.7%. In observing the anti-wrinkle activities of the co-culture, it generated only 3726.3 pg/mL of matrixmetalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) production when 13613.5 pg/mL and 13012.0 pg/mL of MMP-1 production were estimated from L. rhamnosus and L. paracasei. Besides these, the extract from the co-culture yielded higher collagen production as 380.7 ng/mL, compared to 323.4 ng/mL and 304.1 ng/mL from L. paracasei and L. rhamnosus. These results indicate that the co-culture of both lactic acid could improve its cosmetic activities. This hypothesis was also confirmed that the co-culture of both bacteria showed strong antioxidant activities of DPPH free radical scavenging while the extract of L. rhamnosus and L. paracasei.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.44 no.7
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• pp.993-999
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• 2015

For the purpose of investigating the in vitro antidiabetic activity of a medicinal herb and herb mixture extracts prepared through traditional antidiabetic prescription, this study examined ${\alpha}$-glucosidase inhibitory activity. Tyrosinase, a type I membrane glycoprotein, is synthesized and glycosylated in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and Golgi. The enzyme is subsequently transported to melanosomes, where it participates in melanogenesis. Previous studies showed that disruption of early ER N-glycan processing by an ${\alpha}$-glucosidase inhibitor suppresses tyrosinase enzymatic activity and melanogenesis. According to the results, most oriental medicinal herbal extracts were stronger than acarbose and N-butyldeoxynojirimycin, known as an ${\alpha}$-glucosidase inhibitor. Interestingly, ethyl acetate layer of enzyme hydrolyzed Cheongsimyeonjaeum had an inhibitory effect on melanin synthesis in B16F1 cells, although it did not inhibit tyrosinase activity directly. Together, ${\alpha}$-glucosidase inhibition activity could be used to evaluate anti-melanogenesis, although cross-checking with melanin inhibitory assay is recommended.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.292-296
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• 2009

Tyrosinase catalyzes melanin synthesis in skin melanocytes. The effects of Paeonia sufficinalis water extract (MDP) on antioxidant and tyrosinase activities have been studied in a cell-free system and mouse melanoma B16 cell. Radical scavenging activity of MDP was tested by DPPH assay and it showed high DPPH radical scavenging activity. The cellular tyrosinase activity was measured in mouse melanoma B16 cell by RT-PCR and enzyme activity. Treatment with MDP for 24 hr resulted in decreased tyrosinase mRNA level. Tyrosinase activity was decreased, compared with control, in cells exposed to MDP. Thus, Paeonia sufficinalis water extracts may be a candidate for cosmetic use.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.46 no.10
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• pp.1158-1163
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• 2017

This study investigated the antioxidative activity and whitening efficacy of Crataegus pinnatifida Bunge fruit 70% ethanol extract (CFE). The total polyphenol contents of CFE was 61.31 mg/g, and the total flavonoid contents was 25.42 mg/g. The electron donating ability of CFE at a concentration of $1,000{\mu}g/mL$ was 85.80%. The ABTS radical scavenging activity, and reducing power of CFE at a concentration of $1,000{\mu}g/mL$ were 17.3% and 0.31, relatively. The maximum permissible levels of CFE in melanoma cells were $100{\mu}g/mL$. CFE at $50{\mu}g/mL$ reduced melanin contents by 8.5%. CFE at $1,000{\mu}g/mL$ reduced intracellular tyrosinase activity by 46.83%. Collectively, the results of this study suggest that CFE effectively inhibited tyrosinase activity, whereas melanin synthesis was weak. These results suggest that Crataegus pinnatifida Bunge fruit could be used as a whitening agent and antioxidant resources for functional foodstuffs, cosmetics, and beauty industrial materials.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.327-333
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• 2018

Background: Bioactive compounds in plant extracts are able to reduce metal ions to nanoparticles through the process of green synthesis. Panax ginseng is an oriental medicinal herb and an adaptogen which has been historically used to cure various diseases. In addition, the P. ginseng leaves-mediated gold nanoparticles are the value-added novel materials. Its potential as a cosmetic ingredient is still unexplored. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant, moisture retention and whitening properties of gold nanoparticles (PgAuNPs) in cosmetic applications. Methods: Cell-free experiments were performed to evaluate PgAuNP's antioxidant and moisture retention properties and inhibition activity on mushroom tyrosinase. Furthermore, in vitro cell cytotoxicity was evaluated using normal human dermal fibroblast and murine B16BL6 melanoma cells (B16) after treatment with increasing concentrations of PgAuNPs for 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h. Finally, in vitro cell assays on B16 cells were performed to evaluate the whitening effect of PgAuNPs through reduction of cellular melanin content and tyrosinase activity. Results: In vitro DPPH radical scavenging assay results revealed that PgAuNPs exhibited antioxidant activity in a dose-dependent manner. PgAuNPs exhibited moisture retention capacity and effectively inhibited mushroom tyrosinase. In addition, 3-(4,5-dimethyl-thiazol-2yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide results revealed that PgAuNPs were not toxic to human dermal fibroblast and B16 cells; in addition, they significantly reduced melanin content, tyrosinase activity, and mRNA expression of melanogenesis-associated transcription factor and tyrosinase in B16 cells. Conclusion: Our study is the first report to provide evidence supporting that P. ginseng leaves-capped gold nanoparticles could be used as multifunctional ingredients in cosmetics.

• 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 Ginseng Research
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.389-400
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• 2013

Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) has been reported to exert anticancer, anti-oxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects. However, there has been no report on the effect of KRG on skin pigmentation. In this study, we investigated the inhibitory effect of KRG on melanocyte proliferation. KRG extract (KRGE) at different concentrations had no effect on melanin synthesis in melan-A melanocytes. Saponin of KRG (SKRG) inhibited melanin content to 80% of the control at 100 ppm. Keratinocyte-derived factors induced by UV-irradiation were reported to stimulate melanogenesis, differentiation, proliferation, and dendrite formation. In this study, treatment of melan-A melanocytes with conditioned media from UV-irradiated SP-1 keratinocytes increased melanocyte proliferation. When UV-irradiated SP-1 keratinocytes were treated with KRGE or SKRG, the increase of melanocyte proliferation by the conditioned media was blocked. Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) was produced and released from UV-irradiated keratinocytes. This factor has been reported to be involved in regulating the proliferation and differentiation of epidermal melanocytes. In this study, GM-CSF was significantly increased in SP-1 keratinocytes by UVB irradiation ($30mJ/cm^2$), and the proliferation of melan-A melanocytes increased significantly by GM-CSF treatment. In addition, the proliferative effect of keratinocyte-conditioned media on melan-A melanocytes was blocked by anti-GM-CSF treatment. KRGE or SKRG treatment decreased the expression of GM-CSF in SP-1 keratinocytes induced by UVB irradiation. These results demonstrate that UV irradiation induced GM-CSF expression in keratinocytes and KRGE or SKRG inhibited its expression. Therefore, KRG could be a good candidate for regulating UV-induced melanocyte proliferation.