• 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.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.73-79
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• 2018

The primary cilium protrudes from the cell body like a bio-antenna that has many receptors, channels and signaling molecules to sense and response to external stimuli. The external environment such as ultraviolet irradiation, temperature, humidity, gravity and shear stress always influences skin. Skin responds to external stimuli and differentiates by making melanin, collagen and horny layer. Ciliogenesis participates in developmental processes of skin, such as keratinocyte differentiation and hair formation. And it was reported that skin pigmentation was inhibited when ciliogenesis was induced by sonic hedgehog-smoothened-GLI2 signaling. When skin is exposed to ultraviolet irradiation, alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormones (${\alpha}$-MSH) increase melanin synthesis through activation of the cAMP pathway in melanocytes. We observed that ${\alpha}$-MSH and cAMP production inducers inhibited ciliogenesis of melanocytes. Therefore, we thought that regulation of ciliogenesis is potential candidate target for the development of agents to treat undesirable hyperpigmentation of skin. As a result, we found out that an ethanol extract of Glycyrrhiza glabra (EGG) root and 3,4,5-trimethoxy cinnamate thymol ester (TCTE, Melasolv) significantly inhibit melanin synthesis of normal human melanocyte by inducing primary cilium formation. This study proposed new theory to regulate skin pigmentation and cosmetic components for skin whitening.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.604-614
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• 2020

Chronological aging and photoaging affect appearance, causing wrinkles, pigmentation, texture changes, and loss of elasticity in the skin. Phragmites communis is a tall perennial herb used for its high nutritional value and for medicinal purposes, such as relief from fever and vomiting and facilitation of diuresis. In this study, we investigated the effects of ethanol extract of P. communis rhizome (PCE) on skin aging. The total flavonoid and total phenolic content in PCE were 2.92 ± 0.007 ㎍ of quercetin equivalents (QE) and 231.8 ± 0.001 ㎍ of gallic acid equivalents (GAE) per 100 mg of dried extract (n = 3). The half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of PCE for 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH) and hydrogen peroxide scavenging activities were 0.96 and 0.97 mg/mL, respectively. PCE showed inhibitory effects on tyrosinase when L-tyrosine (IC50 = 1.25 mg/mL) and L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (IC50 = 0.92 mg/mL) were used as substrates. PCE treatment up to 200 ㎍/mL for 24 h did not cause any significant cytotoxicity in B16F10 melanocytes, human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs), and HaCaT keratinocytes. In B16F10 melanocytes, PCE (25 and 50 ㎍ /mL) inhibited melanin production and cellular tyrosinase activity after challenge with α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH; p < 0.05). In HDFs, PCE suppressed the mRNA expression of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) and reduced the activity of elastase (p < 0.05). In addition, ultraviolet B (UVB)-mediated downregulation of hyaluronic acid synthase-2 gene expression in HaCaT keratinocytes was also effectively suppressed by PCE treatment. Overall, our results showed that PCE has potential anti-skin aging activity associated with the suppression of hyperpigmentation, wrinkle formation, and reduction in dryness. PCE is a promising candidate for the development of an anti-skin aging cosmetic ingredient.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.11
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• pp.1200-1207
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• 2019

Ultraviolet radiation exposure is a major cause of extrinsic skin aging, which leads to skin hyperpigmentation. Loganin, a major iridoid glycoside obtained from Corni fructus, has anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, and neuroprotective effects. In this study, we investigated the mechanisms underlying the anti-melanogenic effects of loganin in B16F10 melanocytes treated with ${\alpha}$-melanocyte stimulating hormone (${\alpha}-MSH$) and 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX). Anti-melanogenic activity was measured by treating cells with loganin at concentrations between 1 and $20{\mu}m$. Cell viability assays confirmed that doses of loganin up to $20{\mu}m$ were not cytotoxic. Loganin significantly and dose-dependently decreased intracellular melanin production. We also investigated potential molecular signaling pathways for the anti-melanogenesis effects of loganin. Western blotting showed that treatment with ${\alpha}-MSH$ and IBMX increased the phosphorylation of cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) and the gene expressions of microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) and tyrosinase. Addition of loganin suppressed these increases, while promoting the phosphorylation of extracellular signal regulated kinase (ERK) and the anti-melanogenesis response. Our data therefore indicated that loganin could attenuate the increased melanin synthesis induced by ${\alpha}-MSH$ and IBMX treatment of B16F10 melanocytes. This attenuation appears to occur by downregulation of CREB phosphorylation and MITF and tyrosinase gene expression and upregulation of ERK phosphorylation. These finding suggests that loganin could be a valuable candidate for treatment of skin diseases related to hyperpigmentation.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.355-361
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• 2022

Melanin pigments are the main cause of skin color. They are produced in melanocytes and then transferred to keratinocytes, which eventually gives the skin surface a variety of colors. Although many skin-lightening or depigmenting agents have been developed, the demand for materials to reduce pig- mentation is still increasing. Here, we tried to find materials for skin-lightening or depigmentation using natural compounds and found that mistletoe (Viscum album var. coloratum) extracts (ME) had an inhibitory effect on tyrosinase activity. As a result, ME significantly reduced pigmentation in human primary melanocytes. In addition, a promoter reporter assay revealed that ME inhibited the transcription of microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), melanophilin (MLPH), tyrosinase-related protein-2 (TRP-2), and tyrosinase (TYR) genes in HM3KO melanoma cells. In addition, ME decreased the protein level for pigmentation-related molecules, such as TYR and TRP-1. Furthermore, it markedly inhibited the melanogenesis of zebrafish embryos, an in vivo evaluation model for pigmentation. To elucidate the action mechanism of ME, we investigated its effects on intracellular signaling. Eventually, the ME dramatically decreased the phosphorylation of the cAMP responsive element binding protein (CREB), AKT, and ERK. The data suggest that ME may inhibit the melanogenesis pathway by regulating the signaling pathway related to pigmentation. Taken together, these data propose that ME can be developed as a depigmenting or skin-lightening agent.

• Journal of Photoscience
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.205-208
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• 2002

Nitric oxide (NO) is a newly described transmitter involved with cell to cell communication that is generated in biologic tissues by specific types of nitric oxide synthase (NOS), which metabolize L-arginine and molecular oxygen to citrulline and nitric oxide. In the skin. NO has been reported to play an important role in such diseases as psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, and contact dermatitis, as well as act as an important modulator in UVB-induced erythema. Ultraviolet B irradiation to the skin evokes an increase in NO production in the epidermis through two pathways; induction of inducible NOS, mediated by inflammatory cytokines, and elevation of constitutive neuronal NOS activity. In a cell culture system, it has been demonstrated that NO functions as a melanogen after being produced in keratinocytes in response to UVB-irradiation. NO-stimulated melanogenesis in melanocytes is mediated by the cGMP/PKG pathway. In this study, up-regulation of tyrosinase gene expression by NO-stimulation and the involvement of NO in UVB-induced pigmentation were examined. In NO-induced melanogenesis, protein synthesis and tyrosinase activity increased along with an up-regulation of tyrosinase gene expression. In an animal model, UVB-induced pigmentation in skin was suppressed by sequential daily treatments with a specific inhibitor of NOS. Thus, NO plays an important role in UVB-induced pigmentation, where its function as a melanogen is considered to be one of the mechanisms. Together with its role in the development of erythema, NO contributes to the total protective response of skin against UVB-irradiation.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.6-13
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• 2000

Melanin is specifically produced in melanocytes. The pathway for melanin biosynthesis is mainly controlled by tyrosinase. To estimate the inhibitory effect of melanin biosynthesis from 31 medicinal plants extracts, we tested the inhibitory effects of the tyrosinase promoter on B16 mouse melanoma cells. The result of this study demonstrated that Mori Radicis Cortex and Castena Fractus extracts only in tested medicinal plant extracts have high inhibitory effects on tyrosinase promoters with very low cytotoxicity on B16 mouse melanoma cells. Therefore, extracts of Mori Radicis Cortex and Castena Fractus were evaluated as very effective negative regulators of tyrosinase gene expression.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.830-836
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• 2004

The unique biochemical pathways in melanocytes responsible for melanogenesis provide us with a rational mechanism-based means for developing both pharmacological regulators of pigmentation and cytotoxic chemotherapeutic drugs for melanoma, Myricetin is a polyphenolic antioxidant and a component from Biotae Semen, Biotae orientalis Folium. Therefore, the present study was conducted to evaluate the effects of myricetin on the melanogenesis in human melanoma (HM₃KO) cells. The cells were treated for 5 days with myricetin at several concentrations (10 - 100 μg/ml). Treatment with myricetin dose-dependently suppressed cell growth in HM₃KO cells, But melanin formation was markedly increased by myricetin as a dose dependent manner. Myricetin did not affect to tyrosinase activity, which is a key enzyme for melanogenesis, but significantly increased the level of tyrosinase protein expression, These results suggest that myricetin stimulate melanin synthesis of human melanoma cells through the modification of tyrosinase protein expression.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.63-90
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• 2002

Quantitative measurement of melanin is the best method to evaluate whitening effect of cosmetics on human skin. However, non-invasive method to quantify human skin melanin with high precision has not been established. Whitening effect of cosmetics on the skin results in lightening of skin color. Therefore, it is reasonable to measure skin color in a reproducible manner for the assessment of whitening effect. Several Instruments or methods, such as colorimeter, mexameter, and visual assessments by experts , have been used for this purpose. In this lecture I will review the details of various assessment methods for the evaluation of whitening effect and discuss the pros and cons of each method. Then I will present briefly the results of clinical trial. Finally I will introduce new non-invasive modalities to quantify melanocytes.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.233-237
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• 2017

Melanin is one of the most important factors affecting skin color. Melanogenesis is the bioprocess of melanin production by melanocytes in the skin and hair follicles and is mediated by several enzymes, such as tyrosinase, tyrosinase related protein (TRP)-1, and TRP-2, MITF. In this study, we investigated the effect of Artemisia fukudo Makino extracts on tyrosinase activity and melanin production as natural products of whitening functional cosmetics. Melanin content in murine B16F10 melanoma cells were decreased by Artemisia fukudo Makino extracts in a dose-dependently. In addition, the inhibition of tyrosinase activity of Artemisia fukudo Makino extracts showed to decrease tyrosinase activity as the concentration of ${\alpha}-MSH$ was increased. Furthermore, western blot analysis revealed that Artemisia fukudo Makino extracts significantly downregulated the expression of tyrosinase, TRP-1 which treat of ${\alpha}-MSH-induced$ melanogenesis in murine B16F10 melanoma cells. As a result, Artemisia fukudo Makino extract showed functionalities as an effective whitening agent to inhibit melanin formation.