• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.485-490
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• 2014

Poria cocas has been reported to be effective in skin whitening. However, the direct effect of P. cocas ethanol extracts (PCEE) on melanin synthesis has not been scientifically studied. To elucidate the direct effect of PCEE on melanogenesis, a 3,4-dihydroxyindole-2-carboxylic acid (DOPA) synthesis assay, tyrosinase activity assay, and Western blotting for melanogenic proteins, including tyrosinase, tyrosinase-related protein (TRP)-1, and TRP-2 were performed in mouse B16F1 cells. The results revealed that PGEE inhibited melanin production in a dose-dependent manner by blocking the synthesis of DOPA. Although the activation of tyrosinase was not affected, the expression levels of TRP-1 and TRP-2 were controlled. These results suggest that PCEE has a whitening effect, indicating that it may be a useful agent in the development of whitening cosmetics.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.10
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• pp.1063-1069
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• 2014

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are known to lead to oxidation of lipids, proteins, and DNA and cause skin damage. Moreover, ROS promote melanogenesis, which causes melasma, age spots, and freckle. The main compounds of the herbal medicines Poria cocas, Glycyrrhiza uralensis, and Ulmus macrocarpa were reported to be parchymic acid, glabridin, and flavonoids, respectively. The aim of this study was to investigate the whitening and antioxidant effects of a mixture of P. cocas, G. uralensis, and U. macrocarpa extracts (PGUE) in B16F1 cells to develop whitening cosmetics. PGUE inhibited DPPH radicals and lipid peroxidation, in addition to high reduction power, compared with Glycyrrhiza uralensis ethylacetate extracts (GUEE). Furthermore, PGUE exhibited a protective effect against DNA oxidation induced by the hydroxyl radicals. In addition to its antioxidant activity, the inhibitory activity of PGUE against tyrosinase, which is associated with melanogenesis, was greater than that of arbutin used as a positive control. Moreover, PGUE exerted an inhibitory effect on melanin synthesis in live melanoma cells and reduced the expression levels of superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD-1) and tyrosinase related protein-1 (TRP-1). These results indicate that PGUE has skin whitening and antioxidant effects, suggesting that this mixture can be used as the main ingredient in the development of effective whitening cosmetics.

• Journal of Korean Medical classics
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.55-67
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• 2011

Through analyzing the frequencies of medicinal herb combinations in the prescriptions of "Bangyakhappyeon(方藥合編)", we could understand the characteristics of prescription composition and author's medical thoughts. So we conducted this study that analyze combination of 324 medicinal herbs in 467 prescriptions, and found meaningful combinations of 5,045. Among these, the most meaningful combination is the one of 10 herbs, Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fischer, Angelica gigas Nakai, Ziziphus jujube Mille, Atractylodes japonica Koidzumi, Poria cocas Wolf, Zingiber officinale, Rehmanniae radix preparata, Cinnamomum loureirii, Panax ginseng C.A.Meyer, Astragalus membranaceus. This combination is Sibjeondaebo-tang(Shiquandabu-tang) without Cnidium officinale and Paeonia japonica which compose Samul-tang(Siwu-tang). It means this combination is kind of modified Sibjeondaebo-tang(Shiquandabu-tang), which is more effective in tonifying qi than tonifying blood. Prescriptions of "Bangyakhappyeon(方藥合編)" involve herbs mostly used to improve weak and frail health and the herbs which are more effective in tonifying qi than tonifying blood. Through this study, we know the author' s one of medical view points on tonifying qi and blood, attaching importance to tonifying qi relatively to tonifying blood.