• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.258-264
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• 2015

Withania somnifera has been used in folk medicine to treat various ailments for centuries. In this studies to investigate the whitening effect of Withania somnifera extracts as an active ingredient for whitening cosmetics, the antioxidant capacity and the effects of Withania somnifera extracts on melanogenesis in B16-F10 melanoma cells were identified. Withania somnifera extracts significantly reduced both tyrosinase activity and melanin content in a concentration-dependent manner. Furthermore, it was found that Withania somnifera extracts decreased ${\alpha}-MSH$ (melanocyte-stimulating hormone)-induced tyrosinase activity and MITF(microphthalmia associated transcription factor) protein expression. These data indicate that Withania somnifera extracts attenuate ${\alpha}$-MSH-stimulated melanin synthesis by modulating MITF expression and that they may be a useful therapeutic agent for treating hyperpigmentation and an ingredient of whitening cosmetics.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.397-402
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• 2009

The Portulaca oleracea (P. oleracea) is a popular herbal medicine in East Asia that was known to possess detoxification, antifebrile and antifungal effects. In the present study, we examined the biological activities of ethanol extracts of P. oleracea under various conditions with NIH3T3, B16F10, and MCF-7 cell line model systems. Extracts of P. oleracea (0.5 mg/ml) showed inhibition of expression of tyrosinase, but does not suppress either of TYRP-1 or DCT expression on B16F10 cells. Extracts of P. oleracea (2 mg/ml) showed anti-inflammatory effects on TNF-$\alpha$-stimulated NIH3T3/$NF{\kappa}B$-Luc cells and increase of the synthesis of collagen on NIH3T3 (wild type) cells. These results suggest that extracts of P. oleracea could be used as a functional biomaterial in developing a skin whitening agent and having the anti-inflammatory, anti-wrinkle, and anti-aging activities.