• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.30 no.4 s.48
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• pp.485-489
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• 2004

Melanin pigmentation in human skin is a major defensive mechanism against ultraviolet light of the sun. Tyrosinase plays a key role in the biosynthesis of melanin. This is why many researches have been focused on regulations in controlling the epidermal melanization. We found that extract of Canavalia lineata inhibits mushroom tyrosinase activity, dopa oxidase activity, and melanin synthesis in B16F10 melanoma cells. To elucidate mRNA level reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique was used. It was revealed that A subfraction of $CHCI_3$ extract of Canavalia lineara reduced the tyrosinase mRNA expression of B16F10 melanoma cells by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.109-115
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• 2019

Objective : Herbal medicinal mixture (JMB) are consisted of Caryophylli Flos, Aucklandiae Radix, and Angelicae Dahuricae Radix. Each of these herbal medicines has studied on anti-aging effect in vitro. So this study was conducted to investigate efficacy and potency of JMB extract on dermal anti-aging and whitening. Methods : The JMB was extracted at room temperature by 80% ethanol. Collagenase and elastase inhibition activity in JMB ethanol extract were determined at 10, 50, 100, 500, 1000 mg/ml concentrations by colorimetric method. The toxic range of JMB ethanol extract was evaluated using MTT assay. Also, The inhibitory effect of JMB ethanol extract on tyrosinase activity and melanin contents in mouse melanoma cell line (B16F10 cell) was identified at 50, 100, 200 ㎍/㎖ levels by spectrometric assay. In each analysis, EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate) and Kojic acid were used as positive controls, respectively. Results : The elastase and collagenase inhibitory activity of JMB ethanol extract increased dose dependently. Also, The MTT assay showed that JMB, up to 400 ㎍/㎖ concentration, exhibited no toxic effect to the B16F10 cell. And following the JMB ethanol extract treat, cellular melanin contents and tyrosinase activity were dose-dependently decreased compared to those of control. Conclusion : These results suggest that JMB ethanol extract has effects to inhibitory activity on dermal wrinkle enzyme and melanogenesis. Therefore, JMB has applicable benefits for development of materials or products to have whitening and anti-aging functions on skin.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.408-415
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• 2021

This study was conducted to evaluate various beneficial functions of soaked and germinated Robusta coffee beans. Vietnam Robusta coffee beans were soaked in purified water or Salicornia extract for 12 h. The total polyphenol content of non-germinated coffee (NGC), Salicornia extract-germinated coffee (SGC), and water-germinated coffee (WGC) was found to be 16.71-20.17%. First, NGC, SGC, and WGC at concentrations of 25-100 ㎍/mL showed significant anti-oxidant effects on DPPH radical scavenging and xanthine oxidase activity. NGC, SGC, and WGC also inhibited tyrosinase activity and melanin formation in α-MSH-induced B16F10 cells. In addition, the anti-obesity property of germinated coffees was tested by the Oil Red O staining method. NGC, SGC, and WGC inhibited adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 cells without cytotoxicity. Taken together, germinated Robusta coffees with enhanced flavor showed beneficial multifunctional effects, such as anti-oxidant, anti-melanogenesis, and anti-adipogenesis effects.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.247-254
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• 2012

Ramalin (${\gamma}$-glutamyl-N'-(2-hydroxyphenyl)hydrazide) isolated from the Antarctic lichen Ramalina terebrata has been shown to have strong antioxidant activities in the previous study. To investigate additional activities of ramalin, we studied the effects of ramalin on melanogenesis in melan-a cells, a non-tumorigenic melanocyte cell line. At a non-cytotoxic concentration, ramalin dramatically decreased melanin synthesis in melan-a cells in a dose-dependent manner, which was more potent than arbutin, a well-known tyrosinase inhibitor. Ramalin inhibited cell-free tyrosinase activity directly and intracellular tyrosinase activity as well. Its inhibitory mechanisms on melanin production were further assessed, and we found that ramalin significantly decreased the protein levels of melanogenic enzymes such as tyrosinase, tyrosinase-related protein 1 (TRP-1), and tyrosinase-related protein 2 (TRP-2). However, the mRNA levels of these enzymes were not altered. In a clinical study, application of 0.2 % ramalin on human skin significantly improved the degree of skin brightness after 3 weeks. In conclusion, ramalin has strong anti-melanogenic activity that is exerted both by the direct inhibition of tyrosinase activity and by down-regulation of melanogenic proteins. Furthermore, ramalin showed skin brightening effect in a clinical study. Collectively, these results suggest that ramalin may be a useful inhibitor for melanogenesis in skin.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.578-582
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• 2007

The primary objective of this study was to assess the in vitro melanogenesis inhibitory effects of methanolic extracts of the edible and medicinal lichens, Umbilicaria (Gyrophora) esculenta and Usnea longissima. The quantities of the total phenolic compounds of methanolic extract of the two lichen extracts were determined to be 1.46% and 2.62%, respectively. In order to evaluate the antioxidative effects of the extracts, we also measured electron donating abilities (EDA) and lipid peroxidation rates. The EDA values measured by the reduction of 1.1'-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) were 72.8% and 80.7% for the extracts, with $SC_{50}$ (median scavenging concentration) values of $1.29{\pm}0.05\;mg/ml$ and $1.03{\pm}0.06\;mg/ml$, respectively. The rates of inhibition of lipid peroxidation using linoleic acid were 92.1% and 97.3% for the extracts, with $IC_{50}$ (median inhibitory concentration) values of $0.57{\pm}0.05\;mg/ml$ and $0.53{\pm}0.06\;mg/ml$, respectively. The inhibitory rates of the extracts against tyrosinase were 67.4% and 84.8%, respectively. The extracts were shown to reduce melanin formation in human melanoma cells. Melanin contents in the samples treated with 0.01% and 0.1% U. esculenta were 47.1% and 31.2%, respectively, and those treated with 0.01% and 0.1% Usnea longissima were 51.1% and 34.9%, respectively, whereas a value of 54.0% was registered when ascorbic acid was utilized as a positive control. In addition to direct tyrosinase inhibition, it was determined that the lichen extracts affected the activity of tyrosinase via the inhibition of tyrosinase glycosylation. As a result, the methanolic extracts of U. esculenta and Usnea longissima evidenced melanogenesis inhibitory effects, which occurred via multiple routes.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.47-53
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• 2016

Kaempferia galanga L. is one of the plants in Zingiberaceae family. It is used by people in many regions of Asia and Africa for relieving toothache, abdominal pain, muscular swelling and rheumatism. Tyrosinase is a key enzyme for melanogenesis, and hyperpigmentation is associated with abnomal accumulation of melanin pigment. This study aimed to investigate the inhibition of melanogenesis by hexane extract of Kaempferia galanga L. (HKG) in B16F10 melanoma cells. Cell-free tyrosinase, melanin contents, intracellular tyrosinase activity and western blot analysis were performed to elucidate the effects on anti-melanogenesis. Cytotoxicity of the extracts was measured using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and determined the concentration of 12.5, 25 μg/ml. HKG significantly inhibited to activities of intracellular tyrosinase and melanin synthesis in the absence or presence of α-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH) with dose-dependent manner. And HKG inhibited the expression of tyrosinase, tyrosinase-related protein 1 (TRP-1) and tyrosinase-related protein 2 (TRP-2), regardless of the presence or absence of α-MSH. HKG also down-regulated phosphorylation of p38 and JNK, and up-regulated phosphorylation of Akt. These effects were not related to its cytotoxicity action. These results indicate that HKG has the potential to be a useful therapeutic agent for treating hyperpigmentation disorders and as a beneficial additive in whitening agents in cosmetics industry.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.163-170
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• 2015

Lipoteichoic acid (LTA) is a major component of the cell wall of Gram-positive bacteria. Its effects on living organisms are different from those of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) found in Gram-negative bacteria. LTA contributes to immune regulatory effects including anti-aging. In this study, we showed that LTA isolated from Lactobacillus plantarum (pLTA) inhibited melanogenesis in B16F10 mouse melanoma cells. pLTA reduced the cellular activity of tyrosinase and the expression of tyrosinase family members in a dose-dependent manner. The expression of microphthalmia- associated transcription factor (MITF), a key factor in the synthesis of melanin, was also decreased by pLTA. Further, we showed that pLTA activated melanogenesis signaling, such as extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinse (PI3K)/AKT. In addition, the expression of heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A1 (hnRNP A1) and HuR, which are important RNA-binding proteins (RBPs), was reduced. pLTA likely degrades MITF via regulation of melanogenic signaling and RNA stability of melanogenic proteins, resulting in the reduction of melanin. Thus, our data suggest that pLTA has therapeutic potential for treating hyperpigmentation disorders and can also be used as a cosmetic whitening agent.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.66
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• pp.204-212
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• 2023

Whitening is inhibitory activity of the melanin synthesis of melanocytes. Recently, whitening materials have been developed on natural materials because of its side effects on skin. Figs (Ficus Carica L.) is a fruit belonging to the Moraceae family and whitening activity was reported in focusing on the fig's stem and leaf components, but whitening activity of the figs fruit was not known. Thus, in this study, we tried to observe its anti-melanogenesis as well as antioxidant and anti-inflammation. The radical scavenging activity of figs fruits extract (FFE) was observed as the level of 34.52±1.98%/60.71±1.26% compared to the control in the its maximum concentration in the DPPH/ABTS assay. Cytotoxicity of FFE was observed at 10% concentration by CCK8 assay, so the maximum concentration was set at 5% and applied to all experiments. FFE concentration dependently decreased NO production associated with inducible nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase-2, interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α gene expression, these strongly suggesting anti-inflammatory activity. In melanin contents assay, FFE significantly down-regulated melanin production in α-MSH-stimulated B16F10 cell as well as tyrosinase inhibition in vitro. In addition, FFE decreased the Microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) mRNA expression about 94.34% compared to the α-MSH treatment group in RT-PCR. Finally, FFE significantly reduced the MITF, cAMP response element-binding protein and tyrosinase protein expression in the α-MSH stimulated B16F10 cell. Through these results, we found that FFE can not only directly inhibit tyrosinase enzyme activity but also suppress melanogenesis through regulation of MITF gene expression in α-MSH signal transduction.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.307-312
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• 2023

Water chestnut is fruits of Trapa natans var. bispinosa grown wild in Korea. In this study, water chestnut was investigated for anti-pigmentation. Treatment with ethanolic extracts of water chestnut significantly reduced production of melanin in α-MSH simulated B16F10 cells. At 200 ㎍/mL ethanolic extracts of water chestnut, melanin contents were repressed by 43.26% compared to the control group. Additionally, ethanolic extracts of water chestnut reduced expression and activity of tyrosinase, key enzyme in melanogenesis, in α-MSH simulated B16F10 cells. Ethanolic extracts of water chestnut downregulated tyrosinase activity and expression to 23.65% and 62.35%, respectively. These results suggest that ethanolic extracts of water chestnut might be used as a promising whitening ingredients for inhibition of α-MSH-induced melanin synthesis and pigmentation.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.27-35
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• 2018

Objectives : Gastrodiae Rhizoma extract (GE) is possess the various bioactive compounds such as gastrodin, vanilyl alcool and p-hydroxybenzyl alcohol. Various processing methods such as steaming have been widely applied to ease ingestion and enhance the therapeutic effects of plant materials including GE in East-Asia area. The aim of this study was to evaluate the dermal bioactive properties of GE. Methods : First, total phenol, total flavonoid, gastrodin and ergothionein contents of GE were measured. In order to evaluate the dermal bioactive properties of steamed GE compared with not-steamed GE, tyrosinase, collagenase and elastase inhibitory activity were tested. Furthermore, the anti-oxidant activity of GE assessed based on DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging assay. Results : In results, total phenol and total flavonoid contents were increased when 9 times steamed compared to not-steamed GE. Also, GE increased gastrodin contents, in proportion to the number of steaming times and ergothioneine content was abolished in the steaming state. The DPPH radical scavenging activity of GE increased by steaming, but the ABTS radical scavenging activity was not related to the steaming process. In addition, the tyrosinase inhibitory activity was increased as the number of steaming times of GE increased. Collagenase was most inhibited by 4 times steamed GE, and elastase was inhibited by 8 times steamed GE. Conclusion : In conclusion, these results suggest that steamed GE extract has the potential as a cosmetic material which possess anti-oxidant and whitening activities than not steamed GE.