• Journal of Life Science
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.47-51
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• 2021

In today's society, functional whitening cosmetics are important to beauty. Fungi are known to produce a variety of whitening-related metabolites. In this study, we searched for tyrosinase inhibitors with metabolic products derived from Trichoderma atroviride supernatant in order to apply a material for whitening functional cosmetics. In addition, the inhibitory effect was compared to arbutin, which has already been approved as a whitening raw material by the Korea Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (KMFDS). The metabolites from the T. atroviride supernatant showed higher tyrosinase inhibitory activity than that of arbutin. Some of the tyrosinase inhibitors were stable to heat, whereas some were unstable. The heat unstable material was exhibited in the case of samples treated with little amounts, such as 0.02~0.2%. They were very unstable in acidic and alkali pHs, especially under acidic conditions. However, it was found that a weakly-acidic to neutral pH range was the optimal working pH, especially neutral pH. Since the activity of the inhibitory substances in the T. atroviride supernatant was maintained regardless of proteinase K treatment, it was assumed that the metabolites, but not the bioactive peptides, were involved in the activity. In summary, we propose that the metabolites derived from T. atroviride supernatant have strong potential as whitening raw material.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.297-304
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• 2021

In this study, we prepared a pigmented skin model, KeraSkin-M^TM for the in vitro evaluation of whitening agents. For the purpose of complementing the existing mono-layer cell culture testing method, KeraSkin-M^TM was produced through the co-culture of human skin-derived keratinocytes and melanocytes. The efficacy of four well-known whitening agents (arbutin, ascorbic acid, kojic acid, niacinamide) was evaluated in KeraSkin-M^TM in order to assess its usefulness in assessing whitening efficacy. As a result, it was possible to observe additional details such as the distribution of melanin granules and melanin capping in each skin layer through KeraSkin-M^TM, which was previously difficult to assess in the traditional 2D cell culture system. In addition, quantification through image analysis of KeraSkin-M^TM allowed for a statistical analysis of the whitening effects. These results suggest that the KeraSkin-M^TM can be used as a new evaluation method of evaluating whitening efficacy, as well as complement the traditional total melanin content and tyrosinase inhibition assays.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.236-244
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• 2024

Melanin is a natural pigment found in most plants and animals, and it is involved in determining the color of the skin and hair. Melanogenesis is a reactive occurrence in melanocytes aiming to protect the skin from external stimuli, such as ultraviolet rays. Tyrosine is involved in the biosynthesis of the substrate tyrosine into melanin. However, melanin overproduction can lead to skin diseases, such as melasma, blotching, hyperpigmentation, and skin cancer. Although many studies have been conducted on whitening substances, such as kojic acid and arbutin, some countries have banned or refrained from using them due to their side effects. Therefore, this study assessed the potential of horseradish (HR) as a new whitening agent in cosmetic products. For efficient extraction, subcritical water extraction was conducted. The results showed that the horseradish subcritical water 200℃ (SW 200) extract showed high DPPH radical scavenging ability, total phenolic contents (TPC), inhibiting tyrosinase activity and inhibiting melanin production of B16-F10 melanoma cell lines. To investigate its cytotoxicity to the B16-F10 melanoma cell lines, MTT reduction assay and morphological changes were observed. No cytotoxicity was found in horseradish methanol extract and SW 200. In conclusion, this research suggests the possibility of horseradish subcritical water may be useful as a natural whitening ingredient to be used in cosmetic products.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.105-112
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• 2024

In this study, the various whitening activities of Inonotus obliquus were assessed for potential use as functional cosmetic materials. When measuring electron donating ability to confirm the antioxidant ability of I. obliquus extract, increased activity was observed as the concentration increased, and it was found an outstanding antioxidant capacity of 82.1% at a 1,000 ㎍/ml concentration. Also, the tyrosinase inhibitory effect, related to a whitening effect, was found to have inhibitory activity that increased in a concentration-dependent manner. The results of verifying the viability of melanoma cells (B16F10) using an MTT assay showed cell viability of more than 80% at concentrations below 100 ㎍/ml. Therefore, cell-related experiments were conducted at 25, 50, and 100 ㎍/ml concentrations. By measuring protein expression related to melanin synthesis via treating B16F10 cells with I. obliquus extract, it was confirmed that protein expression was inhibited in all factors, depending on the concentration. TRP-1 and MITF appeared by 40.1% and 64.2% amount of expression, respectively, at 100 ㎍/ml concentrations, and tyrosinase and TRP-2 were verified as having better protein expression inhibition than arbutin. In measuring mRNA expression related to melanin synthesis by treating B16F10 cells with I. obliquus extract, it was confirmed that mRNA expression was suppressed as the concentration increased. Accordingly, it was confirmed that I. obliquus extract has excellent whitening activity and could be used as a cosmetic material.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.255-259
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• 1996

$\beta$-Glucosidase was known to be involved in the mutagenic activation of $\beta$-glucosides. The level of $\beta$-glucosidase in the feces of adults was 2.7 times higher than that of infants. There was no difference in the percentage of $\beta$-glucosidase positive strains among Bifidobacterium isolates between adults and infants, corresponding to 90 and 92$%$, respectively. However, the strains from adults showed 1.9 times higher enzyme activity than those from infants when grown in Brain Heart Infusion medium. $\beta$-Glucosidase negative strains could not ferment $\beta$-glucosidase substrates, such as cellobiose, salicin, naringin, esculin and arbutin. Presence of $\beta$-glucosidase in Bifidobacterium did not alter the degree of growth in reconstituted skim milk. The $\beta$-glucosidase level was much lower in milk and vegetable medium, although cells grew above $10^8$cfu/ml, than in BHI medium. This study suggests that metabolic activation of the $\beta$-glucosides by Bifidobacterium $\beta$-glucosidase varies significantly depending on types of growth medium.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.283-289
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• 2015

The half-dried leaves of Stewartia. pseudocamellia were extracted with hot water (SPE) and partitioned with n-hexane (SPEH), dichloromethane (SPED), and ethyl acetate (SPEE) successively. SPE and SPEE showed significant inhibitory effects against melanogenesis and tyrosinase activities. By bioassay-guided isolation, ten phenolic compounds were isolated by column chromatography from SPEE. The whitening effect of the isolated compounds from SPEE were tested for the inhibitory activities against melanogenesis using B16 melanoma cells, in vitro inhibition of tyrosinase, and L-3,4-dihydorxy-indole-2-carboxylic acid (L-DOPA) auto-oxidation assay. A cytotoxic activity assay was done to examine the cellular toxicity in Raw 264.7 macrophage cells. Of the compounds isolated, gallic acid and quercetin revealed significant inhibitory activities against melanogenesis compared to arbutin. In particular, quercetin exhibited similar inhibitory activities against tyrosinase and L-DOPA oxidation without cytotoxicity. These results suggested that SPE could be used as a potential source of natural skin-whitening material in cosmetics as well as in food products.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.1319-1325
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• 2010

Tyrosinase ubiquitously existing from microorganisms to animals and plants is known to be the most critical and rate limiting enzyme during melanin biosynthesis. In order to develop new tyrosinase inhibitor we have synthesized 14 diphenyl ether compounds possessing hydroxyl, bromo, and nitro groups in the structure. Among the compounds prepared, 18 and 19 have shown much stronger inhibition of tyrosinase monophenolase function than arbutin used as a positive control. Both compounds 18 and 19 possess para-hydroxyphenyl moiety in their structure, which might reinforce the importance of p-hydroxyphenyl group in the tyrosinase inhibitory process. In the DPPH radical scavenging activity test, none of the compounds even 18 and 19 showed significant antioxidant activity. The results suggest that elaborate adjustment of diphenyl ether analogues with proper substituents have potential to be developed as new skin whitening agents working on the tyrosinase function.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.323-328
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• 2011

We investigated antioxidative activity, tyrosinase inhibitory activity, and melanin production inhibitory activity of the methanol extract of Paeoniae Radix and its fractions. The total polyphenol content of the extract was 73.45 mg/g, and content of the ethyl acetate fraction was 514.50 mg/g as the highest content of fractions. In DPPH radical scavenging ability, $SC_{50}$ values of the ethyl acetate was 3.86 ${\mu}g/ml$ as a result of greater activity in the positive control (ascorbic acid). Moreover, tyrosinase inhibitory activity of the ethyl acetate fraction showed higher activity than arbutin used as a positive control. In the cytotoxicity measurement by MTT assay, the extract and fractions were exhibited cell viabilities of 76.96~157.26% against Raw 264.7 and B16F10 cell in concentration of 10~100 ${\mu}g/ml$. In nontoxic concentration range, the ethyl acetate fraction showed strong melanin production inhibitory effect in ${\alpha}$-melanocyte stimulating hormone (${\alpha}$-MSH)-stimulated B16F10 cell. As a result, the ethyl acetate fraction of the methanol extract from Paeoniae Radix could be applicable to functional materials for skin-whitening agents.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.382-386
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• 2007

Cinnamomi Cortex (Lauraceae), the dried bark of Cinnamomum cassia BLUME, has been used as traditional Chinese medicine for its stomachic, astringent, carminative, antispasmodic, antibacterial, antifungal properties. Four compounds were isolated from the MeOH extract of Cinnamomi Cortex, and their structures were identified as trans-cinnamic acid (1), ${\beta}-sitosterol$ (2), bis(2-methylheptyl)phthalate (3), coumarin (4) by comparison of their physical and spectral data with those reported in the literature. These compounds were tested melanogenesis inhibitory effect on B-16 mouse melanoma cell lines. Among them, trans-cinnamic acid (1) showed the most potent inhibitory effect on melanogenesis with $IC_{50}$ value of $13{\mu}g/ml$. Arbutin, positive control, exhibited an $IC_{50}$ value of $29{\mu}g/ml$.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.63-70
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• 1997

It has been observed that local increase in melanin synthesis or uneven distribution can cause local hyperpigmintation or spot. Pigmentary disorders are caused by various factors, including inflammation, imbalance of hormones, and genetic disorder. Recently the harmfulness of Ultraviolet radiation is increasing due to destruction of ozone layer. Excessive exposure to UV radiation caused post-inflammatory pigmentation. Most women want to avoid uneven skin pigmentation. To satisfy this desire many cosmetic companies have been developing melanogenesis inhibitors and finding promising active agents for use in cosmetic preparations for skin whitening. In cosmetic preparations, many inhibitors such as kojic acid, arbutin, ascorbic acid, and licorice extracts6 have been used as whitening purpose. Plant extracts having an inhibitory effect on melanin formation may be a good choice for cosmetic purpose because of their relatively lower side effects. Therefore, we screened 285 plant extracts for their inhibitory activity in tyrosinase. Of the plant extracts, ramulus mori extracts showed potent tyrosinase inhibition activity. We also identified the active compound in the extract.