• YAKHAK HOEJI
• /
• v.46 no.2
• /
• pp.137-142
• /
• 2002

Caesalpinia sappan L. has long been commonly used as emmenagogue, analgesic, and a cure for contusion and sprain as well as a remedy for thrombosis in the Oriental medicine. The main constituent of C. sappan is brazilein, which is an antioxidative substance that has a flavonoid structure. In this study, we examined the effect of butanol extract of C. sappan on proliferation and melanogenesis in B16/F10 melanoma cells. After 48h treatment of cells with various concentrations of butanol extract, the cells exhibited a dose-dependent inhibition in their proliferation without apotosis. Therefore, the growth retardation by the extract may be due to the cell arrest, not due to the cell death induced by cytotoxicity. We also estimated total melanin contents as a final product and activity of tyrosinase, a key enzyme, in melanogenesis of B16/F10 melanoma cells. Our result showed that the melanin contents and tyrosinase activity were decreased in butanol extract-treated cells in a dose dependent manner compared to control group. In conclusion, it was observed that butanol extract of C. sappan inhibited melanization of these cells and therefore butanol extract could be developed as skin whitening components of cosmetics.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• v.19 no.1
• /
• pp.29-34
• /
• 2015

Fucoidan, a fucose-rich sulfated polysaccharide derived from brown seaweed in the class Phaeophyceae, has been widely studied for its possible health benefits. However, the potential of fucoidan as a possible treatment for hyperpigmentation is not fully understood. This study investigated the effects of fucoidan on melanogenesis and related signaling pathways using Mel-Ab cells. Fucoidan significantly decreased melanin content. While fucoidan treatment decreased tyrosinase activity, it did not do so directly. Western blot analysis indicated that fucoidan downregulated microphthalmia-associated transcription factor and reduced tyrosinase protein expression. Further investigation showed that fucoidan activated the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway, suggesting a possible mechanism for the inhibition of melanin synthesis. Treatment with PD98059, a specific ERK inhibitor, resulted in the recovery of melanin production. Taken together, these findings suggest that fucoidan inhibits melanogenesis via ERK phosphorylation.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
• /
• v.62 no.2
• /
• pp.137-141
• /
• 2019

At concentrations with little or no cytotoxicity, C. arvensis extract indicates the ability of high DPPH radical scavenging, inhibited tyrosinase activity, and decreased melanin content. The treatment of B16F10 cells with C. arvensis extract suppressed the protein expression of tyrosinase a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that C. arvensis extract inhibits melanin synthesis by inhibiting tyrosinase expression and tyrosinase activity. In addition, C. arvensis extract showed antimicrobial activities against bacteria and yeast. These results indicate that C. arvensis extract may serve as nutraceutical and cosmeceutical agents.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
• /
• v.47 no.2
• /
• pp.107-121
• /
• 2021

Skin hypopigmentation, which is observed in albinism or vitiligo, occurs when melanin synthesis is decreased by genetic, epigenetic, and other factors. To identify drug candidates that can promote melanin synthesis in cells, we screened an epigenetic modulator library consisting of 141 cell-permeable, small molecule drugs. B16/F10 murine melanoma cells were treated with each drug at 0.1 𝜇M and melanin synthesis and cell viability were subsequently monitored. As a result, (-)-neplanocin A, 3-deazaneplanocin A (DZNep), and DZNep hydrochloride were found to increase cellular melanin synthesis without causing cytotoxicity. Because these three structurally related drugs exhibited similar dose-dependent effects on melanin synthesis and cell viability, DZNep was selected as a representative drug for additional experiments. DZNep increased intracellular melanin content and tyrosinase (TYR) activity. DZNep also induced the expression of TYR, tyrosinase-related protein 1 (TYRP1), and dopachrome tautomerase (DCT) at the mRNA and protein levels. DZNep also induced the mRNA and protein expression of microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), a key regulator of melanin synthesis. DZNep is a specific inhibitor of S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase and it caused the accumulation of S-adenosylhomocysteine that inhibits histone methyltransferases in cells. This study suggests that melanogenesis can be modulated by targeting S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase in certain cellular contexts.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
• /
• v.24 no.1
• /
• pp.25-35
• /
• 2011

Objective : The present study was designed to assess the potential inhibitory activity of an ethanol extract of Belamcandae Rhizoma (EBR) on the alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (${\alpha}$-MSH)-induced melanogenesis signal pathway in B16F10 melanoma cells. Methods : Several experiments were performed in B16F10 melanoma cells. We studied tyrosinase activity, melanin content, cell-free tyrosinase activity and DOPA stain, and performed Western blots and RT-PCR for proteins and mRNA involved in melanogenesis. Results : ${\alpha}$-MSH-induced tyrosinase activity and melanin content were inhibited significantly by EBR. EBR markedly suppressed the protein expression level of tyrosinase in B16F10 melanoma cells. On the other hand, the expression of tyrosinase-related protein-1 (TRP-1) and -2 (TRP-2; DCT) were not affected by EBR. To elucidate the mechanism of the depigmenting property of EBR, we examined the involvement EBR in cAMP response element binding (CREB) protein phosphorylation and microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) signalling induced by ${\alpha}$-MSH. EBR did not regulate CREB phosphorylation and MITF expression by ${\alpha}$-MSH. Nevertheless, the mRNA expression of tyrosinase was significantly attenuated by EBR treatment without changes in the expression of TRP-1 and -2 mRNA. Conclusion : Our study suggested that EBR inhibits ${\alpha}$-MSH-induced melanogenesis by suppressing tyrosinase mRNA.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
• /
• v.33 no.3 s.130
• /
• pp.245-251
• /
• 2002

Flavonoid seems to have various biological effects. Quercetin is a kind of natural plant flavonoids and has multiple biological effects such as antioxidant, antimutagenic and anticarcinogenec agent. Melanogenesis is a physiological process resulting in the synthesis of melanin pigments, which play a crucial protective role against skin photocarcinogenesis. This present study was designed to investigate effect of quercetin on proliferation and melanogenesis in Melan-a melanocyte cells. After 48h treatment of cells with quercetin, the cells exhibited a dose-dependent inhibition in their proliferation without apoptosis. Therefore, thε growth retardation by the extract may be due to the cell arrest or cell differentiation. We also investigated the effect of quercetin on melanogenesis of this cells. Melan-a melanocyte cells were grown for 48h in the presence of $0.01-60\;{\mu}g/ml$ quercetin and the total melanin content and activity of tyrosinase were measured. Quercetin stimulated melanization of the cells in low concentrations $(0.01-1.0\;{\mu}g/ml)$, whereas it inhibited melanization in high concentrations $(5.0-30\;{\mu}g/ml)$. It was observed that quercetin differently regulates melanogenesis of Melan-a melanocyte cells dependent on Its concentrations.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.41 no.4
• /
• pp.602-607
• /
• 2017

Background: Panax ginseng is a traditional herb used for medicinal purposes in eastern Asia. P. ginseng contains various ginsenosides with pharmacological effects. In this study, floralginsenoside A (FGA), ginsenoside Rd (GRD), and ginsenoside Re (GRE) were purified from P. ginseng berry. Methods: Chemical structures of FGA, GRD, and GRE were determined based on spectroscopic methods, including fast atom bombardment mass spectroscopy, ID-nuclear magnetic resonance, and infrared spectroscopy. Inhibitory activities of these compounds on melanogenesis were studied by measuring the expression of protein and melanin content in the melan-a cell line. This inhibitory activity was confirmed by observing pigmentation and tyrosinase activities of zebrafish. Results: GRD, GRE, and FGA were not cytotoxic at concentrations less than $20{\mu}M$, $80{\mu}M$, and $160{\mu}M$ in melan-a cells, respectively. GRD, GRE, and FGA inhibited melanin biosynthesis in melan-a cells by 15.2%, 22.9%, and 23.9% at $20{\mu}M$, $80{\mu}M$, and $160{\mu}M$, respectively. FGA was observed to display the most potent inhibitory effect. In addition, FGA decreased microphthalmia-associated transcription factor protein expression in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, FGA induced extracellular signal-regulated kinase phosphorylation level in melan-a cells. In addition, melanin pigment content and tyrosinase activity in zebrafish treated with FGA at $160{\mu}M$ were reduced. Conclusion: FGA showed the most potent inhibition of melanogenesis in both in vitro and in vivo studies. This study suggests that FGA purified from P. ginseng may be an effective melanogenesis inhibitor.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
• /
• v.31 no.10
• /
• pp.883-890
• /
• 2022

The present study investigated the feasibility of using the ethanolic extract of Hermetia illucens larvae (HIE) as a whitening improvement material. In cell viability assays using B16F1 melanoma cells, no cytotoxicity was recorded up to 200 ㎍·mL^-1 of HIE. Moreover, while tyrosinase inhibitory activity increased, melanin content decreased in a dose-dependent manner, indicating that HIE likely inhibited tyrosine-induced intracellular melanin biosynthesis in B16F1 melanoma cells. Therefore, HIE is expected to serve as a potent whitening improvement material.

• Natural Product Sciences
• /
• v.22 no.3
• /
• pp.168-174
• /
• 2016

Anti-melanogenic effects of amaranth (AT), one of the key source of squalene, were investigated in melanocytes. Amaranth seed powder was extracted with water and melan-a cells were treated with various concentrations of AT. By using HPLC, content of myo-inositol, one of potential active components, was measured in the crude extract of AT.AT reduced the melanin content in melan-a melanocytes and down-regulated melanogenic enzyme activity such as tyrosinase, TRP-1 and TRP-2. By regulating melanogenic enzyme activity, AT may be a potential natural source for whitening agent. Myo-inositol was detected in AT by HPLC and may be one of the active compounds from AT involved in the regulation of anti-melanogenesis. In this study, we demonstrated that AT has anti-melanogenesis properties. This new function of amaranth may be useful in the development of new skin-whitening products and its value as food.

• Proceedings of the SCSK Conference
• /
• 2003.09b
• /
• pp.544-544
• /
• 2003

We investigated the inhibitory effect of whitening materials with growth factor or alone on melanomas derived from Human (B-16) and mouse (SK-MEL-31) using melanin content. Melanin content was determined by the absorbance value at 470nm per cells. we used the growth factors known as activators of Adenylate cyclase, Protein kinase C and tyrosine kinase pathway separately. In addition, we compared the action of UV-induced with non-biological growth factor with whitening materials in melanomas derived from Human and mouse. The results showed that the aspect of inhibitory effect of whitening materials on B16 and SK-MEL-31 was not different. And, the action of each growth factor involved in the differentiation and proliferation of melanoma on the inhibition of melanogenesis in B-16 and SK-MEL-31 using whitening agents showed no difference. Also, The action of UV -induced and non-biological growth factors didn't exhibit different pattern on the effect of whitening agent in B-16 and SK-MEL-31.