• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
• /
• v.28 no.5
• /
• pp.506-511
• /
• 2014

Commelina communis Ledeb is a widely used medication for the treatment of antidiabetic, antioxidant and hypoglycemic agent in Korea. Alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (${\alpha}$-MSH) is a major factor to stimulate melanin synthesis in the skin. The purposes of this study was to investigate the inhibitory effects of extract from Commelina communis Ledeb (ECC) on ${\alpha}$-MSH-stimulated melanogenesis in B16F10 cells. ECC suppressed melanin synthesis and intracellular tyrosinase activity in B16F10 cells or ${\alpha}$-MSH-induced B16F10 cells in a dose dependent manner. In study on the melanogenic protein expressions, it had especially influence on expressions of tyrosinase and tyrosinase-related protein (TRP-1). Tyrosinase and TRP-1 expressions were gradually decreased in a dose-dependent. Additionally, the extract also decreased the ${\alpha}$-MSH-induced over-expression of tyrosinase and TRP-1. This results show that the anti-melanogenic activity of ECC is correlated with the suppression of tyrosinase and TRP-1 protein expressions in B16F10 cells.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
• /
• v.37 no.4
• /
• pp.319-326
• /
• 2011

In order to investigate the potential of Nigella sativa (N. sativa) oil as an active ingredient for whitening cosmetics, we prepared N. sativa oil. We measured its inhibitory effects on mushroom tyrosinase activity, cellular tyrosinase activity, and melanin synthesis inhibitory activity in B16 melanoma cells. N. sativa oil and its components showed inhibitory activity against mushroom tyrosinase and melanin synthesis. In a melanin synthesis inhibition assay using mouse B16-F10 melanoma cell, it reduced melanin production up to 86 % at a concentration of 10 mg/mL without cytotoxicity. In the study on the melanogenic protein expressions by using RT-PCR and Western blot, N. sativa oil and its components inhibited expression of tyrosinase protein, which is a well-known key protein on melanogenesis, and tyrosinase expression was gradually decreased in a dose-dependent manner. Therefore, this result suggests that N. sativa oil could be used as an active ingredient for whitening cosmetics.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• v.18 no.3
• /
• pp.249-254
• /
• 2014

The purpose of this study is to characterize the effects of KHG26792 (3-(naphthalen-2-yl(propoxy)methyl)azetidine hydrochloride), a potential skin whitening agent, on melanin synthesis and identify the underlying mechanism of action. Our data showed that KHG26792 significantly reduced melanin synthesis in a dose-dependent manner. Additionally, KHG26792 downregulated microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) and tyrosinase, the rate-limiting enzyme in melanogenesis, although tyrosinase was not inhibited directly. KHG26792 activated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), whereas an ERK pathway inhibitor, PD98059, rescued KHG26792-induced hypopigmentation. These results suggest that KHG26792 decreases melanin production via ERK activation. Moreover, the hypopigmentary effects of KHG26792 were confirmed in a pigmented skin equivalent model using Cervi cornus Colla (deer antler glue), in which the color of the pigmented artificial skin became lighter after treatment with KHG26792. In summary, our findings suggest that KHG26792 is a novel skin whitening agent.

• KSBB Journal
• /
• v.28 no.2
• /
• pp.137-145
• /
• 2013

In order to develop new skin whitening agents, we prepared the $CH_2Cl_2$ layer (NGC) and BuOH layer (NGB) of 75% EtOH extract of the Nelumbinis nucifera Gaertner. We measured their tyrosinase inhibitory activity in vitro and melanin synthesis inhibitory activity in B16-F1 melanoma cells. They did not show inhibitory activity against mushroom tyrosinase but showed melanin synthesis inhibitory activity in a dose-dependent manner. In a melanin synthesis inhibition assay, NGC and NGB suppressed melanin production up to 52% and 46% at a concentration of $100{\mu}g/mL$, respectively. To elucidate the mechanism of the inhibitory effects of NGC and NGB on melanogenesis, we measured the expression of melanogenesis-related proteins by western blot assay. As a result, NGC suppressed the expression of tyrosinase, tyrosinase related protein 1 (TRP-1), tyrosinase related protein 2 (TRP-2), phosphorylated cAMP responsive element binding (p-CREB) protein, and microphthalmia associated transcription factor (MITF). And NGB inhibited the protein expression of tyrosinase and MITF, but had no significant effect on TRP-1, TRP-2, and p-CREB expression. Moreover, NGB increased the expression of phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (p-ERK). In addition, we examined the inhibitory effect on the glycosylation of tyrosinase. As a result, NGC and NGB inhibited the activity of ${\alpha}$-glucosidase in vitro and the glycosylation of tyrosinase in B16-F1 melanoma cells. From these results, we concluded that NGC and NGB could be used as active ingredients for skin whitening.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
• /
• v.23 no.6
• /
• pp.641-646
• /
• 1995

During the screening of inhibitors of melanin biosynthesis from microbial secondary metabolites, a fungal strain MR304 which was capable of producing high level of an inhibitor was selected. Based on taxonomic studies, this fungus could be classified as Trichoderma harzianum. The active compound (MR304-1) was purified from culture broth by Diaion HP-20 column chromatography, ethylacetate extraction, Sephadex LH-20 column chromatographv and HPLC. The inhibitor was identified as 3-(1,5-dihvdroxy-3-isocyanocyclopent-(E)-3-envl)prop-2-enoate by spectroscopic methods of UV, ESIMS, $^{1}$H-NMR, $^{13}$C-NMR, NOE, HMQC and HMBC. MR304-1 showed strong mushroom tyrosinase inhibitory activity with IC$_{50}$ value of 0.25 $\mu $g/ml. It inhibited melanin biosynthesis with 15 mm inhibition zone at 30 $\mu $g/paper disc in Streptomyces bikiniensis, a bacterium used as an indicator organism in this work. It also inhibited melanin biosynthesis in B16 melanoma cells with a niinimum inhibitory concentration of 0.05 $\mu $g/ml.

• KSBB Journal
• /
• v.32 no.3
• /
• pp.187-192
• /
• 2017

In this study, we investigated the effect of Rumex axetosella, Sonchus oleraceus and Euphoibia jolkini extracts on tyrosinase activity and melanin production as natural products of whitening functional cosmetics. To measure the melanin production, 50, 100, $200{\mu}g/mL$ of Rumex axetosella, Sonchus oleraceus and Euphoibia jolkini extracts were treated on ${\alpha}-MSH$ treated B16F10 melanoma cells, respectively. Melanin contents in ${\alpha}-MSH$ treated B16F10 melanoma cells were decreased by 41.5, 51.11, and 61% in $200{\mu}g/mL$ treatment compared to none treatment, respectively. In addition, the intracellular tyrosinase activity was decreased after treatments with all extracts. Furthermore, $100{\mu}g/mL$ of Euphoibia jolkini extract was decreased 81.5% of melanin production in B16F10 melanoma cells. When the three extracts were compared, Euphoibia jolkini extract was considered to be the most functional material for whitening effect.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
• /
• v.40 no.1
• /
• pp.89-94
• /
• 2014

Stem bark extracts of Fraxinus rhynchophylla Hance were found to contain two major bioactive components, esculetin and esculin. Esculetin substantially inhibited melanogenesis in B16F10 melanoma cells, with an $IC_{50}$ value of $2.8{\mu}M$, and reduced melanin synthesis in Melan-A cells. Moreover, esculetin suppressed melanin biosynthesis by inhibiting mushroom tyrosinase activity, with an $IC_{50}$ value of $40{\mu}M$. Taken together, these results suggest that esculetin could serve as an effective skin-lightening agent that inhibits melanin production by regulating the activity of melanogenic enzymes.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
• /
• v.39 no.3
• /
• pp.174-178
• /
• 2008

Melanin is a polymer of phenol which produces hyperpigmentation in the skin. Melanin synthesis is catalyzed by the enzyme tyrosinase. To investigate the whitening activity of the fractions from the ethanol extract of Enteromorpha linza, we studied the inhibitory effect on the tyrosinase activity and melanogenesis in the B16/F1 melanoma cells. The inhibition ratio of tyrosinase activity of ethylacetate fraction from E. linza was as strong as that of kojic acid, a positive control. Also, the melanin production was significantly inhibited by the ethylacetate fraction in a dose dependent manner. The ethylacetate fraction showed the highest activity in the fractions and as strong activity as that of arbutin, a positive control. From these results, we suggest that the E. linza extract might be able to apply to cosmetic and medical fields.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
• /
• v.58 no.1
• /
• pp.47-52
• /
• 2014

Clematis mandshurica (Ranunculaceae) has traditionally been used as a remedy for antidiuretic, antifungal, rheumatic conditions and alleviate pain. We carried out to evaluate the anti-oxidative effect, anti-inflammatory effect and anti-melanogenic effect of ethanol extract and solvent fractions of Clematis mandshurica. The ethanol extract and the dichloromethane fraction of Clematis mandshurica showed an anti-oxidative effect in DPPH assay, the inhibitory activity of nitric oxide (NO) production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) activated RAW 264.7 cell, and melanin synthesis and tyrosinase activity of B16F10 melanoma cells. They reduced NO production and melanin content in a dose-dependent manner at concentrations of $2.5{\sim}10{\mu}g/ml$. They also suppressed iNOS and tyrosinase protein and m-RNA expressions dose dependently, assayed by western blot analysis and RT-PCR experiment.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
• /
• v.16 no.1
• /
• pp.100-111
• /
• 2003

Recently many efforts were focused to understand the mechanical insights of melanogenesis to develop the agents for hyper-pigmentation and hypo-pigmentation. In the melanin biosynthetic pathway, tyrosinase is the rate limiting enzyme, and ${\alpha}$-melanocyte stimulating hormone(MSH) or cAMP-elevating agents stimulate melanogenesis and enhance the melanin synthesis and the tyrosinase activity. The author has analyzed the effects of Rhizoma Bletillae on the basal melanogenic activities of B16 mouse melanoma cells. Rhizoma Bletillae alone markedly suppressed melanin content and tyrosinase activity in a dose-dependent manner. Pretreatment of the cells with Rhizoma Bletillae. The decrease in the tyrosinase activity was paralled by a decrease in the abundance of tyrosinase protein and tyrosinase promoter activity. These results suggest that Rhizoma Bletillae inhibits melanogenesis of B16 melanoma cells via suppression of tyrosinase activity.