• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.285-292
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• 2019

Panax ginseng is known for various pharmacological activities mainly due to saponins. Since minor saponins, generated by the decomposition of major saponins, generally exert higher activities than major saponins, the fermentation may increase the minor saponin contents in ginseng products. In this study, we tested fermented ginseng extract whether or not provide a safe cosmetic ingredient for whitening purpose. In this regard, fermented Ginseng extract was prepared and evaluated the inhibitory activity toward tyrosinase and the melanin synthesis suppression. The safety was tested via cell viability and toxicity test. The skin lightening effect was also evaluated by clinical study. The fermented Ginseng extract exerted higher activities in tyrosine inhibition and in suppressing melanin synthesis compared to Kojic acid and arbutin. In the clinical test, skin lightening effecte of the sample was clearly higher than vehicle or Vitamin C. We thus concluded that the fermented Ginseng extract may provide a safe cosmetic ingredient for skin lightening purpose.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.905-908
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• 2006

The purpose of this research was to study the effects of kefir whey (kefir whey, peptides, lactic acid) on skin care properties including skin lightening effect and acne treatment. The final aim was to develop a new cosmetic product and enhance the value of dairy products. The results of skin lightening tests showed that all three kefir whey components (kefir whey, peptides and lactic acid) had inhibitory ability against melanin synthesis. Furthermore, copper chelating analysis demonstrated that both kefir whey and kefir whey peptides could chelate the copper in tyrosinase, which might explain the mechanism of inhibition. The ability for acne treatment indicated that lactic acid level higher than 60 mg/ml could inhibit the growth of Propionibacterium acne, whereas no inhibition was found with other components.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.375-380
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• 2018

We have previously found that mycelia culture broth of eight kinds of traditional herbal extracts fermented with Phellinus linteus (previously named as 8-HsPLCB) not only inhibited melanin and tyrosinase activity, but also reduced the contents of melanogenesis-related proteins, including tyrosinase and microphthalmia-associated transcription factor, in 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine-stimulated B16F0 melanoma cells. For a further study, the effect of 8-HsPLCB against skin pigmentation in brown guinea pigs with ultraviolet B (UVB)-induced hyperpigmentation was investigated. 8-HsPLCB (3%) and arbutin (2%) as positive controls were applied topically twice daily for 4 weeks to the hyperpigmented areas. 8-HsPLCB showed skin-lightening effect as effective as arbutin, one of the most widely used in whitening cosmetics. Melanin index values as the degree of pigmentation showed a significant reduction week by week post 8-HsPLCB treatment and then substantially reduced by 4 weeks. The degree of depigmentation after 4 weeks of topical application with 8-HsPLCB was 32.2% as compared with before treatment (0 week). Moreover, using Fontana-Masson staining and hematoxylin-eosin staining, 8-HsPLCB reduced melanin pigmentation in the basal layer of the epidermis and epidermal thickness changes exposed to the UV-B irradiation as compared with non-treatment and vehicle treatment. The intensity of the skin-lightening effect of 8-HsPLCB was similar to arbutin. These results suggest that the skin-lightening effect of 8-HsPLCB might be resulted from inhibition of melanin synthesis by tyrosinase in melanocytes. To conclude, 8-HsPLCB treatment showed reduction of the melanin pigment and histological changes induced by UV irradiation in brown guinea pigs.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.86-91
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• 1997

Some natural polyhydroxy aromatic compounds have inhibitory activity against tyrosinase, key enzyme for formation of melanin pigment. We examined the structure-activity relationship of the natural polyhydrowy aromatic compounds and synthesized a number of new derivetives through various methods. Skin lightening effects of these compounds were examined through inhibition of mushroom tyrosinase and inhibitory of melanogenesis on B-16 melanoma cells. These new compounds showed strong inhibitory activity against tyrosinase. Good lightening effects sue to inhibition of melanogenesis were observed from several resorcinol and pyrogallol derivatives. In toxicological tests such as skin primary irritation and sensitization, the above compounds were sufficiently safe for cosmetic use.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.50 no.6
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• pp.398-402
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• 2006

Flavone was found to inhibit tyrosinase and reduce synthesis of melanin to show skin-lightening effect. With the hope of identifying skin-lightening flavones, we synthesized flavone analogs. Substituted benzoic acids (1) were treated with oxalyl chloride in DMF to yield benzoyl chlorides (2), which were reacted with 2-hydroxyacetophenones (3) to afford 2-benzoyloxyacetophenones (4). These acetophenones (4) were converted into 1,3-diketones (5) with base and then treated with acid to give flavone derivatives (6).

• Mycobiology
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.112-119
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• 2019

Compounds from Lingzhi has been demonstrated the ability for inhibiting tyrosinase (a key enzyme in melanogenesis) activity. In this study, we investigated the anti-melanogenic activity from the submerged mycelial culture of Ganoderma weberianum and elucidated the skin lightening mechanism by B16-F10 murine melanoma cells. From the cellular context, several fractionated mycelium samples exhibited anti-melanogenic activity by reducing more than 40% extracellular melanin content of B16-F10 melanoma cells. In particular, the fractionated chloroform extract (CF-F3) inhibited both secreted and intracellular melanin with the lowest dosage (25 ppm). Further analysis demonstrated that CF-F3 inhibited cellular tyrosinase activity without altering its protein expression. Taken together, our study has demonstrated that the chemical extracts from submerged mycelial culture of G. weberianum have the potential to serve as an alternative anti-melanogenic agent.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.33 no.1 s.60
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• pp.23-28
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• 2007

Ascorbic acid (vitamin C, AsA) has been known as a strong reducing agent and is supposed to retard the synthesis of melanin pigment. A main problem that arose in using vitamin C in cosmetic formulation was its poor stability and low skin permeability, which result in low lightening efficacy in clinical trials. In this study, iontophoretic gel patch with flexible thin layer battery was employed in order to enhance skin permeation of vitamin c derivative (ascorbyl glucoside, AsAG) and to increase its lightening efficacy. in vitro iontophoretic skin permeation and stability of AsAG, safety and clinical lightening efficacy of iontophoretic patch containing 2% AsAG solution were examined. A optimun current of ionthophoretic patch for korean women was 0.1 mA, considering the skin permeability and skin irritation of consumers. We suggest that iontophoretic gel patch could be a safe system for enhancing the skin permeation of AsAG and lightning efficacy.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.243-252
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• 2015

Melanosome, the pigment granule in melanocyte, determines the color of skin when it moves into the keratinocyte. Inhibition of melanosome transfer from melanocyte to keratinocyte results in skin depigmentation. Protease activated receptor-2 (PAR-2) is involved in signal transduction systems via cell membrane and increases the melasome transfer when it is activated by cleavage of their extracellular amino acid sequence by trypsin or by a peptide such as SLIGKV. Here, we showed that lobaric acid inhibited PAR-2 activation and affected the mobilization of $Ca2^+$. The uptake of fluorescent microspheres and isolated melanosomes from melan-a melanocytes to keratinocytes induced by SLIGKV were inhibited by lobaric acid. Also, confocal microscopy studies illustrated a decreased melanosome transfer to keratinocytes in melanocyte-keratinocyte co-culture system by lobaric acid. In addition, lobaric acid induced visible skin lightening effect in human skin tissue culture model, melanoderm$^{(R)}$. Our data suggest that lobaric acid could be an effective skin lightening agent that works via regulation of phagocytic activity of keratinocytes.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 2007.11a
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• pp.117-126
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• 2007

Cosmetics have mild activity on the human body, and intended to be used for cleaning, beautifying the human body, and also keeping healthy skin or hair, promoting attractiveness or altering the appearance. Functional cosmetics, in other words cosmeceuticals, are restricted for following functions: 1) Whiten the skin tone by preventing deposition of melanin pigmentation or lightening of the color of melanin of skin, 2) alleviate or improve wrinkles of the skin, and 3) protect the skin from the ultra violet rays from the sun. According to the functions of the functional cosmetics, skin whitening products, anti-wrinkle products, and suntan & sunscreen products are manufactured. In order to manufacture and import the functional cosmetics in Korea, the approval process in KFDA is necessary. The review process in KFDA is performed based on The Korea Food and Drug Administration Notification 2007-44, "The Regulation of Reviewing the Functional Cosmetics" (June 29, 2007). Only after the approval of KFDA, functional cosmetics are allowed to advertise to the consumers for their functionality.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.355-361
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• 2022

Melanin pigments are the main cause of skin color. They are produced in melanocytes and then transferred to keratinocytes, which eventually gives the skin surface a variety of colors. Although many skin-lightening or depigmenting agents have been developed, the demand for materials to reduce pig- mentation is still increasing. Here, we tried to find materials for skin-lightening or depigmentation using natural compounds and found that mistletoe (Viscum album var. coloratum) extracts (ME) had an inhibitory effect on tyrosinase activity. As a result, ME significantly reduced pigmentation in human primary melanocytes. In addition, a promoter reporter assay revealed that ME inhibited the transcription of microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), melanophilin (MLPH), tyrosinase-related protein-2 (TRP-2), and tyrosinase (TYR) genes in HM3KO melanoma cells. In addition, ME decreased the protein level for pigmentation-related molecules, such as TYR and TRP-1. Furthermore, it markedly inhibited the melanogenesis of zebrafish embryos, an in vivo evaluation model for pigmentation. To elucidate the action mechanism of ME, we investigated its effects on intracellular signaling. Eventually, the ME dramatically decreased the phosphorylation of the cAMP responsive element binding protein (CREB), AKT, and ERK. The data suggest that ME may inhibit the melanogenesis pathway by regulating the signaling pathway related to pigmentation. Taken together, these data propose that ME can be developed as a depigmenting or skin-lightening agent.