• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.33 no.2 s.129
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• pp.130-136
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• 2002

Melanogenesis is a physiological process resulting in the synthesis of melanin pigments, which play a crucial protective role against skin photocarcinogenesis. The heart wood of Caesalpinia sappan L.(C. sappan) has long been commonly used in Oriental folk medicines to promote blood circulation, and as an emmenagogue, analgesic or anti-inflammatory agent as well as a remedy for thrombosis. From the heartwood, many constituents have been purified and among them, brazilin and hematoxylin are two of the most abundant. This present study was designed to investigate the inhibitory effect of butanol extract from C. sappan on proliferation and melanogenesis in Melan-a cells. After 48 h treatment of these cells with various concentrations of butanol extract, the cells showed a dose-dependent inhibition in their proliferation without apoptotic cell death. Therefore, the growth retardation by the extract may be due to the cell arrest or cell differentiation. We also estimated total melanin content as a final product and activity of tyrosinase, a key enzyme, of melanogenesis in Melan-a cells. The melanin content and tyrosinase activity were deσeased in extract-treated cells in a dose dependent manner compared to control group. The butanol extract also resulted in a decrease of melanin content in ${\alpha}-melanocyte-stimulating$ hormone (MSH)-induced melanogenesis, indicating that butanol extract of C. sappan could be developed as skin whitening components of cosmetics.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.1239-1247
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• 2020

Sedum kamtschaticum Fisch., a native plant of Korea, has been used in Korean traditional medicine in the form of water extract for its capacity to improve blood circulation and for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Since previous research suggests that S. kamtschaticum Fisch. has excellent antioxidant and mushroom tyrosinase inhibition activities, in this study, the root and stem parts of S. kamtschaticum Fisch. are extracted in 70% ethanol (SKS, SKR), fractionated with and in order of n-hexane (SSH), ethyl acetate (SSE, SRE), chloroform (SSC, SRC) and water (SSW, SRW) according to the polarity of each solvent, and tested for its applicability as a cosmetic material. According to the total polyphenol, flavonoid contents and DPPH radical scavenging activity of each fraction, the contents and scavenging activity of the root extractions (SKR) were higher than those of the stem extractions (SKS), ethyl acetate fractions (SSE, SRE) being the most effective. In addition, ethyl acetate fractions had the highest tyrosinase inhibition activity and melanin synthesis inhibition activity used on B16F10 melanoma cells, at the concentration of 10 ㎍/mL. HPLC analysis detected a variety of polyphenols including gallic acid and quercetin. This study suggests the potential role of S. kamtschaticum Fisch. as a natural cosmeceutical material.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.75-80
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• 2009

Melanogenesis is a physiological process that results in the synthesis of melanin pigments. Tyrosinase is a key enzyme for melanin biosynthesis, and hyperpigmentation disorders are associated with abnormal accumulation of melanin pigments, which can be improved by treatment with depigmenting agents. Among the possible melanin-reducing compounds, tyrosinase inhibitors are most promising for preventing and treating pigmentation disorder and are used as skin-whitening agents in the cosmetic industry. In the present study, the effects of fucoidan on melanogenesis and tyrosinase activity of B16F10 melanoma cells were investigated. Melanin synthesis and tyrosinase activity in B16F10 melanoma cells were decreased in a dose-dependent manner by fucoidan. Melanin production and tyrosinase activity in B16F10 melanoma cells stimulated by a-melanocyte stimulating hormone (a-MSH) were inhibited by fucoidan with a dose-dependent manner compared to control. Fucoidan inhibited tyrosinase activity of B16F10 melanoma cells with a dose-dependent manner as assessed by 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) staining. In conclusion, these findings indicate that fucoidan, which inhibit melanin synthesis and tyrosinase activity, is an effective skin-whitening agent.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.526-532
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• 2013

In this study, we investigated the effect of 88 marine algae extracts on melanin synthesis to develop new whitening agents. Among varieties of marine algae tested, the ethyl acetate extracts from Endarachne binghamiae (EB), Scytosiphon lomentaria, Sargassum yezoense, Ecklonia cava and Sargassum fusiforme inhibited melanin synthesis in melan-a cells. EB treatment showed the strongest inhibitory activity in melanin synthesis, compared with that of other extracts. EB-mediated inhibition of melanin synthesis appeared to be associated with inhibition of ${\alpha}$-glucosidase-dependent glycosylation of tyrosinase in melan-a cells. In addition, EB treatment did not affect mushroom tyrosinase or cell-extracted tyrosinase activity in vitro. Taken together, our findings suggest that anti-browning effect of EB on skin is mediated through regulation of ${\alpha}$-glucosidase activity and subsequent inhibition of tyrosinase activity and melanin synthesis, and further development of EB as a potential agent for skin whitening.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.143-149
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• 2009

Several hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives, p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid, N,N'-dicoumaroylputrescine (DCP), N-p-coumaroyl-N'-feruloyl-putrescine (CFP), and N,N'-diferuloylputrescine (DFP) were isolated and purified from corn bran. To develop the skin whitening agent, we investigated the effects of hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives from corn bran, on melanogenesis. CFP and DFP inhibited melanin synthesis in a dose dependent manner up to 44.7 ${\pm}$ 6.0 %, and 58.5 ${\pm}$ 3.1 % at a concentration of 50 ${\mu}g/mL$, respectively. The intracellular tyrosinase activity decreased about 42.5 ${\pm}$ 14.6 %, and 9.0 ${\pm}$ 4.4 % at a concentration of 50 ${\mu}g/mL$ of CFP and DFP, respectively. Our results suggest that inhibitory effects of hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives on melanogenesis are due to the inhibition of the intracellular tyrosinase activity. These results indicate that these hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives from corn bran may be potential natural skin whitening agents.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.30 no.12
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• pp.1033-1041
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• 2020

Many people of all ages wish to have lighter skin for cosmetic reasons, and natural products attract more attention than chemically synthesized compounds. Uncaria rhynchophylla is widely used in Asia as a traditional herbal medicine. In order to find novel skin whitening agents, the present study evaluated the antioxidant activity and potential tyrosinase-inhibiting properties of U. rhynchophylla. Specifically, this study analyzed the antioxidant capacity of a 70% ethanolic extract of U. rhynchophylla as well as its effects on tyrosinase activity and melanin synthesis. Total mRNA levels were examined using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The results revealed that U. rhynchophylla extracts exhibit great antioxidant capacity and significant levels of polyphenol and flavonoid compounds. U. rhynchophylla extracts can also powerfully inhibit tyrosinase activity. This same capacity was observed in melanoma B16F10 cells; that is, U. rhynchophylla extracts suppressed intracellular tyrosinase activity and reduced the amount of melanin in treated cells. In addition, a 1 mg/ml concentration of U. rhynchophylla extract significantly reduced the mRNA expression levels of tyrosinase. U. rhynchophylla extracts decrease tyrosinase and inhibit melanogenesis in B16F10 cells. This finding suggests that U. rhynchophylla has great potential as a natural whitening agent in skincare products.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.193-200
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• 2016

This study describes the anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and melanogenesis inhibition activities of methanol extract and various organic solvent fractions of Arecae Pericarpium. We examined the inhibition of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide (NO) production in RAW 264.7 cells, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazine (DPPH) scavenging activity, mushroom tyrosinase inhibition activity and melanin contents. The study showed that, among all tested fractions, methylene chloride fraction showed the strongest inhibition of LPS-induced NO production in RAW 264.7 cells ($IC_{50}$ value $8.89{\mu}g/mL$) and DPPH radical scavenging activity ($EC_{50}$ value $21.39{\mu}g/mL$). Methylene chloride and ethyl acetate fractions similarly inhibited mushroom tyrosinase activity. Methanol extract exhibited strongest reduction of melanin content in B16F10 melanoma cells. Based on the bioactivity assay results, methylene chloride and ethyl acetate fractions were further separated. Eight phenolic compounds were isolated, which are dimeric syringol (1), catechol (2), 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde (3), vanillin (4), 4-hydroxyacetophenone (5), apocynin (6), protocatechuic acid (7) and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (8). Among the isolated compounds tested, catechol showed the strongest inhibition of LPS-induced NO production in RAW 264.7 cells. Catechol also showed the concentration-dependent NF-${\kappa}B$ inhibition activity. Arecae Pericarpium might have potentials to be developed as anti-inflammatory agent or dermatological product for skin-whitening agent.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.327-331
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• 2010

Porcine placenta was treated with alkali, acid and enzyme treatment to obtain extracts. Heavy metal contents such as Pb, As, and Hg were low enough to satisfy cosmetic agent standard. As a result of safety test(MTT assay), porcine placenta extracts showed over 80% of cell viability at $50{\mu}g/ml$, and cell toxicity was relatively lower. From antioxidation test using DPPH free radical scavenging assay, antioxidation effect was highest as 63% at $50{\mu}g/ml$ when porcine placenta was treated with alkali in pH 9. From whitening effect test using tyrosinase inhibition assay, tyrosinase inhibition effect was 30% at $50{\mu}g/ml$ concentration in alkali treated procine placenta, however, the efficiency was lower compared with arbutin or vitamin C. In anti-wrinkle effect test from elastase inhibition assay, elastase inhibition effects were 20~30% at $50{\mu}g/ml$ for 5 kinds of porcine placenta treatments, which was superior to standard, and especially, protease treated extracts showed best results. Skin formulation including 1% porcine placenta was made and the formulation was very stable for temperature and storage period. From this research, porcine placenta extract showed high potential for anti-wrinkle functional cosmetic agent.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.15-23
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• 2008

This study is on encapsulation of a new whitening agent, LA-PEG using solid lipid nanoparticle(SLN) method, one of nanoparticle preparation method. Classical method has high capsulation efficiency for hydrophobic compounds but has demerit of low capsulation efficiency($2{\sim}3%$) for hydrophilic compounds. Purpose of this study is preparation of SLN that has higher skin penetration effect compared with general liposome, and also has higher encapsulation efficiency of hydrophilic compounds. For SLN preparation, coconut oil, macadamia oil, and jojoba oil were used. As a result, SLN preparation using coconut oil(include LA-PEG) has the most high encapsulation efficiency and also has the smallest average particle size(270 nm). SLN prepared with macadamia oil and 1% of Tween 60 has the largest particle size. Base made with coconut oil and 2% of Tween 60 showed the fastest release and base made with macadamia oil and 2% of Tween 20 showed the latest release.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.72-81
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• 2008

The effect of genistein on melanin synthesis was studied using in vitro and in vivo model. Genistein inhibited melanin synthesis in cultured melan-a cells dose dependently. Tyrosinase activity was decreased by genistein treatment in melan-a cells, but genistein did not inhibit tyrosinase directly. Genistein did not affect the expression of tyrosinase in melan-a cells. Genistein inhibited the activity of ${\alpha}$-glucosidase in virtro and the glycosylation of tyrosinase in melan-a cells. The resulting unsaturated glycosylation of tyrosinase makes it unstable and disturb correct transportation. To further clarify the effect of genistein on the melanogenesis, we established UVB-induced hyperpigmentation on the shaved backs of brown guinea pigs. The animals were exposed to UVB radiation once a week for three consecutive weeks. Genistein (1 and 2%) or vehicle alone as a control were then topically applied to the hyperpigmented areas daily. Genistein showed significant lightening effect on the UVB-induced hyperpigmentation in five weeks. Depigmenting effect was prominent in 2% genistein treatment with Fontana-Masson staining. In conclusion, genistein may be a useful agent for skin whitening.