• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.275-281
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• 2019

The pathological condition of excessive melanogenesis causing freckles, melasma, senile lentigo, pigmented acne scars, and cancer has a critical impact on the wellness of individuals. The mechanism of melanogenesis is related to the expression of melanogenic enzymes. Here, we evaluated the inhibitory effect of pine cone (Pinus densiflora) extracts on melanogenesis. P. densiflora, the Korean Red Pine, is the predominant tree species in the cool, temperate forests of northeast Asia, occurring in pure stands across Korea, Japan, and parts of northern China and Russia. P. densiflora leaves, pollen, and bark have been widely used for traditional medicine, or edible purposes. However, pine cones are rarely used as natural raw materials, although they contain many bioactive phytochemicals. The pine cone ethyl acetate fraction (PEF) showed no toxicity to B16F10 cells at a concentration of less than $100{\mu}g/mL$. PEF inhibited the expression of microphthalmiaassociated transcription factor (MITF), tyrosinase and tyrosinase-related factors in B16F10 cells treated with 3-Isobutyl1-methylxanthine (IBMX). These results suggest that pine cones can be used as an effective natural melanogenesis inhibitory agent.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.24-31
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• 2021

This study aimed to investigate the melanogenesis inhibitory activity of epicatechin-3-O-gallate (ECG) isolated from Polygonum amphibium L. ECG was isolated from the ethanol extract of P. amphibium L, and its chemical structure was determined using spectroscopic methods such as LC-ESI-MS, 1D-NMR, and UV spectroscopy. ECG inhibited the melanogenesis of B16F10 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Particularly, it decreased the melanin content by 27.4% at 200 µM concentration, compared with the control, in B16F10 cells, without causing cytotoxicity. It is noteworthy that the expression of three key proteins, including tyrosinase, tyrosinase-related protein-1 (TRP-1), TRP-2, and microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), involved in melanogenesis, is significantly inhibited by ECG. The ECG isolated in this study caused the inhibition of body pigmentation and tyrosinase activity in vivo in the zebrafish model. These results suggest that the ECG isolated from P. amphibium L. is an effective anti-melanogenesis agent.

• Korea Journal of Cosmetic Science
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.31-43
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• 2019

Melanosomes are specific melanin-containing intracellular organelles of epidermal melanocytes. In epidermal melanocytes, there are three kinds of key player proteins. Rab27a, melanophilin or Slac2-a and Myosin 5a form a tripartite complex connects the melanosome. Mature melanosomes make movements through the tripartite protein complex along actin filaments.In this study, we found that the haplamine (6-Methoxyflindersine) induced melanosome aggregation around the nucleus in epidermal melanocyte. In an attempt to elucidate the inhibitory effect of haplamine on melanosome transport, effect of haplamineon the expression level of Rab27a, melanophilin and Myosin 5a was measured. The results indicated that haplamine up to 5��M effectively suppressed mRNA and protein expression level of melanophilin.To determine the upstream regulator of melanophilin regulated by haplamine, we checked the level of MITF, c-JUN and USF1. Those are possible transcription factor of melanophilin. Among them,treatment of USF1 siRNA decreased mRNA and protein expression level of USF1 as well as melanophilin. Also, treatment of haplamine decreased mRNA and protein expression level of melanophilin as well as USF1 in a dose-dependent manner. Consequently, we found the inhibitory effect of haplamine on melanosome transport in melan-a melanocyte. Treatment of haplamine reduced melanophilin expression level which is a key protein of melanosome transport. We identified that USF1 could be a major transcription factor of melanophilin regulated by haplamine.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2022.09a
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• pp.110-110
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• 2022

Scrophularia koraiensis Nakai (S. koraiensis) has used its roots as traditional herbal medicine. Some research is reported to be effective in allergic inflammation and osteoporosis. In a present study, we conducted to investigate the bioactivity of the ethanol extract of S. koraiensis (ESK) on the inhibition of melanogenesis and the apoptosis of melanocytes. We analyzed Harpagoside of ESK by using LCMS and HPLC-PDA and investigated the regulation of ESK on reactive oxygen species. Also, the expressions of melanin synthesis-related factors and apoptosis-related factors were confirmed. As a result, the quantification results of quercetin and rutin in ESK were 77.2 and 7.4 mg/g. IC₅₀ on DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activity is 33.1 and 9.5 ug/mL. ESK attenuated not only the expression of tyrosinase, TYRP-1, TYRP-2, and MITF in melanogenesis. It is thought that ESK may be effective in the inhibition of melanogenesis through MAPK cell signaling pathway in melanocytes. These study results suggest that ESK has the ability to inhibit melanin production and induce apoptosis.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.63-75
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• 2009

The aim of this study was to elucidate the antimelanogenic effect of Dokhwalkisaeng-tang(Duohujisheng-tang) in B16F10 melanoma cells. Dokhwalkisaeng-tang(DKT) was used to develop the effective prescription of inhibition of melanin production. We determined inhibitory effects of DKT on melanin-release, melanin production, and tyrosinase activity in B16F10 melanoma cells. And to explicate the action-mechanism of DKT, melanin-related gene expressions were determined using RT-PCR and real time RT PCR technique in B16F10 melanoma cells. DKT inhibited melanin-release, melanin production in B16F10 melanoma cells considerably. DKT inhibited tyrosinase activity in vitro and in B16F10 melanoma cells. DKT inhibited the expression of tyrosinase, TRP-1, TRP-2 in B16F10 melanoma cells. DKT inhibited the expression of PKA, PKC, MMP-2 and MITF in B16F10 melanoma cells. On the other hand, DKT increased the expression of ERK-1, ERK-2, AKT-1 in B16F10 melanoma cells. From these results, we propose that DKT may have effect on the antimelanogenesis.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.8.1-8.9
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• 2020

Background: The present study investigates the potent skin whitening ability of ethanol extract from the brown alga, Padina boryana (PBE) which was collected in the shores of Fulhadhoo Island, the Maldives, and its specific pathways of action. The effect of PBE which contains a rich amount of polyphenols was evaluated using B16F10 murine melanoma cells and provides insight to the underlying mechanisms with reference to the inhibition of melanin formation. Methods: Melanin synthesis and cellular tyrosinase inhibition were assessed in the α-MSH-stimulated melanocytes. Melanogenic pathway-related protein expressions were investigated via Western blotting. ERK 42/44 was particularly examined considering its involvement in the melanogenic pathway. Further, RT-qPCR techniques were involved in gene expression analysis. Results: PBE dose-dependently inhibited the cellular melanin synthesis and tyrosinase levels. Western blotting revealed the potential of PBE to downregulate microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), tyrosinase, and tyrosinase-related protein-1 and protein-2 (TRP-1 and TRP-2). Moreover, results explained the phosphorylation of ERK was sustained via PBE and hence declined the ultimate melanin synthesis. Gene expression analysis reinforced the results obtained. Conclusions: The study provides substantial evidence to express the potential of PBE to inhibit B16F10 melanoma cell melanin synthesis. Concisely, results suggest the ability of PBE to be involved in medicinal and cosmeceutical applications.

• Journal of Mushroom
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.225-231
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• 2016

Hot water extracts from 16 domestic edible mushrooms including Pleurotus ferulae (Lanzi) X.L. Mao, Lentinula edodes (Berk.) Pegler, and Hypsizygus marmoreus (Peck) H.E. Bigelow, which are commercially available, were used for determining the cosmetic potential of these mushrooms. In this study, we carried out in vitro functional experiments to determine the inhibitory effects of these extracts on L-DOPA oxidation of tyrosinase and melanin synthesis. Based on the results of these experiments, H. marmoreus (Peck) H.E. Bigelow No. 10 and No. 15 were selected for further analysis. We analyzed the melanin synthesis inhibitory activity, TRP1 and MITF expression via real-time PCR, and Fontana Masson staining in artificial skin $Neoderm^{(R)}-ME$. Taken together, we observed that the hot water extract from H. marmoreus (Peck) H.E. Bigelow (No. 15) had better whitening effect than the extracts of other mushrooms. Thus, it can be a potential source of skin-whitening agent.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.62-81
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• 2017

Objectives: As interests in the beauty of skin is growing continuously, more people are focusing on white and clean skin. Melanin is the major factor that determines skin color. The abnormal concentration of melanin causes various skin diseases such as vitiligo, freckles, and melasma. This study investigated the inhibitory effect of Eriobotryae Folium extracts (EF) with phreatic water (PW) on the melanin synthesis. Methods: The effect of EF on melanin synthesis was evaluated by using mouse melanoma cells (B16F10). To define the mechanisms, real-time PCR and western blot were used. We also evaluated the inhibitory effects of EF and PW on melanin synthesis by using HRM-2 melanin-possessing hairless mice. After UVB irradiation, melanin differences between the skin parts that were treated and untreated with EF and PW. Levels of mRNA were measured by real-time quantitative PCR and histological analysis of the dorsal skin was conducted by hematoxylin and eosin staining. Results: EF inhibited various mechanisms of melanogenesis, and the effect was increased when combined with PW. In vitro experiments have shown that EF inhibited the expressions of tyrosinase related protein-1 (TRP-1) mRNA, tyrosinase mRNA, microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) mRNA and the tyrosinase inhibitory activation, but it stimulated the extracellular regulated kinase (ERK) mRNA expression. In vivo experiments have shown that EF prevented melanogenesis in the mice dorsal skin and inhibited TRP-1 mRNA expression. Also these effects were increased when combined with PW. Conclusions: EF and PW might be a new and effective treatment for whitening and treating pigmentation of skin.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.25 no.12
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• pp.2011-2015
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• 2015

Ginsenoside Rb2 (Gin-Rb2) was purified from the fruit extract of Panax ginseng. Its chemical structure was measured by spectroscopic analysis, including HR-FAB-MS, ¹H-NMR, and IR spectroscopy. Gin-Rb2 decreased potent melanogenesis in melan-a cells, with 23.4% at 80 μM without cytotoxicity. Gin-Rb2 also decreased tyrosinase and MITF protein expression in melan-a cells. Furthermore, Gin-Rb2 presented inhibition of the body pigmentation in the zebrafish in vivo system and reduced melanin contents and tyrosinase activity. These results show that Gin-Rb2 isolated from P. ginseng may be an effective skin-whitening agent via the in vitro and in vivo systems.

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