Antioxidant and anti-melanogenic activities of ultrasonic extract from Stichopus japonicus

To investigate the antioxidant and anti-melanogenesis activities of an ultrasonic extract of red sea cucumber, Stichopus japonicus, collected from Jeju Island. Methods: Antioxidant activity experiments were assessed by an electron spin resonance system and a cellular model of immortalized human keratinocytes (HaCaT) to determine its radical scavenging activity and protective effects against 2,2'-azobis (2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (AAPH)-induced oxidative stress. Antimelanogenic activity of the ultrasonic extract of red sea cucumber was also examined using the melanoma cell model B16F10 and mushroom tyrosinase. Following the induction by ?-melanocytestimulating hormone, the effects of the ultrasonic extract of red sea cucumber on intracellular tyrosinase activity, melanin content and the melanogenic protein expression of microphthalmia-associated transcription factor, tyrosinase, and tyrosinase-related proteins (TRP-1, and TRP-2) were examined. Results: The ultrasonic extract of red sea cucumber significantly scavenged 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and alkyl radicals [IC50: (0.9240.035) and (0.3270.006) mg/mL, respectively], as well as showed a protective effect against oxidative stress and attenuated generation of intracellular reactive oxygen species on AAPHinduced HaCaT cells, with no cytotoxicity (12.5-400 ug/mL). The ultrasonic extract of red sea cucumber also exhibited a tyrosinase inhibitory effect [IC50: (2.7500.006) mg/mL]. On ?-melanocytestimulating hormone-stimulated B16F10 melanoma cells, the ultrasonic extract of red sea cucumber (25-200 ug/mL) significantly inhibited not only melanin synthesis and tyrosinase activity, but also protein expressions of microphthalmia-associated transcriptional factor, tyrosinase, TRP-1, and TRP-2. Conclusions: The ultrasonic extract of red sea cucumber shows antioxidant and anti-melanogenic potential and may be a natural candidate for anti-aging as well as a whitening agent in the cosmeceuticals industry.

Antioxidant and anti-melanogenic activities of ultrasonic extract from Stichopus japonicus

Objective: To investigate the antioxidant and anti-melanogenesis activities of an ultrasonic extract of red sea cucumber, Stichopus japonicus, collected from Jeju Island. Methods: Antioxidant activity experiments were assessed by an electron spin resonance system and a cellular model of immortalized human keratinocytes (HaCaT) to determine its radical scavenging activity and protective effects against 2,2'-azobis (2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (AAPH)-induced oxidative stress. Anti-melanogenic activity of the ultrasonic extract of red sea cucumber was also examined using the melanoma cell model B16F10 and mushroom tyrosinase. Following the induction by α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone, the effects of the ultrasonic extract of red sea cucumber on intracellular tyrosinase activity, melanin content and the melanogenic protein expression of microphthalmia-associated transcription factor, tyrosinase, and tyrosinase-related proteins (TRP-1, and TRP-2) were examined. Results: The ultrasonic extract of red sea cucumber significantly scavenged 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and alkyl radicals [IC50:(0.924±0.035) and (0.327±0.006) mg/mL, respectively], as well as showed a protective effect against oxidative stress and attenuated generation of intracellular reactive oxygen species on AAPH-induced HaCaT cells, with no cytotoxicity (12.5-400 μg/mL). The ultrasonic extract of red sea cucumber also exhibited a tyrosinase inhibitory effect [IC50: (2.750±0.006) mg/mL]. On α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone-stimulated B16F10 melanoma cells, the ultrasonic extract of red sea cucumber (25-200 μg/mL) significantly inhibited not only melanin synthesis and tyrosinase activity, but also protein expressions of microphthalmia-associated transcriptional factor, tyrosinase, TRP-1, and TRP-2. Conclusions: The ultrasonic extract of red sea cucumber shows antioxidant and anti-melanogenic potential and may be a natural candidate for anti-aging as well as a whitening agent in the cosmeceuticals industry.

Anti-Melanogenic Effect from Submerged Mycelial Cultures of Ganoderma weberianum

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.

Inhibition of two stages of melanin synthesis by sesamol, sesamin and sesamolin

Objective To investigate the antimelanogenesis properties of three sesame compounds-sesamol, sesamin and sesamolin via two stages of melanin synthesis vis-à-vis sunscreen function and enzyme inhibition in melanoma cell line in order to search for alternative depigmenting agents. Methods Antimelanogenic effects of sesame lignans were assessed in SK-MEL2 compared with the reference depigmenting agents, kojic acid and β-arbutin, in order to evaluate: (a) the sunscreen function of sesamol, sesamin and sesamolin by measurement of UV absorbtion property; (b) the inhibition of tyrosinase activity through mushroom and cellular tyrosinase; and (c) the effect on melanin content and melanogenic protein expression (tyrosinase, TRP-1 and TRP-2) by Western blot analysis; and (d) the toxicity of sesamol, sesamin and sesamolin to cells using cell cytotoxicity assay. Results The results showed that sesamin, sesamolin and sesamol exerted satisfiable sunscreen function by absorbed UVB at 290 nm. Sesamol exhibited the highest inhibition of mushroom tyrosinase activity, but lipophilic sesamolin exhibited the highest cellular tyrosinase inhibition (IC

Inhibition of two stages of melanin synthesis by sesamol,sesamin and sesamolin

Objective: To investigate the antimelanogenesis properties of three sesame compounds-sesamol,sesamin and sesamolin via two stages of melanin synthesis vis-`a-vis sunscreen function and enzyme inhibition in melanoma cell line in order to search for alternative depigmenting agents. Methods: Antimelanogenic effects of sesame lignans were assessed in SK-MEL2 compared with the reference depigmenting agents, kojic acid and β-arbutin, in order to evaluate:(a)the sunscreen function of sesamol,sesamin and sesamolin by measurement of UV absorbtion property; (b) the inhibition of tyrosinase activity through mushroom and cellular tyrosinase; and (c) the effect on melanin content and melanogenic protein expression(tyrosinase,TRP-1 and TRP-2)by Western blot analysis;and(d)the toxicity of sesamol,sesamin and sesamolin to cells using cell cytotoxicity assay. Results: The results showed that sesamin, sesamolin and sesamol exerted satisfiable sunscreen function by absorbed UVB at 290 nm.Sesamol exhibited the highest inhibition of mushroom tyrosinase activity, but lipophilic sesamolin exhibited the highest cellular tyrosinase inhibition (IC50of 1.6 μM) followed by sesamin, sesamol, and kojic acid, respectively.The order from high to low inhibition of melanin pigment was detected in the SK-MEL2 treated with sesamolin, sesamin, sesamol, kojic acid, and β-arbutin, respectively.Sesamolin and sesamin successfully inhibited cellular tyrosinase activity and respectively decreased TRP-1/TRP-2 (36%/15%) and TRP-1 levels (16%), thereby inhibiting melanogenesis via antityrosinase activity. No cytotoxicity to SK-MEL2 or Vero (normal) cell lines was observed at the lignan concentrations that exerted an anti-melanogenic effect. Conclusions: Three sesame lignans prevent melanin synthesis through 2 stages: (a) by blocking melanin-induction and(b)by interrupting melanogenic enzyme production.This study provides evidence that sesamol, sesamin and sesamolin are potential for anti-melanogenesis agents.

Melanogenesis Inhibitory Activity in the Extracts of Oreocnide fruticosa (Gaudich.) Hand-Mazz. Branches.

Development of anti-melanogenic agents from natural sources has long been the research project of our laboratory. In this study, ethyl acetate extracts of Oreocnide fruticosa (Gaudich.) Hand.-Mazz. branches (OBE) were examined for their melanin synthesis inhibitory activities using B16 melanoma cells. Our results indicated that OBE down-regulates melanin production in a dose-dependent pattern. To clarify the target of OBE action in melanogenesis, we performed Western blotting for the key melanogenic enzymes; tyrosinase, tyrosinase related protein-1 (TRP-1) and TRP-2. The results showed that OBE efficiently inhibited tyrosinase, TRP-1 and TRP-2 in a dose-dependent manner. Therefore, OBE is a good candidate for the further study including identification of the effective chemical constituents as well as their working mechanism for the application of whitening agent in the human skin.