Anti-melanogenesis constituents from the seaweed Dictyota coriacea.

This study was conducted to identify the anti-melanogenesis constituents from a seaweed Dictyota coriacea (Holmes). Three known compounds, viz. 1,9-dihydroxycrenulide (1), epiloliolide (2) and D-mannitol (3), were isolated from the ethanol extract. The melanin synthesis inhibition activities were evaluated using B16F10 melanoma cells for the isolates. Compared with the positive control, arbutin, compounds 1 and 2 exhibited more potency, showing 27.8 and 22.6% inhibition activities at a substrate concentration of 30 microg/mL. Our studies also indicate that these compounds are not cytotoxic. Hence, they might prove to be useful therapeutic agents for treating hyperpigmentation and effective components of whitening cosmetics.

Geraniin down regulates gamma radiation-induced apoptosis by suppressing DNA damage.

Gamma ray irradiation triggers DNA damage and apoptosis of proliferating stem cells and peripheral immune cells, resulting in the destruction of intestinal crypts and lymphoid system. Geraniin is a natural compound extracts from an aquatic plant Nymphaea tetragona and possesses good antioxidant property. In this study, we demonstrate that geraniin rescues radiosensitive splenocytes and jejunal crypt cells from radiation-induced DNA damage and apoptosis. Isolated splenocytes from C57BL/6 mice treated with geraniin were protected against radiation injury of 2 Gy irradiation through the enhancement of the proliferation and attenuation of DNA damage. Also, geraniin inhibited apoptosis in radiosensitive splenocytes by reducing the expression level and immunoreactivity of proapoptotic p53 and Bax and increasing those of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2. In mice exposed to radiation, geraniin treatment protected splenocytes and intestinal crypt cells from radiation-induced cell death. Our results suggest that geraniin presents radioprotective effects by regulating DNA damage on splenocytes, exerting immunostimulatory capacities and inhibiting apoptosis of radiosensitive immune cells and jejunal crypt cells. Therefore, geraniin can be a radioprotective agent against γ-irradiation exposure.

Compounds with tyrosinase inhibition, elastase inhibition and DPPH radical scavenging activities from the branches of Distylium racemosum Sieb. et Zucc.

Twenty compounds were isolated from the ethanol extract of Distylium racemosum branches and their inhibitory activities on tyrosinase, elastase and free radicals evaluated. The isolated compounds were identified as dibenzofurans (1-4), abscisic acid (5), 6'-O-galloylsalidroside (6), catechin derivatives (7-11), gallic acid derivatives (12-14), tyrosol (15), flavonoids (16-18), lupeol (19) and 1,2,3,6-tetragalloylglucose (20). For study of tyrosinase inhibition activities, when compared with arbutin (IC(50) 48.8 µg/mL), four compounds (8, 11, 13, 17) showed higher activities, with IC(50) values of 4.8, 30.2, 40.5 and 37.7 µg/mL, respectively. For the elastase inhibition test, dibenzofuran 1 showed greater activity than the positive control, oleanolic acid (IC(50) 9.7 µg/mL), with an IC(50) of 7.7 µg/mL. In the studies on DPPH radical scavenging activities, five compounds (11, 12, 13, 14, 15) showed higher activities than ascorbic acid (IC(50) 5.0 µg/mL), with IC(50) values of 4.6, 3.9, 2.9, 3.8 and 4.7 µg/mL, respectively.

Diphlorethohydroxycarmalol, isolated from the brown algae Ishige okamurae, protects against radiation-induced cell damage in mice.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the radioprotective effects of diphlorethohydroxycarmalol (DPHC), isolated from the brown algae Ishige okamurae, in mice subjected to gamma irradiation. DPHC significantly decreased the level of radiation-induced intracellular reactive oxygen species in cultured Chinese hamster lung fibroblast (V79-4) cells (p < 0.05), enhanced cell viability that decreased after exposure to γ-rays, and reduced radiation-induced apoptosis in the V79-4 cells. Pretreatment with DPHC (100 mg/kg) in mice prior to irradiation significantly protected the intestinal crypt cells in the jejunum (p < 0.01) and maintained villi height (p < 0.01), compared with those of the vehicle-treated irradiated group. Mice pretreated with DPHC also exhibited dose-dependent increases in the bone marrow cell viability. The dose-reduction factor for gamma irradiation in the DPHC-pretreated mice was 2.05 at 3.5 days after irradiation. These results suggest that DHPC plays a role in protecting cells from irradiation-induced apoptosis, through the scavenging of reactive oxygen species in vitro, and that DPHC significantly protected intestinal progenitor cells and bone marrows cells that were decreased by gamma irradiation in vivo.

1,2,3,4,6-penta-O-galloyl-beta-D-glucose protects splenocytes against radiation-induced apoptosis in murine splenocytes.

Antioxidant property and hematopoietic repair capacity are important characteristics of radioprotective agents. Some studies have demonstrated that 1,2,3,4,6-penta-O-galloyl-beta-D-glucose (PGG), a molecule isolated from the waterlily, has antioxidant, hematopoietic repair, and anti-inflammatory activities. In this study, we try to determine whether PGG extracted from a lily, Nymphaea tetragona var. angusta, has radioprotective effects on splenocytes in vitro against (60)Co gamma-ray irradiation with absorption doses of 2 Gy and 4 Gy. Results show that PGG treatment dramatically enhances the proliferation of splenocytes compared with irradiated but untreated controls. In addition, PGG treatment before irradiation protects the splenocytes from lethal effects of irradiation and decreases DNA damages as identified by the alkaline comet assay. PGG-treated cells also show less radiation-induced apoptosis. These cells have lower concentrations of the pro-apoptotic protein p53 and more of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2. The results presented in this study suggest that PGG has a cytoprotective effect on immune cells exposed to normally damaging amount of radiation. Thus, PGG could be an effective, non-toxic radioprotective agent.

Tyrosinase inhibitory constituents from the stems of Maackia fauriei.

Bioassay-guided investigation of the stems of Maackia fauriei led to the isolation of seven flavonoid constituents, formononetin (1), genistein (2), daidzein (3), texasin (4), tectorigenin (5), odoratin (6) and mirkoin (7). Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectral studies as well as by comparison with literature data. Tyrosinase inhibition activities were carried out on the isolated compounds. Among these, mirkoin (7) was identified as a potent tyrosinase inhibitor. It inhibited mushroom tyrosinase with an IC(50) value of 0.005 mm, which is ten times more active than kojic acid (IC(50) = 0.045 mm). The inhibition kinetics, analysed by Lineweaver-Burk plots, indicated mirkoin (7) to be a competitive inhibitor of tyrosinase when L-tyrosinase was used as a substrate. The results suggest that hydroxyl groups at C-4' in the B ring of flavonoids play an important role in the tyrosinase inhibition activities. Interestingly, compounds 4-7 were isolated for the first time from this plant.