arbutin and protocatechuic-acid

Hyperpigmentation is considered by many to be a beauty problem and is responsible for photoaging. To treat this skin condition, medicinal cosmetics containing tyrosinase inhibitors are used, resulting in skin whitening. In this study, taraxerol methyl ether (

Topics: Antioxidants; Arbutin; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Proliferation; Flavonoids; Humans; Hydroxybenzoates; Manilkara; Monophenol Monooxygenase; Neoplasms; Oleanolic Acid; Phytochemicals; Pyrones; Stigmasterol

Antioxidant and antimelanogenesis activities of protocatechuic acid (1) from Origanum vulgare (oregano) were investigated. The antioxidative capacity of 1 was confirmed from its free-radical-scavenging activities, inhibition of lipid peroxidation, and suppression of reactive oxygen species in H(2)O(2)-induced BNLCL2 cells. The inhibition by 1 of tyrosinase and DOPA oxidase activity and melanin production was possibly related to the down-regulation of melanocortin-1 receptor, microphthalmia-associated transcription factor, tyrosinase, tyrosinase-related proteins-2, and tyrosinase-related proteins-1 expression in α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone-induced B16 cells. After a gel containing 1 was applied to mice, the values of L* slightly increased, and a* and erythema-melanin levels of skin were reduced by comparing the values of untreated control groups, indicating 1 can reduce melanin production. These results suggest that 1 may act as an effective quencher of oxidative attackers with antimelanogenesis properties.

Topics: alpha-MSH; Animals; Antioxidants; Benzothiazoles; Biphenyl Compounds; Drugs, Chinese Herbal; Free Radical Scavengers; Hydroxybenzoates; Melanins; Melanocytes; Mice; Molecular Structure; Monophenol Monooxygenase; Origanum; Picrates; Reactive Oxygen Species; Skin Pigmentation; Sulfonic Acids