Anti-melanogenic effects of the essential oil from Citrus reticulata blossom on B16-F10 melanoma cells and in vivo zebrafish embryos

Abstract

While melanin plays a crucial role in shielding the skin from UV radiation, excessive production of melanin can lead to various skin-related disorders like melasma and solar lentigo. In this study, our focus was on exploring the potential of essential oil from Citrus reticulata blossom (EOB) as a potent anti-melanogenic agent. We subjected α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH)-stimulated B16-F10 cells and zebrafish embryos to EOB treatment to assess its effects. EOB demonstrated no cytotoxicity even at concentrations up to 500 μg/mL. Notably, EOB exhibited a significant dose-dependent inhibition of skin pigmentation in zebrafish. Additionally, in α-MSH-treated B16-F10 cells, EOB at concentrations of 62.5–500 μg/mL reduced intracellular tyrosinase activity and cellular melanin content. Furthermore, the expression levels of key transcription factors associated with melanogenic pathways—such as microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), tyrosinase, tyrosinase-related protein-1 (TRP-1), and tyrosinase-related protein-2 (TRP-2)—decreased significantly in a dose-dependent manner upon EOB treatment in B16-F10 cells. The remarkable anti-melanogenic effects exhibited by EOB suggest its potential utility in the cosmetics industry.