Abstract
Melanogenesis inhibition by raspberry ketone (RK) from Rheum officinale was investigated both in vitro in cultivated murine B16 melanoma cells and in vivo in zebrafish and mice. In B16 cells, RK inhibited melanogenesis through a post-transcriptional regulation of tyrosinase gene expression, which resulted in down regulation of both cellular tyrosinase activity and the amount of tyrosinase protein, while the level of tyrosinase mRNA transcription was not affected. In zebrafish, RK also inhibited melanogenesis by reduction of tyrosinase activity. In mice, application of a 0.2% or 2% gel preparation of RK applied to mouse skin significantly increased the degree of skin whitening within one week of treatment. In contrast to the widely used flavoring properties of RK in perfumery and cosmetics, the skin-whitening potency of RK has been demonstrated in the present study. Based on our findings reported here, RK would appear to have high potential for use in the cosmetics industry.
Highlights
Raspberry ketone (4-(4-hydroxyphenyl) butan-2-one; raspberry ketone (RK)), one of the major aromatic compounds of raspberry, is widely used in perfumery, in cosmetics, and as a flavoring agent in foodstuffs [1,2]
Since melanogenesis inhibition by R. officinale extracts has not been previously reported, we were interested in identifying the active compound
Because tyrosinase plays a key role in melanogenesis, we investigated the effects of RK on the activity of this enzyme using a photometric method (Figure 3A)
Summary
Raspberry ketone (4-(4-hydroxyphenyl) butan-2-one; RK), one of the major aromatic compounds of raspberry, is widely used in perfumery, in cosmetics, and as a flavoring agent in foodstuffs [1,2]. RK has been confirmed to function as an anti-obesity treatment acting by stimulating the metabolism of white and brown adipose tissues and inhibiting absorption of dietary fat in the small intestine. RK exerts its anti-obesity effects via an increase of norepinephrine-induced lipolysis in white adipocytes and an enhancement of thermogenesis in brown adipose tissues [4]. The skin color of animals and humans is determined mainly by the content of melanin pigment in the skin. Melanin synthesis begins with oxidation of L-tyrosine to L-DOPA (l-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine) and to dopaquinone; both reactions are catalyzed by tyrosinase. Several studies have focused on inhibition of melanogenesis and the prevention of abnormal pigmentation for cosmetic benefits [9,10,11]. The inhibitory effects of RK on melanogenesis were evaluated in vitro in cultured mouse B16 melanoma cells and in vivo in zebrafish and mouse model systems
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
