Abstract
Ultraviolet is a major factor to cause the DNA damage. Erythema, edema, and pigmentation are observed in the acute inflammation, wherease photo-ageing and skin cancers are found in the chronic one. Moutan Cortex is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine. Paeoniflorin and oxypaeoniflorin are major active compounds among the extracts of Moutan Cortex. The effects of paeoniflorin and oxypaeoniflorin against pigmentation, tyrosinase activation and expression of melanogenesis related genes and proteins in B16 cells were investigated. In Hs68 and B16 cells treated with paeoniflorin and oxypaeoniflorin did not show apparent cytotoxicity compared to ascorbic acid. Paeoniflorin and oxypaeoniflorin inhibited mushroom tyrosinase activity, reduced cellular tyrosinase, DOPA oxidase activity and melanin content in B16 cells. RT-PCR and western blotting analysis showed that treatment with paeoniflorin and oxypaeoniflorin for 72 h down-expression the levels of melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R), mecrophthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), tyrosinase, tyrosinase-related proteins-1 (TRP-1) and TRP-2. These results suggested that paeoniflorin and oxypaeoniflorin have antimelanogenesis activities, including inhibition of melanogenic enzymes and down-regulating the melanogenesis related genes and proteins. Moreover, these two compounds are safety and provide a new device for skin whitening and abnormal pigmentation disease.
Highlights
Melanin is the main component determining the color of skin
The survival rates of murine melanoma B16 cells, and human fibroblast Hs68 cells that were exposed to paeoniflorin and oxypaeoniflorin were compared to those exposed to ascorbic acid using MTT assay
The results demonstrated that the activity of mushroom tyrosinase was inhibited by paeoniflorin, oxypaeoniflorin and ascorbic acid in a concentration-dependent manner (Fig. 2)
Summary
The major role of melanin is to protect the skin from damaging effects of ultraviolet. Melanin biosynthesis inhibitors are powerful skin-whitening agents in cosmetics but are potent remedies for heterogeneous pigmentation. Various agents have been identified as effective in reducing melanogenesis. They include arbutin, hydroquinone and kojic acid, which are reportedly tyrosinase inhibitors. Paeoniflorin and oxypaeoniflorin are major active compounds among the extracts of Moutan Cortex (5). The antimelanogenesis behaviors of paeoniflorin and oxypaeoniflorin from Moutan Cortex are not completely understood. This study evaluated the antimelanogenesis effects of paeoniflorin and oxypaeoniflorin
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
