Inhibitory effects of arbutin on melanin biosynthesis of α-melanocyte stimulating hormone-induced hyperpigmentation in cultured brownish guinea pig skin tissues

Abstract

Arbutin has been used as a whitening agent in cosmetic products. Melanin, the major pigment that gives color to skin, may be over-produced with sun exposure or in conditions such as melasma or hyperpigmentary diseases. Tyrosinase is a key enzyme that catalyzes melanin synthesis in melanocytes; therefore, inhibitors of the tyrosinase enzyme could be used for cosmetic skin whitening. A recent study has reported that arbutin decreases melanin biosynthesis through the inhibition of tyrosinase activity. However, this inhibitory mechanism of arbutin was not sufficiently demonstrated in skin tissue models. We found that arbutin both inhibits melanin production in B16 cells induced with alpha-MSH and decreases tyrosinase activity in a cell-free system. Furthermore, the hyperpigmentation effects of alpha-MSH were abrogated by the addition of arbutin to brownish guinea pig and human skin tissues. These results suggest that arbutin may be a useful agent for skin whitening.

Melanogenesis Inhibitory Activities of Iridoid-, Hemiterpene-, and Fatty Acid-glycosides from the Fruits of Morinda citrifolia (Noni)

“…Three other compounds, , , and , showed a slight cytotoxicity to the B16 cells (cell viability 81.8-88.8%). The inhibitory activity of melanogenesis of 13 compounds (melanin content 50.7-66.3%), , , , -, and , was superior to a known melanogenesis inhibitor, arbutin (70.4% of melanin content at the same concentration), which has been recognized as a useful depigmentation compound for skin whitening in the cosmetic industry 24) .…”

Melanogenesis Inhibitory, Anti-Inflammatory, and Chemopreventive Effects of Limonoids from the Seeds of Azadirachta indicia A. Juss. (Neem)

“…These were more inhibitive than a reference arbutin (melanin content 76.4%) which has been recognized as a useful depigmentation compound for skin whitening in the cosmetic industry 32) . Although most of the inhibitory activity of these compounds is thought to be due to their cytotoxic action since they reduced significantly cell viability (1.1-73.1% of cell viability at 25 mg/mL), 5 compounds, including one gedunin-type (20) and 2 nimbin-type (26 and 27) limonoids, and 2 degraded limonoids (enneanortriterpenoids) (29 and 31), showed remarkable inhibition of melanogenesis (melanin content 9.5-26.0% at 25 mg/mL) with no or almost no toxicity to the cells because cell viabilities were 85.8-108.1%.…”

Synthesis and Characterization of a New Hydroquinone Derivative: Disodium <i>p</i>-Phenylene Diisostearyl Diphosphate

“…In the case of HQ-2P2IS, the HQ 45. 8 These results suggest that HQ-2P2IS is superior to HQ, Arb, and HQ-2P in terms of permeation and accumulation in skin models. The rigid lipid lamellar structure of the stratum works as a barrier, in particular for the adsorption of hydrophilic compounds 10 .…”