Traditional herbal prescription LASAP-C inhibits melanin synthesis in B16F10 melanoma cells and zebrafish

Abstract

BackgroundIn this study, the anti-melanogenesis efficacy of clinically used herbal prescription LASAP-C, which consists of four herbal medicines—Rehmanniae Radix Crudus, Lycii Fructus, Scutellariae Radix, and Angelicae Dahuricae Radix, was investigated.MethodsThe chemical profile of LASAP-C was established by conducting ultra-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry. Anti-melanogenic efficacy was evaluated by tyrosinase, tyrosinase-related protein (TRP)-1, and TRP-2 expression in B16F10 melanoma cells. In vivo evaluation was performed by using zebrafish model.ResultsMolecular evidences suggested that melanin synthesis was inhibited via the down-regulation of tyrosinase, tyrosinase-related protein (TRP)-1, and TRP-2 expression in B16F10 melanoma cells treated with LASAP-C. The anti-melanogenesis efficacy was also confirmed in vivo by using the zebrafish model.ConclusionThe results of this study provide strong evidences that LASAP-C can be used as an active component in cosmeceutical products for reducing excess pigmentation in the human skin.

Zebrafish as a Model Organism for the Development of Drugs for Skin Cancer

“…The incidence of skin cancer is showing a rapid increase worldwide for several reasons, from unprotected exposure to the Sun to the aging of the population [ 68 ]. SCC and melanoma are malignant conditions of the skin for which the need for drug development is crucial, because of the number of patients with metastases and the poor outcome for advanced stages.…”

“…Expression of the HRAS G12V protein, under the mitfa promoter, in melanocyte progenitors induces a hyper-pigmented phenotype and an abnormal growth of melanocytes in the larvae; ultimately driving melanoma formation in the adult fish [ 67 ]. Moreover, elevated activity of RAC, a subfamily of Rho GTPases, often associated with melanoma in humans, can accelerate the progression of HRAS V12 -driven malignant melanoma [ 68 ]. Zebrafish BRAF V600E models have some limitations, such as the time needed for spontaneous tumor formation and the different number of mutations as compared to human melanomas [ 69 ].…”

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“…Naturally, plants possess yellow, green, pink, purple, and white, and red pigments, most of them found in vegetative tissue. [3] Green leaves contain green pigment chlorophyll whose richness decides freshness and health efficacy of leafy vegetables. In nature genetic mutants of yellow and white pigments are available.…”

“…[4] Green plants also possess several different classes of bioorganic compounds, i.e., terpenoids, triterpene acids, phenolic acids, hydroquinone, flavonoids, hydrocarbons, sterols, fatty acids, tocopherols, and inorganic compounds but pigments show best anticancer [5] and anti-melanogenesis efficacy [ Table 1]. [3] Few vegetables like tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) are rich in anthocyanins and lycopene. These are polyphenolic pigments found in peel, seed, and pulp and show strong antioxidant activity [6] and anticarcinogenic activity.…”

“…Fruits such as autumn olive, gac, tomatoes, watermelon, pink grapefruit, pink guava, papaya, sea buckthorn, wolfberry (goji, a berry relative of tomato), and rosehip are rich in lycopene. [3] Tomato (S. lycopersicum) plants synthesize nutrients, pigments, and bioactive compounds that benefit nutrition and human health. Greenhouse-grown tomato varieties were also found rich in free amino acid and phenolic contents.…”