Alisol B, a triterpene from Alismatis rhizoma (dried rhizome of Alisma orientale), inhibits melanin production in murine B16 melanoma cells

作者：Yoshida Ichiro; Ito Chihiro; Matsuda Shinya; Tsuji Akihiko; Yanaka Noriyuki; Yuasa Keizo^*

来源：Bioscience Biotechnology and Biochemistry, 2017, 81(3): 534-540.

DOI：10.1080/09168451.2016.1268042

• melanogenesis
• alisol B
• Kampo
• tyrosinase
• microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF)

To develop new whitening agents from natural products, we screened 80 compounds derived from crude drugs in Kampo medicine in a melanin synthesis inhibition assay using murine B16 melanoma cells. The screen revealed that treatment with alisol B, a triterpene from Alismatis rhizoma, significantly decreased both melanin content and cellular tyrosinase activity in B16 cells. However, alisol B did not directly inhibit mushroom tyrosinase activity in vitro. Therefore, we investigated the mechanism underlying the inhibitory effect of alisol B on melanogenesis. Alisol B suppressed mRNA induction of tyrosinase and its transcription factor, microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF). Furthermore, alisol B reduced the phosphorylation of CREB and maintained the activation of ERK1/2. These results suggest that the reduction in melanin production by alisol B is due to the downregulation of MITF through the suppression of CREB and activation of ERK and that alisol B may be useful as a new whitening agent.

• 出版日期2017-3