title: Effect of simultaneous administration of vitamin C, L-cysteine and vitamin E on the melanogenesis.
abstract: The effect of simultaneous administration of vitamin C (ascorbic acid), L-cystein (Cys) and vitamin E (tocopherol) on the melanogenesis in vivo and in vitro was studied. Forty-eight brownish guinea pigs were divided into 4 groups as follows: VC group, VC+Cys group, VC+Cys+VE group and control group. They were given these vitamins by oral administration every day. UV-B exposure (0.384 J/cm2) on their depleted back skin was done at the day 8, 10, 12, 15 17 and 19. After UV-B irradiation, vitamins were administrated further 3 weeks. The luminosity score was measured using a Color Reader CR-11 (Minolta, Co) and the numbers of DOPA-positive melanocytes of their back skin were counted. B16 melanoma cells were incubated with VC, N-acetyl cystein (NAC) and VE. After 4 days of incubation, cells were harvested. The melanin contents and the tyrosinase activities in cells were measured. The luminosity score in the VC+VE+Cys group was higher than those in the other groups. The numbers of DOPA-positive melanocytes of guinea pigs treated with VC, VE and Cys were significantly decreased compared with those in VC group. In B16 melanoma cells, simultaneous treatment of VC, VE and NAC was the most effective to decrease the melanin contents and to inhibit tyrosinase activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Ochanomizu University, 2-1-1, Otsuka, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 112-8610, Japan. fujiwara@cc.ocha.ac.jp
authors.forename: Yoko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fujiwara
authors.forename: Yumiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sahashi
authors.forename: Mitsumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aritro
authors.forename: Satoko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hasegawa
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Akimoto
authors.forename: Shinji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ninomiya
authors.forename: Yasue
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sakaguchi
authors.forename: Yousuke
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Seyama
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D003545:Cysteine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D008543:Melanins / Q000378:metabolism; D008544:Melanocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D008546:Melanoma, Experimental; D014442:Monophenol Monooxygenase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D008543:Melanins; D014810:Vitamin E; D014442:Monophenol Monooxygenase; D003545:Cysteine; D001205:Ascorbic Acid