title: Skin-lightening effect of a polyphenol extract from Acerola (Malpighia emarginata DC.) fruit on UV-induced pigmentation.
abstract: To investigate the physiological functions of polyphenols from acerola (Malpighia emarginata DC.) fruit, the effects on melanogenesis were studied. The crude polyphenol concentrated extract from acerola (C-AP) was used to examine the skin-lightening effect on brownish guinea pigs which had been subjected to controlled UVB irradiation. The results show that C-AP significantly lightened the UVB-irradiated skin pigmentation. Furthermore, treatment with C-AP reduced the content of melanin in B16 melanoma cells, suggesting that the in vivo skin-lightening effect of C-AP was due to the suppression of melanin biosynthesis in melanocytes. In addition, we found that C-AP could effectively inhibit mushroom tyrosinase activity, the main constituents responsible for this effect being thought to be such anthocyanins as cyanidin-3-alpha-O-rhamnoside (C3R) and pelargonidin-3-alpha-O-rhamnoside (P3R). This result indicates that the skin-lightening effect of C-AP can be partly attributed to the suppression of melanogenesis through the inhibition of tyrosinase activity in melanocytes. An oral ingestion of C-AP may therefore be efficacious for reducing UVB-induced hyper-pigmentation by inhibiting the tyrosinase in melanocytes.
authors.affiliation: Research and Development Division, Nichirei Foods Inc, Chiba-shi, Chiba, Japan. hanamurat@nichirei.co.jp
authors.forename: Takayuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hanamura
authors.forename: Eriko
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Uchida
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Aoki
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000363:Agaricales / Q000201:enzymology; D000818:Animals; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004817:Epidermis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects; D005260:Female; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000737:chemistry*; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry*; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D019684:Magnoliopsida / Q000737:chemistry*; D008543:Melanins / Q000378:metabolism; D020460:Melanosomes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects; D051379:Mice; D014442:Monophenol Monooxygenase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D010636:Phenols / Q000737:chemistry*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D059808:Polyphenols; D012867:Skin / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects; D012880:Skin Pigmentation / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000528:radiation effects; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D005419:Flavonoids; D008543:Melanins; D010636:Phenols; D010936:Plant Extracts; D059808:Polyphenols; D014442:Monophenol Monooxygenase