Application of a combined sulphorhodamine B and melanin assay to the evaluation of Chinese medicines and their constituent compounds for hyperpigmentation treatment.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in the treatment of hyperpigmentation problems, extracts of herbs selected based on traditional Chinese medical literature were screened.


METHODS
Forty extracts were extracted from 10 selected herbs using hexane, dichloromethane, methanol and water. They were then screened using melan-a cells, an immortalized non-tumorigenic mouse melanocyte cell line. Sulphorhodamine B (SRB) assay and measurement of melanin production were performed to examine the effects of the extracts as well as some natural compounds from these herbs on melanogenesis in the melan-a cells.


RESULTS
The hexane and dichloromethane extracts of Angelica sinensis exhibited strong hypopigmentary effects.


CONCLUSIONS
Natural compounds occurring in this herb were also investigated. Among them 4-ethylresorcinol, 4-ethylphenol and 1-tetradecanol demonstrated positive effects in attenuating melanin synthesis in the cultured cells.
Lam
Rosanna Y Y
RY
School of Chinese Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong, China.
Lin
Zhi-Xiu
ZX
Sviderskaya
Elena
E
Cheng
Christopher H K
CH
D000818:Animals; D001681:Biological Assay / Q000379:methods; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000032:analysis / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D017495:Hyperpigmentation / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D008543:Melanins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008544:Melanocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification / Q000254:growth & development; D012235:Rhodamines
D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D008543:Melanins; D012235:Rhodamines; C022027:lissamine rhodamine B