title: Effects of aqueous extracts of Ecliptae herba, Polygoni multiflori radix praeparata and Rehmanniae radix praeparata on melanogenesis and the migration of human melanocytes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Polygoni multiflori radix praeparata (PMRP), Ecliptae herba (EH) and Rehmanniae radix praeparata (RRP) are the most frequently-used herbs by Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners for the treatment of vitiligo. Their abilities to stimulate melanogenesis, melanocyte migration and MITF (microphthalmia associated transcription factor) protein expression were evaluated in this study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The effects of aqueous extracts of PMRP, EH and RRP on human melanocytes in vitro were examined by MTT assay, tyrosinase activity, melanin synthesis, migration assay and Western blot.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Treatment with EH (at 100μg/ml and 400μg/ml) significantly increased intracellular tyrosinase activity in accordance with the elevation of melanin content at the same concentrations. Treatment with RRP (at 100μg/ml and 400μg/ml) promoted melanin production but had no stimulatory effect on tyrosinase activity. Treatment with PMRP and EH (at 100μg/ml) promoted the migration of human melanocytes in a type IV collagen-coated transwell migration assay. Western blot analysis showed MITF protein expression was elevated by PMRP, EH and RRP (at 100μg/ml).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An aqueous extract of EH has a synergistic effect on melanocytes by up-regulating tyrosinase activity, enhancing melanin synthesis and promoting melanocyte migration as well as elevating MITF protein expression. RRP exhibits a significant stimulating effect on melanogenesis and MITF protein expression. These results suggest that EH and RRP contain substances with direct enhancing effects on melanogenesis and migration, possibly via their effects on MITF protein expression.
authors.affiliation: First Clinical College, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210029, China; Department of Dermatology, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210009, China.
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Key Laboratory for TCM Formulae Research, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210046, China.
authors.forename: Shulan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Su
authors.affiliation: First Clinical College, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210029, China; Department of Dermatology, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210009, China. Electronic address: tancheng@medmail.com.cn.
authors.forename: Cheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.affiliation: First Clinical College, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210029, China; Department of Dermatology, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210009, China.
authors.forename: Ren-Sheng
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.affiliation: First Clinical College, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210029, China; Department of Dermatology, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210009, China.
authors.forename: Zhong-Sheng
authors.initials: ZS
authors.lastname: Min
mesh_terms: D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D036601:Eclipta / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008543:Melanins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008544:Melanocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D051739:Microphthalmia-Associated Transcription Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D014442:Monophenol Monooxygenase / Q000378:metabolism; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D019664:Polygonaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D032267:Rehmannia / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: C497234:MITF protein, human; D008543:Melanins; D051739:Microphthalmia-Associated Transcription Factor; D010936:Plant Extracts; D014442:Monophenol Monooxygenase
keywords: Acteoside(PubChem CID:5281800); Apigenin(PubChem CID:5280443); Diosmetin(PubChem CID:5281612); Ecliptae herba; Emodin(PubChem CID:3220); Herb; Kaempferol(PubChem CID:5280863); Luteolin(PubChem CID:5280445); Melanogenesis; Polygoni multiflori radix praeparata; Rehmanniae radix praeparata; Scutellarein(PubChem CID:185617); Vitiligo