title: Alisol B, a triterpene from Alismatis rhizoma (dried rhizome of Alisma orientale), inhibits melanin production in murine B16 melanoma cells.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: a Laboratory of Nutritional Science, Department of Food Science and Nutrition , Shikoku Junior College , Tokushima , Japan.
authors.forename: Ichiro
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.affiliation: b Department of Biological Science and Technology , Tokushima University Graduate School , Tokushima , Japan.
authors.forename: Chihiro
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.affiliation: b Department of Biological Science and Technology , Tokushima University Graduate School , Tokushima , Japan.
authors.forename: Shinya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Matsuda
authors.affiliation: b Department of Biological Science and Technology , Tokushima University Graduate School , Tokushima , Japan.|c Department of Bioscience and Bioindustry , Tokushima University Graduate School , Tokushima , Japan.
authors.forename: Akihiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tsuji
authors.affiliation: d Department of Molecular and Applied Bioscience, Graduate School of Biosphere Science , Hiroshima University , Higashi-Hiroshima , Japan.
authors.forename: Noriyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yanaka
authors.affiliation: b Department of Biological Science and Technology , Tokushima University Graduate School , Tokushima , Japan.|c Department of Bioscience and Bioindustry , Tokushima University Graduate School , Tokushima , Japan.
authors.forename: Keizo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yuasa
mesh_terms: D034902:Alisma / Q000737:chemistry*; D000818:Animals; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002783:Cholestenones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical / Q000379:methods; D008543:Melanins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008546:Melanoma, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D051739:Microphthalmia-Associated Transcription Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014442:Monophenol Monooxygenase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects; D027343:Rhizome / Q000737:chemistry; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D062327:Skin Lightening Preparations / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D002783:Cholestenones; C492004:Creb1 protein, mouse; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein; D008543:Melanins; D051739:Microphthalmia-Associated Transcription Factor; C497235:Mitf protein, mouse; D062327:Skin Lightening Preparations; C457232:alisol B; D014442:Monophenol Monooxygenase
keywords: Kampo; alisol B; melanogenesis; microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF); tyrosinase