| Summary: | 碩士 === 弘光科技大學 === 化妝品科技研究所 === 102 === The mode of action of Lycium chinense Mill root extract in skin care or dermatology has never been explored. To identify a novel skin-whitening agent, the inhibitory effects of supercritical fluid extract (SFE) of L. chinense Mill root on melanogenesis and its action mechanisms were investigated. In the present study, the effects of the root extract on mushroom tyrosinase, intracellular tyrosinase activity and melanin content were determined spectrophotometrically; the expression of melanogenesis-related proteins in B16F10 melanoma cells were determined by Western blotting. Further, the potential antioxidant characteristics of the root extract involved in inhibition of melanin production were also investigated. The results revealed that the SFE of L. chinense Mill root (2.37-7.11 mg/mL) effectively suppressed intracellular tyrosinase activity and decreased the amount of melanin in B16F10 cells. In addition, the root extract also effectively decreased intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels at the same dose range. Our results indicated that the SFE of L. chinense Mill root decreased the expression of melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R), microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), tyrosinase and tyrosinase related protein-1 (TRP-1), and then inhibited melanogenesis in B16F10 cells. The extract also show antioxidant capacities and depleted cellular ROS. Our results indicated that the SFE of L. chinense Mill root inhibited melanogenesis in B16F10 cells by down-regulation of both mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) and protein kinase A (PKA) signaling pathways or through its antioxidant properties. Hence, the SFE of L. chinense Mill root could be applied as a type of dermatological whitening agent in skin care products.
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