Biomaterial Database

Depigmenting effect of alpha-tocopheryl ferulate on normal human melanocytes. 2000

Y Funasaka, and M Komoto, and M Ichihashi

Department of Dermatology, Kobe University School of Medicine, Japan. funasaka@med.kobe-u.ac.jp

Oral vitamin E supplementation has been reported to improve facial hyperpigmentation. alpha-Tocopheryl ferulate (alpha-TF) is a compound of alpha-tocopherol (alpha-T) and ferulic acid connected by an ester bond. Ferulic acid is also an antioxidant, and could scavenge free radicals induced by ultraviolet (UV) radiation, and thus maintain the long-lasting antioxidative effect of alpha-T. Previously we have reported that alpha-TF inhibited melanogenesis in human melanoma cells. To know whether alpha-TF might be useful as a whitening agent to improve and prevent facial hyperpigmentation, the depigmenting effect of alpha-TF in normal human melanocytes was examined in this study. The results showed that 30 microg/ml of alpha-TF dissolved in 150 microg/ml of lecithin inhibited melanization significantly without inhibiting cell growth. This phenotypic change was associated with the inhibition of tyrosinase and the degree of inhibition was dose dependent. No significant effect on DOPAchrome tautomerase (DT) activity was observed. These results suggest that alpha-TF is a candidate for an efficient whitening agent which suppresses melanogenesis. In this paper, the role of alpha-T and alpha-TF in inhibiting biological reactions induced by reactive oxygen species (ROS) is also discussed.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D008543	Melanins	Insoluble polymers of TYROSINE derivatives found in and causing darkness in skin (SKIN PIGMENTATION), hair, and feathers providing protection against SUNBURN induced by SUNLIGHT. CAROTENES contribute yellow and red coloration.	Allomelanins,Melanin,Phaeomelanins
D008544	Melanocytes	Mammalian pigment cells that produce MELANINS, pigments found mainly in the EPIDERMIS, but also in the eyes and the hair, by a process called melanogenesis. Coloration can be altered by the number of melanocytes or the amount of pigment produced and stored in the organelles called MELANOSOMES. The large non-mammalian melanin-containing cells are called MELANOPHORES.	Melanocyte
D010858	Pigmentation	Coloration or discoloration of a part by a pigment.	Pigmentations
D002455	Cell Division	The fission of a CELL. It includes CYTOKINESIS, when the CYTOPLASM of a cell is divided, and CELL NUCLEUS DIVISION.	M Phase,Cell Division Phase,Cell Divisions,Division Phase, Cell,Division, Cell,Divisions, Cell,M Phases,Phase, Cell Division,Phase, M,Phases, M
D002478	Cells, Cultured	Cells propagated in vitro in special media conducive to their growth. Cultured cells are used to study developmental, morphologic, metabolic, physiologic, and genetic processes, among others.	Cultured Cells,Cell, Cultured,Cultured Cell
D003373	Coumaric Acids	Hydroxycinnamic acid and its derivatives. Act as activators of the indoleacetic acid oxidizing system, thereby producing a decrease in the endogenous level of bound indoleacetic acid in plants.	Coumaric Acid,Hydroxycinnamic Acid,Hydroxycinnamic Acids,Acid, Coumaric,Acid, Hydroxycinnamic,Acids, Coumaric,Acids, Hydroxycinnamic
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328	Adult	A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available.	Adults
D014442	Monophenol Monooxygenase	An enzyme of the oxidoreductase class that catalyzes the reaction between L-tyrosine, L-dopa, and oxygen to yield L-dopa, dopaquinone, and water. It is a copper protein that acts also on catechols, catalyzing some of the same reactions as CATECHOL OXIDASE. EC 1.14.18.1.	Dopa Oxidase,Phenoloxidase,Tyrosinase,Cresolase,Phenol Oxidase,Phenoloxidase A,Phenoloxidase B,Monooxygenase, Monophenol,Oxidase, Dopa,Oxidase, Phenol