p-Coumaric acid, a constituent of Sasa quelpaertensis Nakai, inhibits cellular melanogenesis stimulated by alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone

Br J Dermatol. 2008 Aug;159(2):292-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2133.2008.08653.x. Epub 2008 Jun 9.

Abstract

Background: Recent study has demonstrated that Sasa quelpaertensis (Korean name, Jeju-Joritdae) extracts inhibit cellular melanogenesis implicating potential use in the control of skin pigmentation.

Objectives: The purpose of the present study was to elucidate the active constituents of this plant inhibiting melanogenesis and the associated mechanism.

Methods: The effect of the plant-derived materials on melanin production and/or tyrosinase expression was examined in murine melanoma B16/F10 cells and neonatal human melanocytes.

Results: When tested in melanoma B16/F10 cells treated with the alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH), the aqueous ethanol extract of S. quelpaertensis culm inhibited the cellular melanogenesis more effectively than its leaf extract. A major active compound was isolated from the culm extract by solvent fractionation and column chromatography, and identified to be p-coumaric acid by spectroscopic and chromatographic analyses. The compound (p-coumaric acid) inhibited alpha-MSH-stimulated cellular melanogenesis more effectively than arbutin or other structurally similar compounds including 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl) propionic acid, cinnamic acid and caffeic acid. It also attenuated alpha-MSH-dependent increase of tyrosinase protein. The antimelanogenic effect of p-coumaric acid was also verified in neonatal human melanocytes.

Conclusions: The present study identified p-coumaric acid as a main constituent of S. quelpaertensis inhibiting cellular melanogenesis. Because of its structural similarity, p-coumaric acid may interfere with l-tyrosine action in the control of tyrosinase expression in response to alpha-MSH.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Arbutin / pharmacology
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Coumaric Acids / pharmacology*
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Humans
  • Melanins / biosynthesis*
  • Melanocytes / drug effects
  • Melanocytes / metabolism
  • Melanoma, Experimental / metabolism*
  • Melanoma, Experimental / pathology
  • Mice
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology
  • Plant Leaves / chemistry
  • Propionates
  • Sasa / chemistry*
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured
  • alpha-MSH / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Coumaric Acids
  • Melanins
  • Plant Extracts
  • Propionates
  • alpha-MSH
  • Arbutin
  • p-coumaric acid