Abstract：
Abnormal melanin synthesis causes hyperpigmentation disorders, such as chloasma, freckles, and melanoma, which are highly multiple and prevalent. There were few reports on the anti-melanogenic effect of Curcuma wenyujin Y.H. Chen et C. Ling, and the bioactive compound has not been elucidated as well. The study aims to investigate the anti-melanogenic effect of C. wenyujin, and identify the bioactive compound, and further explore its underlying mechanism. Our results showed that the Petroleum ether fraction extracted from C. wenyujin rhizome had a significant anti-melanogenic effect, and germacrone isolated from it was confirmed as the major bioactive compound. To our data, germacrone significantly inhibited tyrosinase (TYR) activity, reduced melanosome synthesis, reduced dendrites formation of B16F10 cells, and melanosome transport to keratinocytes. Moreover, germacrone effectively decreased the hyperpigmentation in zebrafish and the skin of guinea pigs in vivo. Western-blot analysis showed that germacrone down-regulated the expression of TYR, TRP-1, TRP-2, Rab27a, Cdc42, and MITF proteins via the activation of the MAPK signaling pathway. Taken together, germacrone is an effective bioactive compound for melanogenesis inhibition. Our studies suggest that germacrone may be considered a potential candidate for skin whitening.
摘要：
黑色素合成异常会导致色素沉着过度，比如黄褐斑,雀斑,和黑色素瘤，这是高度多重和普遍的。关于姜黄抗黑色素生成作用的报道很少生物活性化合物也没有被阐明。本研究旨在探讨C.wenyujin的抗黑色素生成作用，并确定生物活性化合物，并进一步探讨其潜在机制。结果表明,从温郁金根茎中提取的石油醚组分具有显著的抗黑色素生成作用,和从它分离的germacrone被证实是主要的生物活性化合物。对于我们的数据，germacrone显著抑制酪氨酸酶（TYR）活性，减少黑体合成，减少B16F10细胞的树突形成，黑素体运输到角质形成细胞。此外，germacrone有效地减少了斑马鱼和豚鼠体内皮肤的色素沉着。Western-blot分析显示germacrone下调TYR的表达,TRP-1,TRP-2,Rab27a,Cdc42和MITF蛋白通过激活MAPK信号通路。一起来看,germacrone是一种有效的生物活性化合物，用于抑制黑素生成。我们的研究表明，germacrone可能被认为是皮肤美白的潜在候选者。
