Molecules 2009, 14(11), 4425-4432; doi:10.3390/molecules14114425
Communication

Depigmenting Effect of Catechins

Kazuomi Sato 1,* email and Masaru Toriyama 2 email
1 Department of Life Science, College of Agriculture, Tamagawa University, 6-1-1 Tamagawagakuen, Machida, Tokyo, 194-8610, Japan 2 Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Faculty of Agriculture, Shizuoka University, 836 Oya, Shizuoka, 422-8529, Japan
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Received: 24 September 2009; in revised form: 29 October 2009 / Accepted: 2 November 2009 / Published: 4 November 2009
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Abstract: The aim of the present work was to clarify the anti-melanogenic mechanism of the catechin group. In this study, we used (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), (-)-epigallocatechin (EGC), (-)-catechin (C), and gallic acid (GA). The catechin group inhibited melanin synthesis in B16 melanoma cells. To elucidate the anti-melanogenic mechanism of the catechin group, we performed Western blotting analysis for crucial melanogenic protein, namely tyrosinase. The catechin group inhibited tyrosinase expression. These results indicate that the catechin group is a candidate anti-melanogenic agent and that it might be effective in hyperpigmentation disorders.
Keywords: catechin; gallic acid; melanogenesis; B16 melanoma; tyrosinase; α-MSH (α-melanocyte stimulating hormone)

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Cite This Article

MDPI and ACS Style

Sato, K.; Toriyama, M. Depigmenting Effect of Catechins. Molecules 2009, 14, 4425-4432.

AMA Style

Sato K, Toriyama M. Depigmenting Effect of Catechins. Molecules. 2009; 14(11):4425-4432.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Sato, Kazuomi; Toriyama, Masaru. 2009. "Depigmenting Effect of Catechins." Molecules 14, no. 11: 4425-4432.

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