Essential oils extracted from aromatic plants exhibit important biological activities and have become increasingly important for the development of aromatherapy for complementary and alternative medicine. The essential oil extracted from Cinnamomum cassia Presl (CC-EO) has various functional properties; however, little information is available regarding its anti-tyrosinase and anti-melanogenic ...

α-Melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH) is a critical regulator of energy metabolism. Prolyl carboxypeptidase (PRCP) is an enzyme responsible for its degradation and inactivation. PRCP-null mice (PRCP(gt/gt)) showed elevated levels of brain α-MSH, reduced food intake, and a leaner phenotype compared with wild-type controls. In addition, they were protected against diet-induced obesity. Here, w...

BACKGROUND Vitiligo is characterized by depigmented patches of skin due to loss of cutaneous melanocytes. Many recent studies have demonstrated defects in the melanocortin system in patients with vitiligo, including decreased circulating and lesional skin levels of α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH). Afamelanotide is a potent and longer-lasting synthetic analogue of naturally occurring α-...

The hypothalamic melanocortin system--the melanocortin receptor of type 4 (MC4R) and its ligands: α-melanin-stimulating hormone (α-MSH, agonist, inducing hypophagia), and agouti-related protein (AgRP, antagonist, inducing hyperphagia)--is considered to play a central role in the control of food intake. We tested its implication in the mediation of the hunger-curbing effects of protein-enriched ...

The melanocortin peptides derived from pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) were originally understood in terms of the biological actions of α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH) on pigmentation and adrenocorticotrophic hormone on adrenocortical glucocorticoid production. However, the discovery of POMC mRNA and melanocortin peptides in the CNS generated activities directed at understanding the direct...

The major objective of this study was to estimate the hypopigmentation function of the essential oil from Vetiveria zizanioides (VZ-EO). Our results indicated that VZ-EO exhibits potent lipid peroxidation inhibitory activity to moderate the bleaching of β-carotene and to maintain the cellular glutathione (GSH) levels. VZ-EO can markedly decrease melanin production and tyrosinase activity in α-m...

BACKGROUND The derivative of caffeamide exhibits antioxidant and antityrosinase activity. The activity and mechanism of N-(4-methoxyphenyl) caffeamide (K36E) on melanogenesis was investigated. METHODS B16F0 cells were treated with various concentrations of K36E; the melanin contents and related signal transduction were studied. Western blotting assay was applied to determine the protein expre...