Antioxidant and skin-whitening effects of aerial part of Euphorbia supina Raf. Extract

• Main Authors: Sa-Haeng Kang, Yong-Deok Jeon, Ji-Yoon Cha, Sung-Woo Hwang, Hoon-Yeon Lee, Min Park, Bo-Ri Lee, Min-Kyoung Shin, Su-Jeong Kim, Sang-Min Shin, Dae-Ki Kim, Jong-Sik Jin, Young-Mi Lee
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: BMC 2018-09-01
• Series: BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine
• Subjects: Euphorbia supina (ES); DPPH; Melanogenesis; Tyrosinase; MITF; α-MSH
• Online Access: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12906-018-2323-5

Abstract Background Euphorbia supina (ES) has been widely used in folk medicine owing to its antibacterial, hemostatic, and anti-inflammatory properties. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant and skin-whitening effects of a 70% ethanol extract of ES. Methods The aerial parts of ES plant were extracted with 70% ethanol. The viability of B16F10 cells was evaluated by MTT assay to determine the non-toxic doses for further experiments. The tyrosinase and cellular tyrosinase activities were then measured using an enzyme-substrate assay. In addition, the expression of whitening-related proteins was measured using western blot. Results The antioxidant activity of the ES samples increased in a dose-dependent manner, as confirmed by their radical scavenging activities in the 2,2-diphenyl-1-1-picrylhydrazyl and 2,2-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) assays. The ES extract significantly reduced tyrosinase activity and melanin content in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, it decreased α-melanocyte stimulating hormone (MSH)-induced protein expression of tyrosinase and microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF). Conclusions Our results indicate that the ES extract attenuated α-MSH-stimulated melanin synthesis by modulating tyrosinase and MITF expression. Therefore, the ES extract could be a promising therapeutic agent to treat hyperpigmentation and as an ingredient for skin-whitening cosmetics.