Mulberroside F Isolated from the Leaves of Morus alba Inhibits Melanin Biosynthesis

• Published in: Biological & pharmaceutical bulletin Vol. 25; no. 8; pp. 1045 - 1048
• Main Authors: Lee, Sang Hee, Choi, Sang Yoon, Kim, Hocheol, Hwang, Jae Sung, Lee, Byeong Gon, Gao, Jian Jun, Kim, Sun Yeou
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Tokyo The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan 01.08.2002; Maruzen; Japan Science and Technology Agency
• Subjects: Agaricales - enzymology; Agaricales - isolation & purification; Biological and medical sciences; General pharmacology; Humans; Medical sciences; Melanins - antagonists & inhibitors; Melanins - biosynthesis; Monophenol Monooxygenase - antagonists & inhibitors; Monophenol Monooxygenase - metabolism; Moraceae; Morus - chemistry; Morus alba; mulberroside F; Pharmacognosy. Homeopathy. Health food; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Plant Extracts - chemistry; Plant Extracts - isolation & purification; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Plant Leaves - chemistry; Skin, nail, hair, dermoskeleton; Tumor Cells, Cultured - drug effects; Tumor Cells, Cultured - metabolism; whitening agent; Enzyme; Pharmacognosy; Melanocyte; Biosynthesis; Moraceae; Antioxidant; Morus alba; Tyrosine 3-monooxygenase; Foil; In vitro; Radical scavenger; Biological activity; Medicinal plant; Regulation(control); Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Plant origin; Spermatophyta; Skin; Oxidoreductases; Dopa; Bleaching agent; Melanin
• ISSN: 0918-6158; 1347-5215
• DOI: 10.1248/bpb.25.1045

The current study was carried out to investigate the in vitro effects of an 85% methanol extract of dried Morus alba leaves on melanin biosynthesis, which is closely related to hyperpigmentation. These extracts inhibited the tyrosinase activity that converts dopa to dopachrome in the biosynthetic process of melanin. Mulberroside F (moracin M-6,3′-di-O-β-D-glucopyranoside), which was obtained after the bioactivity-guided fractionation of the extracts, showed inhibitory effects on tyrosinase activity and on the melanin formation of melan-a cells. This compound also exhibited superoxide scavenging activity that is involved in the protection against auto-oxidation. But its activity was low and was weaker than of kojic acid. These results suggest that mulberroside F isolated from mulberry leaves might be used as a skin whitening agent.