Exp Mol Med.  2001 Sep;33(3):131-135.

Stimulation of melanogenesis by glycyrrhizin in B16 melanoma cells

• Jung GD
• Yang JY
• Song ES
• Park JW

Abstract

Glycyrrhizin (GR), triterpenoid saponin composed of one glycyrrhetinic acid (GA) and two glucuronic acids, is a main constituent of the hydrophilic fraction of licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) extracts and is known to have a wide range of pharmacological actions. In this study, we investigated the mechanism of GR effect on melanogenesis in B16 murine melanoma cells. The cellular levels of tyrosinase mRNA, protein, enzyme activities and melanin contents were increased by GR in a dose dependent manner. Expression of tyrosinase-related protein-2 (TRP-2) mRNA was also increased by GR, however, no significant change was observed on TRP-1. No cytotoxicity was observed at the effective concentration range of GR. GA showed no effect on melanogenesis at the equivalent nontoxic concentrations, indicating that glycoside structure is important in the stimulatory effect of GR on melanogenesis. These results indicate that GR-induced stimulation of melanogenesis is likely to occur through the transcriptional activation.

Keyword

melanogenesis; glycyrrhizin; tyrosinase

MeSH Terms

Animal
Blotting, Western
Glycyrrhetinic Acid/pharmacology
Glycyrrhizic Acid/*pharmacology
Intramolecular Oxidoreductases/genetics/metabolism
Melanins/*biosynthesis
Melanoma, Experimental/enzymology/*metabolism
Mice
Monophenol Monooxygenase/genetics/metabolism
Proteins/genetics/metabolism
Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction