{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,8]],"date-time":"2026-04-08T16:05:39Z","timestamp":1775664339517,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":34,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"11","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2020,11,18]],"date-time":"2020-11-18T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1605657600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001868","name":"National Science Council","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["NSC102-2320-B-040-004"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["NSC102-2320-B-040-004"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001868","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Nutrients"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Melanogenesis has many important physiological functions. However, abnormal melanin production causes various pigmentation disorders. Melanin synthesis is stimulated by \u03b1-melanocyte stimulating hormone (\u03b1-MSH) and ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. Lotus seedpod extract (LSE) has been reported as possessing antioxidative, anti-aging, and anticancer activities. The present study examined the effect of LSE on melanogenesis and the involved signaling pathways in vitro and in vivo. Results showed that non-cytotoxic doses of LSE and its main component epigallocatechin (EGC) reduced both tyrosinase activity and melanin production in the \u03b1-MSH-induced melanoma cells. Western blotting data revealed that LSE and EGC inhibited expressions of tyrosinase and tyrosinase-related protein 1 (TRP-1). Phosphorylation of p38 and protein kinase A (PKA) stimulated by \u03b1-MSH was efficiently blocked by LSE treatment. Furthermore, LSE suppressed the nuclear level of cAMP-response element binding protein (CREB) and disturbed the activation of melanocyte inducing transcription factor (MITF) in the \u03b1-MSH-stimulated B16F0 cells. The in vivo study revealed that LSE inhibited melanin production in the ear skin of C57BL\/6 mice after exposure to UVB. These findings suggested that the anti-melanogenesis of LSE involved both PKA and p38 signaling pathways. LSE is a potent novo natural depigmenting agent for cosmetics or pharmaceutical applications.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/nu12113535","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2020,11,18]],"date-time":"2020-11-18T07:41:00Z","timestamp":1605685260000},"page":"3535","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":25,"title":["Anti-Melanogenesis Effects of Lotus Seedpod In Vitro and In Vivo"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"12","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5232-8428","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jen-Ying","family":"Hsu","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Nutrition, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City 40201, Taiwan"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0021-5709","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Hui-Hsuan","family":"Lin","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medical Laboratory and Biotechnology, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City 40201, Taiwan"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Ting-Shuan","family":"Li","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Nutrition, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City 40201, Taiwan"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Chaio-Yun","family":"Tseng","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Nutrition, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City 40201, Taiwan"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7584-0560","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Yueching","family":"Wong","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Nutrition, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City 40201, Taiwan"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5756-5959","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jing-Hsien","family":"Chen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Nutrition, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City 40201, Taiwan"},{"name":"Department of Medical Research, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung City 40201, Taiwan"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2020,11,18]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"193","DOI":"10.1002\/biof.29","article-title":"Physiological factors that regulate skin pigmentation","volume":"35","author":"Yamaguchi","year":"2009","journal-title":"Biofactors"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"843","DOI":"10.1038\/nature05660","article-title":"Melanocyte biology and skin pigmentation","volume":"445","author":"Lin","year":"2007","journal-title":"Nature"},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1493","DOI":"10.1007\/s00018-009-8703-8","article-title":"Cellular mechanisms regulating human melanogenesis","volume":"66","author":"Park","year":"2009","journal-title":"Cell. 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