Dendrobium loddigesii (DL) is a valuable and versatile herbal medicine with the anecdotal claims of anti-oxidant and anti-inflammation. In the present study, we investigated the whitening effects of DL under various conditions with B16F10 melanoma cells. The DL extract inhibited melanin contents and tyrosinase activity in a dose-dependent manner, compared with untreated group. Treatment of the DL extract effectively suppressed the α-MSH-stimulated melanin formation, tyrosinase activity and dendrite outgrowth. Moreover, the α-MSH-induced mRNA expressions of tyrosinase-related protein-1 (TRP-1), tyrosinase-related protein-2 (TRP-2), microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) and protein expression of tyrosinase were significantly attenuated by DL treatment. These results indicate that DL may be a great cosmeceutical ingredient for its whitening effects.

• 정호경(전남한방산업진흥원) | Ho Kyung Jung
• 장지훈(전남한방산업진흥원) | Ji Hun Jang
• 심미옥(전남한방산업진흥원) | Mi Ok Sim
• 이기호(전남한방산업진흥원) | Ki Ho Lee
• 여준환(전남한방산업진흥원) | Jun Hwan Yeo
• 강병만(전남한방산업진흥원) | Byoung Man Kang
• 조정희(전남한방산업진흥원) | Jung Hee Cho
• 빈철구(경상남도농업기술원) | Chul Gu Bean
• 김성철(농촌진흥청 국립원예특작과학원 남해출장소) | Seong Cheol Kim
• 정원석(전남한방산업진흥원) | Won Seok Jung Corresponding author