This study was conducted to investigate the effects of a powder of steamed and freeze-dried mature silkworms (SMSP), Bombyx mori, on hair growth/loss in vivo in C3H mice. Topically applied SMSP for at least 10 days or longer showed potent hair growth promoting activity. SMSP-treated mice showed increase in hair weight significantly compared with control mice which were not treated with SMSP. Orally administered SMSP also showed hair growth promoting activity, which was lower than that when applied topically. In conclusion, SMSP was identified as a potential candidate for a novel hair-loss preventing and/or hair-growth promoting agent, which shortened the telogen phase to advance the following anagen phase in C3H mice in vivo when SMSP was applied topically for at least 10 days or longer.

Mature silkworm of Bombyx mori is known to contain various functional materials. However, it is too hard to chew or digest for humans when it is cooked or lyophilized. In Korea, the Rural Development Administration recently developed and patented a method for making mature silkworms edible. In this study, therefore, we examined the effects of a larval powder of steamed mature silkworm (SMSP) on skin pigmentation and melanogenesis. For elucidating the depigmenting activity, lightness of a designated site on the murine dorsal skin was measured in vivo. During the experiment, hyperpigmentation was induced on the skin by cumulative exposure to ultraviolet B (UVB) irradiation. At the end of the experiment, melanin production on the skin was visualized by Fontana-Masson staining. Orally administered SMSP of pistachio cocoon strain for at least a month or longer significantly and reduced abnormal pigmentation caused by UVB on the murine dorsal skin. SMSP also showed a potential anti-melanogenic efficacy in modulating UVB-induced hyperpigmentation. Taken together, SMSP was identified as a potential candidate for a novel anti-melanogenic agent, which showed depigmenting efficacy against UVB-induced hyperpigmentation in vivo when administered orally.

The mature silkworms of Bombyx mori L. have recently been regarded as a potential health supplement due to gaining their edibility for humans via a newly-developed steaming method by the Rural Development Administration in Korea. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of a larval powder of steamed mature silkworms (SMSP) on hair growth/loss in vivo in mice. Topically applied SMSP showed potent hair growth promoting activity. SMSP-treated mice showed increase in hair weight significantly compared with control mice which were not treated with SMSP. Orally administered SMSP also showed hair growth promoting activity, which was lower than that when applied topically. By elucidating the hair loss preventing activity of SMSP, this study will be helpful to increase incomes for sericultural farm households in Korea.

Silkworms, Bombyx mori L., have been traditionally used as an oriental medicine to manage diverse pathological conditions including dermatological problems in East Asia, in addition to the use of their cocoons for making fabrics. The “mature” silkworms of B. mori have recently been regarded as a potential health supplement due to gaining their edibility for humans by a newly-developed steaming method. Therefore, the present study was conducted to investigate the effects of a larval powder of steamed mature silkworms (SMSP) on skin pigmentation and melanogenesis. Orally administered SMSP of pistachio cocoon strain significantly and reduced abnormal pigmentation caused by ultraviolet B on the murine dorsal skin. SMSP also showed a potential anti-melanogenic efficacy in modulating UVB-induced melanogenesis.

The mature silkworms of Bombyx mori L. have recently been regarded as a potential health supplement due to gainingtheir edibility for humans by a newly-developed steaming method. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate theeffects of steamed and lyophilized mature silkworm powder (SMSP) on skin pigmentation and melanogenesis. Orally administeredSMSP significantly and dose-dependently reduced abnormal pigmentation caused by ultraviolet B (UVB) on the murinedorsal skin. SMSP also showed a potential anti-melanogenic efficacy in modulating UVB-induced melanogenesis. Takentogether, SMSP was identified as a potential candidate for a novel anti-melanogenic agent, which showed hypo-pigmentingefficacy against UVB-induced melanogenesis in vivo when administered orally.

In contrast to the silkworms in 3 days of the 5th instar larval stage, the mature silkworms of Bombyx mori L. have enlarged silk glands containing various functional materials. However, they are too hard to chew or digest for humans when they are cooked or lyophilized. The mature silkworms have recently been regarded as a potential health supplement due to gaining their edibility for humans by a newly-developed steaming method in the Rural Development Administration (RDA) in Korea. Therefore, the present study was performed to examine the skin care activity, one of the potential biological activities of the steamed mature silkworms for humans, which will be helpful to increase incomes for sericultural farm households in Korea (This work was supported by the RDA grant, PJ010828022017.).