MelanoBronze Stimulation of Melanin Synthesis For Tanning and Protection SOFW 2006 PDF
MelanoBronze Stimulation of Melanin Synthesis For Tanning and Protection SOFW 2006 PDF
MelanoBronze Stimulation of Melanin Synthesis For Tanning and Protection SOFW 2006 PDF
Reprint
from D. Schmid, Ch. Liechti, F. Zlli:
Fig. 1 Histology of the skin. The stratum basale where melanocytes are located is
highlighted in yellow
Tanning ingredients
mission E monograph has approved the Studies and Conclusions NaOH. The optical density was measured
use of Monk's pepper for irregularities of at 405 nm against melanin standards.
the menstrual cycle, premenstrual dis- The effect of Monk's pepper extract on Cell viability was analyzed by a standard
turbances, and mastodynia. melanin production of melanocytes in MTT assay.
Monk's pepper was found in latest re- culture Melanin production of melanocytes in
search to contain phyto-endorphins. This Melanin production and cell viability of culture medium alone amounted to 37.1
has been shown by assessing the affini- normal human melanocytes (R6-NHEM- microg/ml. Monk's pepper extract was
ty of an extract of Monk's pepper to the 2) were analyzed after incubation with added in the concentrations of 0.25%,
mu-opiate and kappa-opiate receptors. different concentrations of Monk's pep- 0.13%, and 0.06%. Addition of the ex-
In competition binding studies with ra- per extract during 10 days. Cells were tract let to a concentration-dependent
dioligands the endorphin-like compounds cultured in a standard medium at 37 C increased melanin synthesis of 54.5, 41.6
were observed in the lipophilic fractions and 5% CO2. After incubation melanin and 36.2 microg/ml, respectively (Fig. 6).
of the extracts. The researchers accord- was extracted with a solution of 0.5 M Monk's pepper extract at 0.25% in-
ingly suggested possible pharmacologi-
cal effects of Monk's pepper via opioid
receptors (2). Functional activity through
mu-opiate receptors of the Monk's pep-
per extract was tested by a US research
group, too. The functionality even turned
out to be highly significant. Therewith,
an agonistic activity of Monk's pep-
per extract has been demonstrated for
the first time (3). Since beta-endorphins
stimulate melanocytes, substances pos-
sessing agonistic functional activity
through mu-opiate receptors presum-
ably effect a similar stimulation. Monk's
pepper therefore is very likely to exhibit
melanogenic and dendritogenic proper-
ties like beta-endorphin as well.
Fig. 5 MelanoBronze stimulates tanning even without sun exposure. When we are
exposed to sun light, the hormone alpha-MSH is produced that induces pigmen-
MelanoBronze combination of tation (upper line). When at the same time MelanoBronze is applied, pigmentation
acetyl tyrosine and Monks pepper is highly accelerated because there is with beta-endorphin another inducer pre-
extract to stimulate melanin sent and with acetyl tyrosine additional substrate for the enzyme tyrosinase (mid-
synthesis dle line). When MelanoBronze is applied, there is also tanning without exposure to
sun light because MelanoBronze contains the inducer beta-endorphin and adds
In MelanoBronze acetyl tyrosine and the additional substrate for tyrosinase (lower line)
extract of Monk's pepper cause increased
formation of melanin through two dif-
ferent mechanisms. Acetyl tyrosine, the
stable and water-soluble substrate for
tyrosinase accelerates melanin synthesis.
The more substrate is present, the high-
er the turnover of the synthesis reaction.
Like UV radiation and the hormone al-
pha-MSH the beta-endorphin-like com-
pounds in the extract of monk's pepper
induce melanocytes to start melanin for-
mation. In presence of the beta-endor-
phin activity of the extract the melanin
formation is induced even without sun
exposure. The individual contribution to
pigmentation of acetyl tyrosine and the
plant extract in MelanoBronce in pres- Fig. 6 The effect of Monk's pepper extract on melanin production of melanocytes
ence or without sun light is shown in in culture
Fig. 5.
* Authors addresses:
Dr. Daniel Schmid, Christina Liechti,
Dr. Fred Zlli
Mibelle AG Biochemistry
Bolimattstrasse 1
5033 Buchs
Switzerland
Email: Daniel.Schmid@Mibelle.ch