Inhibition of melanogenesis by β-caryophyllene from lime mint essential oil in mouse B16 melanoma cells

Effects of natural products on angiogenesis in melanoma

Melanoma is the most aggressive form of skin cancer and originates from genetic mutations in melanocytes. The disease is multifactorial, but its main cause is overexposure to UV radiation. Currently, available chemotherapy expresses little to no results, which may justify the extensive use of natural products to treat this cancer. In this study, we reviewed the inhibition of melanoma angiogenesis by natural products and its potential mechanisms using literature from PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Ovid, ScienceDirect and China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases. According to summarizes 27 natural products including alkaloids, polyphenols, terpenoids, flavonoids, and steroids that effectively inhibit angiogenesis in melanoma. In addition to these there are 15 crude extracts that can be used as promising agents to inhibit angiogenesis, but their core components still deserve further investigation. There are current studies on melanoma angiogenesis involving oxidative stress, immune-inflammatory response, cell proliferation and migration and capillary formation. The above natural products can be involved in melanoma angiogenesis through core targets such as VE-cadherin, COX-2, iNOS, VEGF, bFGF, FGF2,MMP2,MMP9,IL-1β,IL-6 play a role in inhibiting melanoma angiogenesis. Effective excavation of natural products can not only clarify the mechanism of drug action and key targets, but also help to promote the preclinical research of natural products for melanoma treatment and further promote the development of new clinical drugs, which will bring the gospel to the vast number of patients who are deeply afflicted by melanoma.

Insights on Juniperus phoenicea Essential Oil as Potential Anti-Proliferative, Anti-Tyrosinase, and Antioxidant Candidate

In this study, the anti-cancer, anti-tyrosinase, and antioxidant activities of essential oils (EOs) of berries and leaves of Juniperus phoenicea grown wild in North of Tunisia were investigated. The EO yields from leaves and berries were 1.69% and 0.45%, respectively. GC-MS analysis revealed that α-pinene is the predominant component in both EOs (44.17 and 83.56%, respectively). Leaves essential oil presented high levels of β-phellandrene (18%) and camphene (15%). The EOs displayed cytotoxic effects against MCF-7 breast cancer cell, HT-29 colon cancer, and the normal cells H9C2 cardiomyoblasts. Leaves oil strongly inhibited colon cell line proliferation (IC50 of 38 µg/mL), while berries essential oil was more potent against breast cancerous cells MCF-7 (IC50 of 60 µg/mL). Interestingly, berries essential oil exhibited high ability to inhibit melanin synthesis by inhibiting enzyme mono and diphenolase activities. Overall, the results suggested that the two oils are significant sources of healthy natural chemicals.

Peppermint essential oil and its nano-emulsion: Potential against aflatoxigenic fungus Aspergillus flavus in food and feed

A facultative parasite called Aspergillus flavus contaminates several important food crops before and after harvest. In addition, the pathogen that causes aspergillosis infections in humans and animals is opportunistic. Aflatoxin, a secondary metabolite produced by Aspergillus flavus, is also carcinogenic and mutagenic, endangering human and animal health and affecting global food security. Peppermint essential oils and plant-derived natural products have recently shown promise in combating A. flavus infestations and aflatoxin contamination. This review discusses the antifungal and anti-aflatoxigenic properties of peppermint essential oils. It then discusses how peppermint essential oils affect the growth of A. flavus and the biosynthesis of aflatoxins. Several cause physical, chemical, or biochemical changes to the cell wall, cell membrane, mitochondria, and associated metabolic enzymes and genes. Finally, the prospects for using peppermint essential oils and natural plant-derived chemicals to develop novel antifungal agents and protect foods are highlighted. In addition to reducing the risk of aspergillosis infection, this review highlights the significant potential of plant-derived natural products and peppermint essential oils to protect food and feed from aflatoxin contamination and A. flavus infestation.

In Vitro and In Vivo Antimelanogenesis Effects of Leaf Essential Oil from Agathis dammara

Agathis species are widely distributed around Southeast Asia, Australasia, South Pacific islands, and etc. Traditionally, Agathis species have been used as the folk medicines, the common ethnopharmacological uses of Agathis genus are the treatments of headache and myalgia. This study aims to investigate the chemical composition of Agathis dammara (Lamb.) Rich. leaf essential oil and to explore its antimelanogenesis effect. The chemical constituents of leaf essential oil are analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), the major constituents of leaf essential oil are sesquiterpenoids. The major constituents are δ-cadinene (16.12%), followed by γ-gurjunene (15.57%), 16-kaurene (12.43%), β-caryophyllene (8.58%), germacrene D (8.53%), and γ-cadinene (5.33%). As for the in vitro antityrosinase activity, leaf essential oil inhibit the tyrosinase activity of mushroom when the substrate is 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA). Leaf essential oil prevents tyrosinase from acting as diphenolase and catalyzing L-DOPA to dopaquinone, and converting into dark melanin pigments. A. dammara leaf essential oil also exhibits the in vivo antimelanogenesis effect, leaf essential oil reduces 43.48% of melanin formation in zebrafish embryos at the concentration of 50 μg/mL. Results reveal A. dammara leaf essential oil has the potential for developing the skin whitening drug and depigmentation ingredient for hyperpigmentary disorders.

Insights into nanoparticles-induced neurotoxicity and cope up strategies

Nanoparticle applications are becoming increasingly popular in fields such as photonics, catalysis, magnetics, biotechnology, manufacturing of cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and medicines. There is still a huge pile of undermining information about the potential toxicity of these products to humans, which can be encountered by neuroprotective antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds. Nanoparticles can be administered using a variety of methods, including oronasal, topical applications, and enteral and parenteral routes of administration. There are different properties of these nanomaterials that characterize different pathways. Crossing of the blood-brain barrier, a direct sensory nerve-to-brain pathway whose barriers are bypassed, these checks otherwise prevent the nanoparticles from entering the brain. This inflicts damage to sensory neurons and receptors by nanoparticles that lead to neurotoxicity of the central nervous system. A number of routes make nanoparticles able to penetrate through the skin. Exposure by various routes to these nanoparticles can result in oxidative stress, and immune suppression triggers inflammatory cascades and genome-level mutations after they are introduced into the body. To out-power, these complications, plant-based antioxidants, essential oils, and dietary supplements can be put into use. Direct nanoparticle transport pathways from sensory nerves to the brain via blood have been studied grossly. Recent findings regarding the direct pathways through which nanoparticles cross the blood-brain barriers, how nanoparticles elicit different responses on sensory receptors and nerves, how they cause central neurotoxicity and neurodegeneration through sensory nerve routes, and the possible mechanisms that outcast these effects are discussed.

Peppermint essential oil: its phytochemistry, biological activity, pharmacological effect and application

Mentha (also known as peppermint), a genus of plants in the taxonomic family Lamiaceae (mint family), is widely distributed throughout temperate regions of the world. Mentha contains various constituents that are classified as peppermint essential oil (PEO) and non-essential components. PEO, consisting mainly of menthol, menthone, neomenthol and iso-menthone, is a mixture of volatile metabolites with anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, scolicidal, immunomodulatory, antitumor, neuroprotective, antifatigue and antioxidant activities. Mounting evidence indicates that PEO may pharmacologically protect gastrointestinal, liver, kidney, skin, respiratory, brain and nervous systems, and exert hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects. Clinically, PEO is used for gastrointestinal and dermatological diseases, postoperative adjuvant therapy and other fields. This review aims to address the advances in the extraction and isolation of PEO, its biological activities, pharmacological effects, toxicity and applications, with an emphasis on the efficacy of PEO on burn wounds and psoriasis, providing a comprehensive foundation for research, development and application of PEO in future.

Protective Effects of Grapefruit Essential Oil against Staphylococcus Aureus-Induced Inflammation and Cell Damage in Human Epidermal Keratinocytes

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a common skin pathogenic bacterium, over-colonization can induce skin infections, while its metabolites can also produce irritation to the skin, often accompanied by eczema dermatitis, specific dermatitis and other skin diseases. Grapefruit essential oil is extracted from the fruit of grapefruit (Citrus maxima (Burm) Merr.), a citrus plant that is rich in flavonoids, phenolic acids and high flavanones. Due to its good odor and biological activity such as anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, etc., grapefruit essential oil has been widely used as an additive in food. To evaluate the potential application of grapefruit essential oil as raw materials in cosmetics products and health foods, we developed a cell damage model of skin inflammation stimulated by S. aureus metabolites. Compared to that of lime essential oil, an internal control, we found that grapefruit essential oil could significantly promote HaCaT cells proliferation, reduce reactive oxygen species (ROS) production induced by S. aureus metabolites, inhibit the upregulated expression of IL-1 and COX-2. In the 3D epidermal model, grapefruit essential oil could recover the decreased LOR and FLG contents caused by S. aureus metabolites. These results demonstrated pharmacological evidence for the anti-inflammatory effect of grapefruit essential oil, suggesting a potential application of grapefruit essential oil as cosmetic raw materials for repair and alleviating of skin inflammation caused by S. aureus.

Chemical Constituents, Antioxidant, Anti-Tyrosinase, Cytotoxicity, and Anti-Melanogenesis Activities of Etlingera elatior (Jack) Leaf Essential Oils

Essential oils of plants have been used widely in cosmetic preparations. Being both perfuming and active ingredients, the functions of essential oils mean they are high-value ingredients. In this study, the leaf of Etlingera elatior (Jack) or Torch ginger was used. The essential oils (EO) were prepared by conventional hydrodistillation (HD) and microwave-assisted hydrodistillation (MAHD). The volatile compounds of EOs were analyzed by gas chromatography spectroscopy (GC-MS). The antioxidant activities by means of DPPH radical scavenging and ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) were determined. The inhibition of tyrosinase activity was investigated. The cytotoxicity was performed against human fibroblast cell lines (NIH/3T3) and melanoma cell lines (A375 and B16F10). The decreasing melanin content was measured in melanoma cell lines. The resulting essential oils were detected for 41 compounds from HD extraction dominants by terpenes, namely sesquiterpenes (48.499%) and monoterpenes (19.419%), while 26 compounds were detected from MAHD with the fatty alcohols as the major group. The higher antioxidant activities were found in HD EO (IC50 of 16.25 ± 0.09 mg/mL from DPPH assay and 0.91 ± 0.01 mg TEAC/g extract from FRAP assay). The survival of normal fibroblast cell lines remained at 90% at 500 µg/mL HD EO, where the EO possessed the half-maximal toxicity dose (TD50) of 214.85 ± 4.647 and 241.128 ± 2.134 μg/mL on B16F10 and A375 cell lines, respectively. This could suggest that the EO is highly selective against the melanoma cell lines. The melanin content was decreased at the half-maximum efficacy (IC50) at 252.12 ± 3.02 and 253.56 ± 3.65 in the A375 and B1610 cell lines, respectively, which were approximately 2.8-fold lower than kojic acid, the standard compound. The results of this study evidence the use of Etlingera elatior (Jack) leaf as a source of essential oil as an active agent in cosmetics.

Review of aromatherapy essential oils and their mechanism of action against migraines

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Migraines have become a major threat to human health, as they significantly affect human health and quality of life due to a high prevalence rate, attack rate and pain intensity. Aromatherapy, with its comfortable and pleasant natural characteristics and rapid and efficient characteristics, is widely favored by patients in the folk. Chinese folk also have the application history and related records of aromatic plants in the treatment of migraine.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This study was conducted to review the pathogenesis of migraine, the application of plant essential oils in the treatment of migraine, and further explore the material basis and mechanism of action of plant essential oils against migraine.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Search the electronic literature of essential oils with anti-migraine effect in Google Scholar, PubMed and China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and further search the research situation of the monomer components of essential oils in migraine, inflammation, pain and other aspects.

RESULTS

studies show that there are 10 types of plant essential oils that could relieve migraine symptoms, and that 16 monomers may play a role in migraine treatment by effectively inhibiting neurogenic inflammation, hyperalgesia and balancing vasorelaxation.

CONCLUSION

Aromatic plant essential oils can relieve migraine effectively, these findings can be used as an important part of the development of anti-migraine drugs.

Carvone Decreases Melanin Content by Inhibiting Melanoma Cell Proliferation via the Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate (cAMP) Pathway

Melanin, which determines the color of the skin and hair, is initially synthesized to protect the skin from ultraviolet light; however, excessive melanin pigmentation caused by abnormal cell proliferation can result in various melanocytic lesions. Cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) is known to regulate cell cycle progression and consequently to inhibit the division of abnormally proliferating cells. In this work, we aimed to test whether carvone, a scent compound from plants, inhibits proliferation and subsequently reduces melanin content of melanoma cells and to determine whether its beneficial effects are mediated by the cAMP pathway. We found that carvone decreases melanin content and inhibits melanoma cell proliferation in a concentration-dependent manner. Meanwhile, it inhibited the activation of cell cycle-associated proteins such as cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1). Of note, the beneficial effects of carvone were abrogated by cAMP inhibition. Our findings indicate potential benefits of carvone for the treatment of melanomas and presumably other hyperpigmentation-related dermatological disorders such as melasmas, lentigines, and excessive freckles.

Essential Oils and Their Main Chemical Components: The Past 20 Years of Preclinical Studies in Melanoma

Simple Summary

In the last years, targeted therapy and immunotherapy modified the landscape for metastatic melanoma treatment. These therapeutic approaches led to an impressive improvement in patients overall survival. Unfortunately, the emergence of drug resistance and side effects occurring during therapy strongly limit the long-term efficacy of such treatments. Several preclinical studies demonstrate the efficacy of essential oils as antitumoral agents, and clinical trials support their use to reduce side effects emerging during therapy. In this review we have summarized studies describing the molecular mechanism through which essential oils induce in vitro and in vivo cell death in melanoma models. We also pointed to clinical trials investigating the use of essential oils in reducing the side effects experienced by cancer patients or those undergoing anticancer therapy. From this review emerged that further studies are necessary to validate the effectiveness of essential oils for the management of melanoma.

Abstract

The last two decades have seen the development of effective therapies, which have saved the lives of a large number of melanoma patients. However, therapeutic options are still limited for patients without BRAF mutations or in relapse from current treatments, and severe side effects often occur during therapy. Thus, additional insights to improve treatment efficacy with the aim to decrease the likelihood of chemoresistance, as well as reducing side effects of current therapies, are required. Natural products offer great opportunities for the discovery of antineoplastic drugs, and still represent a useful source of novel molecules. Among them, essential oils, representing the volatile fraction of aromatic plants, are always being actively investigated by several research groups and show promising biological activities for their use as complementary or alternative medicine for several diseases, including cancer. In this review, we focused on studies reporting the mechanism through which essential oils exert antitumor action in preclinical wild type or mutant BRAF melanoma models. We also discussed the latest use of essential oils in improving cancer patients’ quality of life. As evidenced by the many studies listed in this review, through their effect on apoptosis and tumor progression-associated properties, essential oils can therefore be considered as potential natural pharmaceutical resources for cancer management.

Cannabinoid Signaling in the Skin: Therapeutic Potential of the "C(ut)annabinoid" System

The endocannabinoid system (ECS) has lately been proven to be an important, multifaceted homeostatic regulator, which influences a wide-variety of physiological processes all over the body. Its members, the endocannabinoids (eCBs; e.g., anandamide), the eCB-responsive receptors (e.g., CB₁, CB₂), as well as the complex enzyme and transporter apparatus involved in the metabolism of the ligands were shown to be expressed in several tissues, including the skin. Although the best studied functions over the ECS are related to the central nervous system and to immune processes, experimental efforts over the last two decades have unambiguously confirmed that cutaneous cannabinoid ("c[ut]annabinoid") signaling is deeply involved in the maintenance of skin homeostasis, barrier formation and regeneration, and its dysregulation was implicated to contribute to several highly prevalent diseases and disorders, e.g., atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, scleroderma, acne, hair growth and pigmentation disorders, keratin diseases, various tumors, and itch. The current review aims to give an overview of the available skin-relevant endo- and phytocannabinoid literature with a special emphasis on the putative translational potential, and to highlight promising future research directions as well as existing challenges.

Anti-Oxidant and Anti-Melanogenic Properties of Essential Oil from Peel of Pomelo cv. Guan Xi

Here, we investigated the anti-oxidant and anti-melanogenic effects of pomelo peel essential oil (PPEO) from pomelo cv. Guan Xi. The volatile chemical composition of PPEO was analyzed with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The most abundant component of PPEO was limonene (55.92%), followed by β-myrcene (31.17%), and β-pinene (3.16%). PPEO showed strong anti-oxidant activities against 2,2-diphenyl-2-picryhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2′-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonate (ABTS) and superoxide anion free radicals. Based on the B16 melanoma cell system, the effects of PPEO on the viability and morphology of B16 cells and the production of melanin were evaluated. The results revealed that PPEO at concentrations below 50 μg/mL could decrease the melanin content without affecting cell viability and morphology. Intracellular tyrosinase (TYR) activity and Western blot analysis showed that PPEO could down-regulate the expression level of TYR in B16 cells and dose-dependently inhibit TYR activity (by a maximum of 64.54%). In conclusion, PPEO has good anti-oxidant and anti-melanogenic activity, and thus can be widely used as a natural antioxidant in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries.

Structure⁻Activity Relationship of the Tyrosinase Inhibitors Kuwanon G, Mulberrofuran G, and Albanol B from Morus Species: A Kinetics and Molecular Docking Study

Kuwanon G (KG) and benzofuran flavonoids such as mulberrofuran G (MG) and albanol B (AB) isolated from Morus sp. are reported to exhibit anti-Alzheimer’s disease, anti-inflammatory, fungicidal, anti-cancer, anti-bacterial, and anti-tyrosinase properties. We investigated the inhibition of mono- and diphenolase activity of mushroom tyrosinase by KG, MG, and AB. KG and MG displayed acceptable inhibition activity compared to kojic acid. AB did not show any activity up to 350 µM. MG displayed six-fold higher inhibition of l-tyrosine oxidation (IC₅₀ = 6.35 ± 0.45 µM) compared to kojic acid (IC₅₀ = 36.0 µM). Kinetic studies revealed that KG and MG inhibited monophenolase activity of tyrosinase in a competitive manner. Docking simulations of KG and MG demonstrated favorable binding energies with amino acid residues of the active sites of tyrosinase. Our investigation of the structure-activity relationship of the fused benzofuran flavonoids (MG vs. AB) implicated the methyl cyclohexene ring moiety in tyrosinase inhibition. The enzyme substrate and relative structural analyses demonstrated that KG and MG from Morus sp. could be useful natural tyrosinase inhibitors in foods or cosmetics.

Black pepper (Piper nigrum) essential oil demonstrates tissue remodeling and metabolism modulating potential in human cells

Very few studies have investigated the biological activities of black pepper essential oil (BPEO) in human cells. Therefore, in the current study, we examined the biological activities of BPEO in cytokine-stimulated human dermal fibroblasts by analyzing the levels of 17 important protein biomarkers pertinent to inflammation and tissue remodeling. BPEO exhibited significant antiproliferative activity in these skin cells and significantly inhibited the production of Collagen I, Collagen III, and plasminogen activator inhibitor 1. In addition, we studied the effect of BPEO on the regulation of genome-wide expression and found that BPEO diversely modulated global gene expression. Further analysis showed that BPEO affected many important genes and signaling pathways closely related to metabolism, inflammation, tissue remodeling, and cancer signaling. This study is the first to provide evidence of the biological activities of BPEO in human dermal fibroblasts. The data suggest that BPEO possesses promising potential to modulate the biological processes of tissue remodeling, wound healing, and metabolism. Although further research is required, BPEO appears to be a good therapeutic candidate for a variety of health conditions including wound care and metabolic diseases. Research into the biological and pharmacological mechanisms of action of BPEO and its major active constituents is recommended.

Composition and Bioactivity of Essential Oil from Citrus grandis (L.) Osbeck 'Mato Peiyu' Leaf

'Mato Peiyu' pomelo (Citrus grandis (L.) Osbeck 'Mato Peiyu') leaves from pruning are currently an agricultural waste. The aim of this study was to isolate essential oils from these leaves through steam distillation (SD) and solvent-free microwave extraction (SFME) and to evaluate their applicability to skin care by analyzing their antimicrobial, antioxidant (diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl scavenging assay, β-carotene/linoleic acid assay, and nitric oxide scavenging assay), anti-inflammatory (5-lipoxygenase inhibition assay), and antityrosinase activities. The gas chromatography-mass spectrometry results indicated that the main components of 'Mato Peiyu' leaf essential oils were citronellal and citronellol, with a total percentage of 50.71% and 59.82% for SD and SFME, respectively. The highest bioactivity among all assays was obtained for 5-lipoxygenase inhibition, with an IC₅₀ value of 0.034% (v/v). The MIC₉₀ of the antimicrobial activity of essential oils against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Candida albicans ranged from 0.086% to 0.121% (v/v). Citronellal and citronellol were the main contributors, accounting for at least 54.58% of the essential oil's bioactivity. This paper is the first to report the compositions and bioactivities of 'Mato Peiyu' leaf essential oil, and the results imply that the pomelo leaf essential oil may be applied in skin care.

Evaluation of tyrosinase inhibitory and antioxidant activities of Angelica dahurica root extracts for four different probiotic bacteria fermentations

Angelica dahurica root (ADR), which shows strong antioxidant activity, is used in Chinese medicine. This study evaluated the tyrosinase inhibitory and antioxidant activities of ADR extracts fermented by four different probiotic bacteria: Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bifidobacterium lactis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, and Lactobacillus brevis. The ADR was first extracted using distilled water, 70% ethanol, and ethyl acetate, and then fermented by probiotic bacteria. The physiological characteristics of these fermented extracts, namely the antityrosinase activity, antioxidant activity, phenolic composition, and phenolic content, were evaluated and compared with those of unfermented extracts. Results showed that the water extracts after fermentation by probiotic bacteria exhibited the most favorable physiological characteristics. Among the extracts fermented by these probiotic bacteria, L. acidophilus-fermented ADR extract showed the most favorable physiological characteristics. The optimal IC₅₀ values for antityrosinase activity, DPPH radical scavenging activity, and reducing power for L. acidophilus-fermented ADR extract were 0.07 ± 0.03, 0.12 ± 0.01, and 0.68 ± 0.06 mg/mL, respectively. Furthermore, the physiological activities of fermented extracts were considerably higher than those of unfermented extracts. The tyrosinase inhibition and melanin content of B16F10 melanoma cells, and cytotoxicity effects of the fermented ADR extracts on B16F10 cells were also evaluated. We found that the L. acidophilus-fermented ADR extract at 1.5 mg/mL showed significant cellular antityrosinase activity with low melanin production in B16F10 cells and was noncytotoxic to B16F10 cells. Among all probiotic bacteria, water-extracted ADR fermented by L. acidophilus for 48 h was found to be the best skincare agent or antioxidant agent.