Inhibitions of melanogenesis via Phyllanthus emblica fruit extract powder in B16F10 cells

Nowadays, it is well-known that medicines and cosmetics have potential to handle different skin diseases improving the cutis semblances. The pigment accumulation not only leads to appear dark spots on the derma surface, but also causes some disorders including freckles, melanin precipitation, chloasma, and melanosis. Phyllanthus emblica is an edible nutraceutical and functional food in Asia area with medicinal and nutritive importances, and there is no literature mentioning that P. emblica fruit extract powder has a whitening effect and pigment accumulation inhibition. We chose suitable concentrations at 0.001 − 1 mg/mL of the fruit extract powder to treat with B16F10 cells, presenting no significant cytotoxicity. To investigate the melanin synthesis suppression, we confirmed it by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and western blot in microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), tyrosinase, tyrosinase-related protein-1 (TRP-1) and dopachrome tautomerase-2 (TRP-2). Notably, as long as the extract concentration was up to 1 mg/mL, it has the effect of inhibiting melanin and mushroom tyrosinase. Overall, the extract displayed biofunctions of melanogenesis suppression, so there was a possibility for its application as a food additive and skin-whitening agent.