Melanogenesis Inhibition by Homoisoflavavone Sappanone A from <em>Caesalpinia sappan</em>

Abstract

Homoisoflavanone, sappanone A, was isolated from <em>Caesalpinia sappan</em> and proven to dose-dependently inhibit both melanogenesis and cellular tyrosinase activity via repressing tyrosinase gene expression in mouse B16 melanoma cells. To our knowledge, sappanone A is the first homoisoflavanone to be discovered with melanogenesis inhibitory activity. Our results give a new impetus to the future search for other homoisoflavanone melanogenesis inhibitors.

Keywords

• &lt;em&gt;Caesalpinia sappan&lt;/em&gt;
• inhibition
• melanogenesis
• sappanone A
• tyrosinase