In this study, we found that the methanolic extract of Areca catechu repressed expression of the tyrosinase gene in B16 mouse melanoma cells containing a tyrosinase promoter. Extract concentrations of 100 ${mu}$g/ml and 500 ${mu}$g/ml exhibited tyrosinase gene expression rates of aproximately 62% and 48%, respectively, compared to the control. The fraction layers consisting of ethyl acetate, butyl alcohol, and water showed repressive effects on the tyrosinase gene. In particular, the butyl alcohol fraction highly repressed at 100 ${mu}$g/ml and 500 ${mu}$g/ml. In the MTT assay, the methanolic extracts exhibited very low cytotoxicities at 1 ${mu}$g/ml, 10 ${mu}$g/ml, and 100 ${mu}$g/ml.