천연물로부터 미백활성 성분의 개발을 위하여 국내 자생식물 60종으로부터 추출물을 얻어, 이들의 멜라닌 생성과정의 주된 효소인 tyrosinase 활성 억제력을 평가하였다. 평가결과 노랑하늘타리(열매), 죽황, 누리장나무(잎), 우산고로쇠(잎) 추출물이 비교적 높은 tyrosinase 활성억제효과를 보였고, 이들의 $IC_{50}$ 값은 $50{sim}100{mu}g/mL$ 이었다. 이들의 멜라닌생성 억제효과를 B16F10 흑색종세포주를 이용하여 실험한 결과, 죽황추출물이 가장 높은 52%의 멜라닌생성 저해활성을 보였으며, 이는 기존 미백제인 arbutin (42%)에 비해 10% 높은 것이다. 죽황추출물로부터 용매추출 및 크로마토그래피 등의 분리과정을 거쳐 10가지 미백활성 성분을 분리하였다. 이들은 모두 페놀유도체 화합물로서, SM701과 SM702, SM703, BPR211은 hydroquinone계 화합물이며, SM707은 gallic acid계, SM704와 SM705, SM706, SM708, SM709는 ferulic acid계로 확인되었다. 이들의 유리기 소거효과를 hydorquinone과 비타민 C와 비교하여 측정하였을 때. $SC_{50}$ 값이 SM702와 SM709의 경우 $60{sim}70{mu}M$로 hydroquinone과 유사하였고, SM701과 SM708은 $30{sim}40{mu}M$로 비타민 C ($45{mu}M$)보다 낮은 값을 보여 죽황추출물은 항산화활성이 높은 성분들을 함유하고 있음을 확인하였다. 이들 중 1,2-O-diferulylglycerol로 확인된 SM709 성분은 tyrosine hydroxylase 및 DOPA oxidase 활성을 각각 18, 60% 억제하였고, B16F10 흑색종세포주를 이용한 멜라닌생성량 억제시험에서 62%의 저해효과를 나타내 가장 높은 미백활성을 보였다. 따라서 죽황추출물의 미백활성은 주로 멜라닌 생성과정의 DOPA oxidsae 저해효과와 항산화효과에 의해 나타나는 것으로 생각된다.
In order to develop a new depigmenting agent, extracts were obtained from 60 native plants and their antimelanogenic activities were screened by evaluating the inhibitory effect on tyrosinase which is a major enzyme responsibles for the melanin synthesis. The extracts of Trichosanthes kirilowii fruits, Phyllostachys bambusoides inner films (BIF), Clerodendrum trichotomum leaves, and Acer okamotoanum leaves showed relatively high inhibitory effect on tyrosinase and their $IC_{50}$ values were $50{sim}100{mu}g/mL$. The extract of BIF inhibited melanin synthesis of B16F10 melanoma cells by 52%, which was the highest among those of various extracts. Furthermore, the effect of BIF extract is 10% higher than that of arbutin (42%), a popular depigmenting agent in Korea. Ten compounds having antimelanogenic activity were isolated from the BIF extract by solvent extraction and chromatography. These compounds were identified as phenolic derivatives: SM701, SM702, SM703, and BPR211 were hydroquinone derivatives; SM707 a gallic acid derivative; SM704, SM705, SM706, SM708 and SM709 ferulic acid derivatives. The free radical scavenging activities of these compounds were measured and compared to those of hydroquinone and vitamin C. The $SC_{50}$ values scavenging 50% DPPH of SM702 and SM709 were $60{sim}70{mu}M$ similar to that of hydroquinone and those of SM701 and SM708 were $30{sim}40{mu}M$ slightly lower than that of vitamin C. These results suggest the presence of components having high antioxidant activity in the BIF extract. The SM709, identified as 1,2-O-diferulylglycerol, inhibited the activities of tyrosine hydroxylase and dopa oxidase by 18 and 60%, respectively. The SM709 also inhibited the melanin synthesis of B16F10 melanoma cells by 62% and this was the highest antimelanogenic activity among those obtained from the various purified compounds. Therefore, antimelanogenic activity of the BIF extract was concluded to be due to both inhibition of DOPA oxidase and antioxidant activity.
