α-Mangostin, a safe and natural product as a candidate skin-whitening agent

A-Mangostin is the predominant xanthone found in the pericarp of mangosteen. It has been scientifically proven to possess anti-proliferative and apoptotic properties against different types of human cancer cells. In Asia, α-mangostin is widely used as a natural ingredient in cosmetic and medicinal products, particularly for treating acne and skin issues.Our objective was to evaluate the impact of α-mangostin on microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) and pigmentation related genes, and to explore the mechanism of α-mangostin on ultraviolet (UV)-B or forskolin (FSK)-induced pigmentation in cultured skin. We designed subgroups to evaluate the expression level of pigmentation related genes in cultured skin and B16F10 cells by α-mangostin and the melanin production level induced by UVB or FSK, respectively. The results showed that 40 µM α-mangostin could significantly reduce the melanin content in UVB-stimulated hair follicles treated with H₂O₂, and it had a lower melanin level compared with the control group. Besides, the study found that α-mangostin also reduced the expression of MITF, tyrosinase (TYR), and TY receptors induced by FSK in B16F10 cells, which is regulated by retinoid x receptors (RXR) and retinoic acid receptors (RAR). α-Mangostin can inhibit the formation of RAR/RXR heterodimers to mediate MITF expression. The results of our experiments provide evidence that α -Mangostin can inhibit melanogenesis by regulating the MITF protein and protecting MITF protein from damage caused by oxidative stress pathways. The above research shows that α -Mangostin can effectively reduce the content of melanin, and as a natural whitening active ingredient, it has great application prospects in the development of sunscreen.