Lasting Effect of Raspberry Ketone Glucoside on Whitening.

Abstract

Many compounds from natural plants have been previously reported as melanogenesis inhibitors. Most of them might be undesirable at the point of safety and stability due to their phenol moieties. By the way, glycosidically bound volatiles (GBVs) have been known as fragrance precursors in essential oil plants, but little attention has been paid to them as cosmetic ingredients. On the examination about the inhibitory effects of several phenolic glucosides on melanogenesis, raspberry ketone glucoside (RKG) in raspberry fruit (Rubus ideaeus) showed the strongest inhibitory effect on the melanin synthesis of B16 melanoma cells. RKG released raspberry ketone (RK) gradually when incubasted with both homogenated and desquamated cells of the stratum corneum. The results might be indicated that RKG would be metabolized in the skin too. RK also showed remarkable function than RKG as the scavenger of nitric oxide (NO) which should be considered to induce pigmentation of human skin through activation of melanogenesis. All the results and its physical properties, water-solubility and odorless, lead us to suggest that RKG should be a good material for whitening cosmetics. (author abst.)