Anti-melanogenic activity of rice bran extracts for development of cosmeceutical ingredients

See-Hyoung Park; See-Hyoung Park

doi:10.3934/biophy.2026012

AIMS Biophysics

2026, Volume 13, Issue 2: 204-218. doi: 10.3934/biophy.2026012

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Research article

Anti-melanogenic activity of rice bran extracts for development of cosmeceutical ingredients

See-Hyoung Park ^,

Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Hongik University, Sejong, 30016, Republic of Korea

Received: 30 March 2026 Revised: 23 May 2026 Accepted: 10 June 2026 Published: 16 June 2026

Rice bran is rich in bioactive compounds, but its potential for cosmeceutical applications remains insufficiently explored. In this study, we investigated the anti-melanogenic effects of a 70% ethanol extract of rice bran prepared by ultrasonication in distilled water. The extract was evaluated for DPPH radical scavenging activity, cytotoxicity, tyrosinase inhibition, melanin production, and associated signaling pathways in B16F10 murine melanoma cells. The rice bran extract exhibited DPPH radical scavenging activity and showed no cytotoxicity in B16F10 cells. It also inhibited tyrosinase activity in a dose-dependent manner and suppressed melanin synthesis in B16F10 cells. Mechanistically, the extract reduced the TRP1, TRP2, and MITF protein levels, while increasing the phosphorylation of Erk and Akt in B16F10 cells. In addition, treatment with PD98059 or LY294002 attenuated the extract-induced downregulation of MITF and altered MITF phosphorylation. These findings suggest that rice bran extract may serve as a potential cosmeceutical ingredient for controlling melanogenesis, warranting further cosmeceutical investigation.
- Oryza sativa,
- cosmetics,
- melanosis,
- microphthalmia-associated transcription factor,
- tyrosinase-related protein 1,
- tyrosinase-related protein 2
Citation: See-Hyoung Park. Anti-melanogenic activity of rice bran extracts for development of cosmeceutical ingredients[J]. AIMS Biophysics, 2026, 13(2): 204-218. doi: 10.3934/biophy.2026012

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Abstract

Rice bran is rich in bioactive compounds, but its potential for cosmeceutical applications remains insufficiently explored. In this study, we investigated the anti-melanogenic effects of a 70% ethanol extract of rice bran prepared by ultrasonication in distilled water. The extract was evaluated for DPPH radical scavenging activity, cytotoxicity, tyrosinase inhibition, melanin production, and associated signaling pathways in B16F10 murine melanoma cells. The rice bran extract exhibited DPPH radical scavenging activity and showed no cytotoxicity in B16F10 cells. It also inhibited tyrosinase activity in a dose-dependent manner and suppressed melanin synthesis in B16F10 cells. Mechanistically, the extract reduced the TRP1, TRP2, and MITF protein levels, while increasing the phosphorylation of Erk and Akt in B16F10 cells. In addition, treatment with PD98059 or LY294002 attenuated the extract-induced downregulation of MITF and altered MITF phosphorylation. These findings suggest that rice bran extract may serve as a potential cosmeceutical ingredient for controlling melanogenesis, warranting further cosmeceutical investigation.

Acknowledgments

This research was financially supported by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) and the Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology (KIAT) through the Research and Development for Regional Industry (Grant No.: S300614).

Conflict of interest

The author declares no conflict of interest.

Author contributions

PSH: Conceptualization, Investigation, Supervision, Writing – original draft, review, and editing.

Data availability

The data of this study is available from the corresponding author upon request.

References

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