Propionic acid produced by Cutibacterium acnes fermentation ameliorates ultraviolet B-induced melanin synthesis.

Ultraviolet irradiation induces melanin accumulation, which can be reduced by the use of chemical whitening products. However, the associated safety concerns of such products have prompted the search for natural and harmless alternatives. This study aimed to identify a natural acidic formulation to reduce skin pigmentation. The metabolite propionic acid (CH3CH2COOH, PA) was the most abundant fatty acid in the filtrate from Pluronic F68 (PF68) fermentation of Cutibacterium acnes (C. acnes) and reduced the DOPA-positive melanocytes by significantly inhibiting cellular tyrosinase activity via binding to the free fatty acid receptor 2 (FFAR2). Moreover, 4 mM PA treatment did not alter melanocyte proliferation, indicating that it is an effective solution for hyperpigmentation, causing no cellular damage. The reduced DOPA-positive melanocytes and tyrosinase activity were also observed in mice ear skin tissue injected with a mixture of C. acnes and PF68, supporting that the inhibition of melanogenesis is likely to be mediated through fermentation metabolites from C. acnes fermentation using PF68 as a carbon source. Additionally, PA did not affect the growth of its parent bacteria C. acnes, hence is a potent fermentation metabolite that does not disrupt the balance of the skin microbiome.

Phylogeny of the Schisandraceae based on cpDNA mat-K and rpL16 intron data.

The chloroplast mat-K region and rpL16 intron region were sequenced for 14 species of Schisandraceae, representing both genera Kadsura Kaempf. ex Juss. and Schisandra Michx, to discuss the phylogeny of this family. Analyses were performed both in separate and combined sequence data sets (including the rbc-L sequence), with Illicium angustispealum A. C. Smith as the out-group. The results showed that the Schisandraceae are monophyletic. In all the analyses, Schisandra propinqua var. chinensis Oliva and Schisandra plena A. C. Smith were nested within Kadsura, which implies that the genera Kadsura and Schisandra are closely related. They might have originated from a common ancestor, but then evolved via different routes. The result inferred from the combined data showed a greater resolution within Schisandra than those from the two separate data sets. High bootstrap values supported the monophyly of most subgenera according to Law's system (1996). A combination of morphological, anatomical, and chemical analyses indicates that S. chinensis and S. rubriflora may be the primitive taxa in Schisandra.

[Determination of lignans of Schisandra medicinal plants by HPLC].

OBJECTIVE: To determinate the contents of lignans in the stems, roots and fruits of Schisandra medicinal plants. METHOD: HPLC was applied to determine the contents of schisandrin, gomisin A, schisantherin A, deoxyschizandrin, d-epigalbacine, (+)-anwulignan, wuweizisu B, 6-O-benzoylgomisin O and wuweizisu C in the stems, roots and fruits of Schisandra. RESULT: The percent contents of 9 lignans in the fruits of 5 species were 0.52% - 1.96%, and 0.02% - 1.51% in the stems of 11 species. The lignans in the fruits of S. micrantha were similar to that of S. sphenanthera, especially with high content of deoxyschizandrin. The lignans of S. viridis were similar to that of S. chinensis and with high content of schisandrin, gomisin A and wuweizisu B. (+)-Anwulignan was present in the fruits of S. henryi and S. sphenanthera, in the stems of S. micrantha and S. pubescens var. pubinervis, and in the roots of S. bicolor with percentages of 0.77%, 0.42%, 0.50%, 0.26% and 0.38% respectively. d-Epigalbacine was present in the stems of S. pubescens var. pubinervis, S. pubescens and S. glaucescens with percentages of 0.89%, 1.51% and 0.17% respectively. CONCLUSION: The lignans contents in the fruits of Schisandra were higher than that in the roots and stems. The fruits of S. henryi and S. sphenanthera, the stems of S. micrantha and S. pubescens var. pubinervis and the roots of S. bicolor, the stems of S. pubescens var. pubinervis, S. pubescens and S. glaucescens may be served as the resources plants of (+)-anwulignan and d-epigalbacine respectively.

[Ribosomal DNA ITS sequences analysis of the Chinese crude drug fructus schisandrae sphenantherae and fruts of Schisandra viridis].

OBJECTIVE: To find the patterns of the rDNA ITS sequence variation of Schisandra sphenanthera and S. viridis, and to establish the molecular biological method for the identification of Fructus Schisandrae Sphenantherae and the fruits of S. viridis. METHOD: PCR products were sequenced directly and the sequences were analyzed with PAUP 4.0b10. NJ systematic tree was obtained with neighbor-joining method. RESULT: The Complete ITS sequence of S. sphenanthera was 691-692 bp, of which there were 282 bp of ITS1 and 246-247 bp of ITS2. The complete sequence of S. viridis was 694-695 bp, consisting of 285-286 bp of ITS1 and 246-247 bp of ITS2. There were three informative sites in ITS1 regions for the two species. In the NJ tree with Kadsura anamosma and K. coccinea as outgroups, five different populations of S. viridis were the monophyletic group with the bootstrap value of 68%. These populations included one from Tianmushan, Zhejiang province, three populations from Jigongshan, Henan Province and the other two populations of S. viridis cited the sequences from GeneBank (registration numbers are AF263438 and AF163703 respectively). CONCLUSION: The rDNA internal transcribed spacer is a good marker to distinguish the Fructus Schisandrae Sphenantherae from the fruits of S. viridis.