The purpose of this study is to evaluate the skin whitening effect of Scirpi rhizama ethanol extract (SREE) in an animal model. For the experiment of the study, three brown guinea pigs weighing about 450 g to 550 g were exposed to ultraviolet-B rays on the backs at 500 mJ/㎠ once a week, three consecutive weeks and the total quantity of light was 1,500 mJ/㎠ The artificial tanning spots were divided into six different groups including normal (N), control (C), vehicle control (VC), positive control (PC). experimental 1 (E1, 1% SREE), experimental 2(E2, 2% SREE) groups. Then, 30?L of SREE was transdermaly applied on the artificial tanning spots twice a day and 5 days a week for 8 weeks. With the result of a gross observation, it was found that the degree of pigmentation became apparently thinner in the group applied with E2, compared to the control or the vehicle control group. The melanin index of E2 group was significant lower than the control or the vehicle control group. In the observation with a light microscope, it was found that the degree of melanin pigmentation and S-100 protein expression considerably decreased in the groups applied with SREE, compared to the control or the vehicle control group. With the numerical analysis of melanin pigmentation and S-100 protein expression by using image-analysis software, it was found that the tendency was coincide with the results of microscopic observation.
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