2. Academic Validation
  3. 3, 7-dihydroxy-2, 4-dimethoxyphenanthrene protects against UVB-induced skin hyperpigmentation via antioxidant and anti-melanogenic mechanisms

3, 7-dihydroxy-2, 4-dimethoxyphenanthrene protects against UVB-induced skin hyperpigmentation via antioxidant and anti-melanogenic mechanisms

  • J Photochem Photobiol B. 2025 Nov:272:113277. doi: 10.1016/j.jphotobiol.2025.113277.
Mengyan Li 1,  Die Li 1,  Yu Zhang 1,  Juan Wang 1,  Ziying Zhang 1,  Weiqun Wang 2,  Shaochun Chen 3,  Lechun Lyu 4,  Weimin Liu 5
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 School of Rehabilitation and Yunnan Key Laboratory of Plateau Thermal Medical Rehabilitation and Wellness, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, Yunnan, China.
  • 2 Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Faculty of Basic Medical Science, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, Yunnan, China.
  • 3 School of Rehabilitation and Yunnan Key Laboratory of Plateau Thermal Medical Rehabilitation and Wellness, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, Yunnan, China. Electronic address: chenshaochun@kmmu.edu.cn.
  • 4 School of Rehabilitation and Yunnan Key Laboratory of Plateau Thermal Medical Rehabilitation and Wellness, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, Yunnan, China. Electronic address: lvlechun@kmmu.edu.cn.
  • 5 Department of Dermatology, Affiliated Hospital of Yunnan University, Yunnan University, Kunming 650021, Yunnan, China. Electronic address: 1179827023@qq.com.
PMID: 41106058 DOI: 10.1016/j.jphotobiol.2025.113277
Abstract

Background: Excessive Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) produced by UVB radiation can disrupt the normal redox balance, leading to oxidative cellular damage as well as triggering melanin synthesis by melanocytes. Currently, natural active substances are emphasized in UV protection research. This study explored the protective effect of 3, 7-dihydroxy-2, 4-dimethoxyphenanthrene (DDP), a bioactive compound from Dendrobium lindleyi Stendel, against UVB-induced skin hyperpigmentation and examined its specific mechanism.

Methods: To evaluate the anti- melanogenic and antioxidant activities of DDP in vitro, molecular docking was used to predict the binding conformation of DDP to Tyrosinase (TYR) and melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R). Subsequently, CCK8 and cell live/dead staining were used to screen the safe concentration range. B16-F10 cells were treated with different doses of DDP before UVB light irradiation and before α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH) induction, and the evaluation of cells included determination of melanin content, Western blotting analysis, TYR activity assay, ROS assay, DPPH• and ABTS•+ radical scavenging assays. A brown guinea pig model was used to further evaluate the protective effect of DDP on UVB-induced skin pigmentation in vivo, and compared with commercial skin care products.

Results: In the present study, Molecular docking showed that DDP binds to TYR and MC1R better than Kojic Acid. DDP was found to possess excellent anti-melanogenic and antioxidant activities in vitro. DDP was effective in alleviating skin melanin accumulation induced by UVB irradiation without inflammatory side effects.

Conclusions: DDP protects against UVB-induced skin hyperpigmentation via antioxidant and anti-melanogenic mechanisms.

Keywords

Antioxidant; Hyperpigmentation; Phenanthrenes; UVB.

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