The results indicate that the ERK NSC-330507 mediated signaling pathway involved in melanin pro duction was affected by Lycium chinense Miller root SFE treatment. The PKA signaling pathway is asso ciated with regulating melanogenesis. The application of Lycium chinense Miller root SFE in IBMX treated B16F10 cells significantly decreased the cellular melanin con tent. The results indicate that cAMP mediated PKA sig naling was affected by Lycium chinense Miller root SFE. The ABTS assay was employed to measure the anti oxidant activity of the Lycium chinense Miller root SFE. Different concentrations of the extract, Vitamin C and BHA were incubated with ABTS solution. The ABTS scavenging capacities of the extract were 20. 12 2. 81%, 34. 89 2. 13% and 51. 53 2. 65% the activity of the control for extract concentrations of 2.

37, 4. 74 and 7. 11 mg mL, respectively. Moreover, the ABTS scaven ging capacities of Vitamin C and BHA were 71. 72 2. 07% and 91. 11 0. 24%, respectively. The results indicate that the Lycium chinense Miller root SFE scavenges ABTS free radical significantly in a dose dependent manner. How ever, the extract showed a lower ABTS radical scavenging capacity than Vitamin C or BHA does. To determine the total phenolic contents of the Lycium chinense Miller root SFE, gallic acid was used as a positive stand ard. The results in Figure 6B showed that the total phen olic contents in 2. 37, 4. 74 and 7. 11 mg mL of the Lycium chinense Miller root SFE was 56. 43 1. 66%, 70. 43 1. 15%, 78. 15 0. 49%, respectively. The phenolic content of 7. 11 mg mL of the extract was similar to that of 2.

5 ug ml of gallic acid. To confirm the antioxidant capacity of the Lycium chinense Miller root SFE in a cellular environment, intracel lular ROS levels were evaluated. The concentration of H2O2 employed was 24 mM. After treatment, the remaining intracellular ROS induced by H2O2 was 70. 62 2. 67% for 7. 11 mg mL of the extract and 53. 45 1. 08% for Trolox. Discussion The HPLC analysis results shown in Figure 1 reveal that rutin may be the major component in the Lycium chinense Miller root SFE. Interestingly, it was reported that the ad ministration of rutin inhibited melanin formation and the decreased melanin content of B16 melanotic melanoma in C57BL 6 mice, which supports our proposal that the rutin in the root SFE may play an important role in the in hibition of melanogenesis in melanoma cells.

The MTT assay is a colorimetric assay used to meas ure cell viability. It can also be used to determine the cytotoxicity of potential medicinal agents and toxic ma terials because those agents enhance or inhibit cell via bility. The results shown in Carfilzomib Figure 2 indicate that even higher concentrations of the Lycium chinense Miller root SFE also showed no cytotoxic effect on B16F10 melanoma cell viability.