Alpha-Mangostin, a Safe and Natural Product as a Candidate Skin-Whitening Agent

December 2025 in “ Scientific Reports ”

Xinmei Li, Xinyu Zhu, Bing Wang, Jiaming Sun, Yun Xia

α-mangostin melanin MITF tyrosinase RAR/RXR heterodimer melanogenesis B16F10 cells UVB mangosteen retinoic acid receptor retinoid X receptor

TLDR α-Mangostin can naturally lighten skin by reducing melanin.

The study investigates the effects of α-mangostin, a natural compound from mangosteen, on skin pigmentation. It was found that 40 µM α-mangostin significantly reduces melanin content in UVB-stimulated hair follicles and decreases the expression of pigmentation-related genes such as MITF and tyrosinase in B16F10 cells. This reduction is mediated through the inhibition of RAR/RXR heterodimer formation, which regulates MITF expression. The findings suggest that α-mangostin can effectively inhibit melanogenesis and has potential as a natural skin-whitening agent in sunscreen products.

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