Study: Plant Blend With CBD, L-DOPA and Isoflavonoid Boosts Melanin Production Nearly Fourfold in Lab Model

A study from Chulalongkorn University and the University of Florida has found that a balanced mixture of plant extracts containing cannabidiol (CBD), L-DOPA, and isoflavonoids dramatically increased melanin production in a lab model, pointing to potential future uses in treating gray hair, hair hypopigmentation, and disorders such as vitiligo. The study, published in Phytomedicine Plus, examined how extracts from Cannabis sativa, Mucuna pruriens, and Pueraria mirifica interact when combined in specific ratios. The team focused on how these plant compounds influence melanogenesis, the biological process responsible for producing melanin, the pigment that determines hair and skin color.

Individually, the extracts produced mixed results. The Mucuna pruriens extract, rich in L-DOPA, strongly stimulated melanin production in mouse melanoma cells without significant toxicity at moderate doses. In contrast, the CBD-rich Cannabis sativa extract showed little ability to increase melanin on its own and became toxic at higher concentrations. The Pueraria mirifica extract, known for its isoflavonoids and cosmetic applications, showed minimal effect when used alone.

However, when the researchers used software modeling to create eleven different formulations combining the three extracts, several mixtures produced striking results. Five of the formulations increased melanin production nearly 4-fold compared to untreated cells while maintaining low toxicity.

These combinations did more than simply increase pigment. Protein analysis showed that the mixtures boosted the expression of key melanogenic enzymes, including tyrosinase (TYR), TRP1, and DCT, all central to melanin synthesis. The mixtures also activated MITF, a master regulator of melanocyte function, along with signaling pathways involving ERK and CREB that are known to control pigment production.

The researchers determined that L-DOPA from Mucuna pruriens appeared to be the primary driver of melanin production, acting as a direct substrate for tyrosinase. CBD and the Pueraria mirifica extract appeared to play supportive roles, enhancing enzyme expression and signaling activity when present in the right proportions, creating a synergistic effect that was not seen with any extract alone.

Interestingly, some of the most effective mixtures contained very low amounts of the CBD extract. This was intentional, as higher CBD concentrations showed cytotoxic effects in this particular cell line. By limiting CBD while increasing the other extracts, the team was able to maintain safety while preserving strong melanogenic activity.

Several of the mixtures showed a favorable balance between safety and effectiveness. One formulation in particular demonstrated strong melanin production alongside robust increases in MITF and melanogenic protein expression, while remaining well below toxic thresholds.

The findings suggest that properly balanced botanical extract combinations could eventually be developed into cosmetic products designed to promote natural hair darkening or therapeutic treatments for hypopigmentation disorders such as vitiligo. The researchers note that synthetic hair dyes typically color the hair shaft without stimulating melanin production, while plant-based approaches like this may influence the underlying biological process.

While the research was conducted in mouse melanoma cells and not in human trials, the authors say the results provide a foundation for future safety testing and clinical research into plant-based melanogenesis stimulators.

The study highlights how CBD, when used as part of a broader plant extract blend rather than as a standalone compound, may contribute to biological effects that are not obvious when studied in isolation.