The Anti-Vitiligo Effects of Feshurin In Vitro from Ferula samarcandica and the Mechanism of Action

Background: Vitiligo is a complex disorder characterized by skin depigmentation; the canonical Wnt signaling pathway that involves beta-catenin plays a crucial role in promoting the melanin production in melanocytes. Targeted inhibition of the Janus kinase JAK-STAT pathway can effectively diminish the secretion of the chemokine C-X-C motif ligand CXCL10, thereby safeguarding melanocytes. Ferula has been applied as a treatment regimen for a long period; however, its use for the treatment of vitiligo has not been previously documented. Methods: CCK-8 assay, Intracellular melanin content assay, Tyrosinase activity assay, Western blotting, qRT-PCR, and ELISA methods were employed. Using molecular docking verified the inhibitory effects of feshurin on the JAK1. Results: The sesquiterpene coumarin feshurin was separated from Ferula samarcandica. Feshurin was shown to induce GSK-3 beta phosphorylation, resulting in the translocation of beta-catenin into the nucleus. This translocation subsequently upregulated the transcription of microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), leading to increased tyrosinase activity and melanin production. In addition, feshurin inhibited the production of chemokine CXCL10 via the JAK-STAT signaling pathway, which was verified by molecular docking. Conclusions: Based on these findings, it can be concluded that feshurin exhibits significant potential for the development of novel anti-vitiligo therapeutics.