Abstract: To find high effect and stable properties crude antagonists of melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R), one thousand refreshants from Chinese herbs were screened with the highthroughput method established in our earlier work, and the effect on melanogenesis of B16-F1 mice malenoma cells were measured. The results show that ten Chinese herb refreshants inhibited the activity of MSH on MC1R, in which malaytea scurfpea fruit, Pojingsongluo mulberry root and Taibai tree reduced the melanogenesis of B16-F1 cell, but the reduced mechanism were different. The inhibitory effect of malaytea scurfpea fruit mainly aim at MSH's active progress for MC1R, while other three Chinese herbs directly act on cAMP pathway. The results provide elementary clew for control of melanogenesis in skin cell with these Chinese herbs. 

Key words: antagonist, Chinese herbs, highthroughput screening, MC1R