Butylchlorogenate is a natural compound isolated from Lonicera japonica, Urceola rosea.

Butyl chlorogenate were evaluated for their inhibitory activity against melanogenesis in α-MSH-stimulated B16 melanoma cells, five caffeoylquinic acids, i.e. Butyl chlorogenate exhibited inhibitory activities with 33-62% reduction of melanin content at 100 μM concentration with no or almost no toxicity to the cells (89-114% of cell viability at 100 μM). Western blot analysis showed that Butyl chlorogenate reduced the protein levels of microphtalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), tyrosinase, tyrosine-related protein 1 (TRP-1), and TRP-2 mostly in a concentration-dependent manner, suggesting that this compound inhibits melanogenesis on α-MSH-stimulated B16 melanoma cells by, at least in part, inhibiting the expression of MITF, followed by decreasing the expression of tyrosinase, TRP-1, and TRP-2.[1]