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Summary of our research
A research group led by Associate Professor Tomohiro Itoh of the Graduate School of Bioresources, Mie University, Professor Takashi Fukuda of Kindai University (Faculty of Agriculture), and Mr. Toshihiro Hagiwara, President of Hagiwara Farm Co., Ltd. (Tawaramoto, Nara), has discovered that coniferyl alcohol isolated from watermelon (Citrullus mucosospermus (Fursa)) exhibits a sebum synthesis-promoting effect in human sebaceous gland cells (SZ95 cell line).
The Citrullus mucosospermus (Fursa) is a unique cultivar independently developed by Hagiwara Farm Co., Ltd., characterized by white, non-sweet flesh and high drought tolerance. Based on these findings, the research group plans to advance the development of cosmetic ingredients utilizing seed watermelon.
These research findings were published online in Molecules (Vol. 30, August 2, 2025; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30163360) and presented at the 72nd Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society for Food Science and Technology, held from August 26 to 29, 2025.
Researcher information
ITO Tomohiro
Graduate School of Bioresources Associate Professor
Specialized area：
Medicinal Resource Chemistry, Food Functional Chemistry
Current research field：
・Research to discover materials for pharmaceuticals, fragrances, cosmetics, and health foods from natural resources
・Research on information transmission via extracellular vesicles in bone metabolism and skin homeostasis mechanisms