The invention relates to a lotus seedpod extract (LSE) and its use for manufacturing compositions for whitening by applying an effective does of the LSE to skin. The LSE can be used to inhibit expression of melanin-related second messenger, genes or proteins and to inhibit activities of tyrosinases for purpose of inhibiting melanin synthesis. The LSE is manufactured by steps of preparing a lotus material extracting the lotus material by a hot water to obtain a solution filtering the solution to obtain a filtrate and finally dehydrating the filtrate to obtain a LSE rich in flavonoids.本發明係有關於一種蓮蓬萃取物及其用於製備美白之組合物之用途,其係施予蓮蓬萃取物一有效劑量於皮膚,以抑制參與黑色素生成路徑相關之第二傳訊者(second messenger)、基因或蛋白質之表現並進而抑制酪胺酸酶活性,達到抑制黑色素生成之用途;其中蓮蓬萃取物係以下列步驟製得:提供一蓮蓬材料,利用熱水萃取蓮蓬材料以獲得一溶液,再經由過濾以獲得一濾液,最後乾燥濾液以製得一富含類黃酮(flavonoid)之蓮蓬萃取物。
