Plant extracts are a rich source of bioactive compounds and have been traditionally used for both cosmetic and therapeutic purposes. In plants and fungi, the presence of a variety of phenolic compounds leads to the undesirable browning of fruits and vegetables (1). In humans, disorders in the amount and distribution of melanin pigments can be associated to disease states. Plant-derived chemicals have been shown to exert various biological activities and pharmacological effects (2). Because tyrosinase catalyzes the key steps of melanogenesis, most of the strategies for developing skin-lightening and/or anti-food-browning agents are based on the inhibition of tyrosinase activity (i.e. oxidation of L-DOPA) (3). In this study, the essential oils obtained by hydrodistillation from nine different plants were investigated for their potential inhibitory activity on mushroom tyrosinase (MT) and on B16 melanoma cell line tyrosinase (MCLT). The essential oils composition was assessed by GC-mass-spectrometry techniques, anyway we decided to investigate their possible anti-tyrosinase activity considering the oil in its entirety because the biological activity of plant extracts often derives from the combined effect of their different components (4,5). Our results indicate a different inhibitory efficacy on MT and MCLT activities. While extracts from Cinnamonum zeylanicum, Syzigium aromaticum and Citrus aurantium amara appear to be the best inhibitors of both MT and MCLT, with an oil dose-dependent effect, oils from Origanum vulgaris and Rosmarinus officinalis have major inhibitory effect on MT. Our findings indicate that cinnamon, clove and bitter orange essential oils have high potentials in applications as skin-whitening agents of natural source. (1) Martinez M.V. et al. Trends Food Sci Technol 1995, 6: 195-200. (2) Craig W.J. Am J Clin Nutr 1999, 70: 491S-9S. (3) Briganti S. et al. Pigment Cell Res 2003,16: 101-110. (4) Burt S. Int J Food Microbiol 2004, 94: 223-253.
Essential oils as tyrosinase inhibitors: a different effect on tyrosinase of different sources. A preliminary study
GALLONE, Anna
2013-01-01
Abstract
Plant extracts are a rich source of bioactive compounds and have been traditionally used for both cosmetic and therapeutic purposes. In plants and fungi, the presence of a variety of phenolic compounds leads to the undesirable browning of fruits and vegetables (1). In humans, disorders in the amount and distribution of melanin pigments can be associated to disease states. Plant-derived chemicals have been shown to exert various biological activities and pharmacological effects (2). Because tyrosinase catalyzes the key steps of melanogenesis, most of the strategies for developing skin-lightening and/or anti-food-browning agents are based on the inhibition of tyrosinase activity (i.e. oxidation of L-DOPA) (3). In this study, the essential oils obtained by hydrodistillation from nine different plants were investigated for their potential inhibitory activity on mushroom tyrosinase (MT) and on B16 melanoma cell line tyrosinase (MCLT). The essential oils composition was assessed by GC-mass-spectrometry techniques, anyway we decided to investigate their possible anti-tyrosinase activity considering the oil in its entirety because the biological activity of plant extracts often derives from the combined effect of their different components (4,5). Our results indicate a different inhibitory efficacy on MT and MCLT activities. While extracts from Cinnamonum zeylanicum, Syzigium aromaticum and Citrus aurantium amara appear to be the best inhibitors of both MT and MCLT, with an oil dose-dependent effect, oils from Origanum vulgaris and Rosmarinus officinalis have major inhibitory effect on MT. Our findings indicate that cinnamon, clove and bitter orange essential oils have high potentials in applications as skin-whitening agents of natural source. (1) Martinez M.V. et al. Trends Food Sci Technol 1995, 6: 195-200. (2) Craig W.J. Am J Clin Nutr 1999, 70: 491S-9S. (3) Briganti S. et al. Pigment Cell Res 2003,16: 101-110. (4) Burt S. Int J Food Microbiol 2004, 94: 223-253.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
