Antioxidative, and Inhibitory Activities on Melanogenesis of Vitex negundo L. Leaf Extract

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate various aspects of Vitex negundo L. leaf extract, such as the antioxidative activity, tyrosinase inhibitory effects, and inhibitory activities on -MSH induced melanogenesis, and active component analysis. The DPPH (1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) scavenging activities () of the ethyl acetate fraction and aglycone fraction of V. negundo L. leaf extract were and , respectively. A luminol-dependent chemiluminescence assay revealed that the reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging activity () of the aglycone fraction of V. negundo L. leaf extract on ROS generated in an - system was the most prominent at . The protective effects of the extracts fractions of V. negundo L. leaf against the rose-bengal sensitized photohemolysis of human erythrocytes were increased in a concentration dependent manner (). In particular, there were greater protective effects of the aglycone fraction on the cellular membrane than that of the fat-soluble antioxidant (+)--tocopherol. The inhibitory effects () on mushroom tyrosinase were the highest for the ethyl acetate fraction ( = ). The inhibitory effect on -MSH induced melanogenesis in B16 melanoma cells was 41.80% at of ethyl acetate fraction. Active component analyses by TLC, HPLC and LC/ESI-MS revealed luteolin and isoorientin. These results indicate that V. negundo L. leaf extract can be used as an antioxidant for ROS scavenging. Particularly, the luteolin and isoorientin of the ethyl acetate fraction may be applicable to new whitening cosmetics because of its inhibitory effect on mushroom tyrosinase and -MSH induced melanogenesis in B16 melanoma cells.