Abstract
Fifty important cosmetic skin-whiting traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) were investigated for their anti-tyrosinase and antioxidant (or DPPH-free-radical-scavenging) activities. The water and 70% ethanol extracts (WEs and 0.7EtEs, respectively) of TCMs were tested for tyrosinase inhibitory activities and DPPH-free-radical-scavenging activities. The 10 mg/ml WEs of 6 TCMs, Angelica dahurica, Anredera cordifilia Moq., Cinnamomum aromaticum, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Melia toosendan, and Prunus davidiana, presented over 50% inhibitory effect (referred to as the positive control of 0.5 mg/ml vitamin C) in tyrosinase activity, while Prunus davidiana showed the best anti-tyrosinase activity (94.0%). Only 3 TCMs of 0.7EtEs, Cinnamomum aromaticum, Quisqualis indica, Areca catechu, exhibited over 50% anti-tyrosinase activity. Among the TCMs screened, the 10mg/ml 0.7EtEs of Evodis rutaecarpa, Leonurus heterophyllus, Nardostachys chinensis, and Quisqualis indica, had strong DPPH-free-radical-scavenging effects or antioxidant activities (96.0, 90.5, 92.6 and 80.6%, respectively), while all the WEs of TCMs, except Uncaria sessilifructus Roxb, showed low antioxidant activities (65.6%). The anti-tyrosinase and antioxidant activities of these two TCM extracts may be due to direct linkage to the contents of their active compounds. Key words: Traditional Chinese medicines, inhibition, anti-tyrosinase, antioxidant, free radical scavenging.
Highlights
The search for natural active compounds from natural herbal medicines or traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) provides an interesting, largely unexplored area for development of new skin-care cosmetics (Kiken and Cohen, 2002; Kadekaro et al, 2003; Wang et al, 2006), such as natural whitening agents like melanin biosynthesis or tyrosinase inhibitors, which are able to modulate the metabolism of pigmentation for color of human skin and play a crucial protective role in skin whiteness, whereas antioxidants active in the oxidative stress of skin aging cells may support skin health
Over 50% of antityrosinase activity were observed in the Water extracts (WEs) of 6 TCMs, Angelica dahurica, Anredera cordifilia Moq., Cinnamomum aromaticum, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Melia toosendan and Prunus davidiana (61.7, 68.7, 54.7, 70.4, 88.0 and 94.0%, respectively) referred to as that of vitamin C (0.5 mg/ml)
Only P. davidiana WEs exhibited the highest inhibition of tyrosinase with value over 90%
Summary
The search for natural active compounds from natural herbal medicines or traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) provides an interesting, largely unexplored area for development of new skin-care cosmetics (Kiken and Cohen, 2002; Kadekaro et al, 2003; Wang et al, 2006), such as natural whitening agents like melanin biosynthesis or tyrosinase inhibitors, which are able to modulate the metabolism of pigmentation for color of human skin and play a crucial protective role in skin whiteness, whereas antioxidants active in the oxidative stress of skin aging cells may support skin health. The inhibition of melanin biosynthesis has already been described by avoiding ultraviolet (UV) exposure, inhibiting melanocyte metabolism and proliferation (Seiberg et al, 2000; Chang, 2012), inhibiting tyrosinase activity, or removing melanin with corneal ablation (Wang et al, 2006)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
