Abstract
The argan tree (Argania spinosa (L.) Skeels) is one of the most important floristic resources in Morocco. This Moroccan endemic tree is known for its numerous therapeutic and medicinal uses. In addition to some medicinal and cosmetic uses, argan fruit pulp and press cake are traditionally used by the Berber population for heating and feeding livestock. Molecular docking is an in silico approach that predicts the interaction between a ligand and a protein. This approach is mainly used in chemistry and pharmacology of natural products as a prediction tool with the purpose of selecting plant extracts or fractions for in vitro tests. The aim of this research is to study the evaluation of potential tyrosinase, collagenase, and elastase inhibitory activities of argan fruit press-cake and pulp extracts. Extracts were evaluated for their total phenolic content (TPC), and the major polyphenols of both press-cake and pulp extracts were submitted to molecular docking in order to determine the mechanisms of action of these compounds. Obtained results revealed that fruit pulp had the strongest dermocosmetic activities, as well as the highest TPC, with values above 55 mg gallic-acid equivalent per gram of dry matter (mgeq AG/gDM). Moreover, those results were positively correlated with the docking findings, suggesting that the pulp lead compounds have higher affinity with tyrosinase, collagenase, and elastase action sites. The results here presented are very promising and open new perspectives for the exploitation of argan-tree by-products as cosmetic agents towards the development of new anti-aging products.
Highlights
Skin is a layer of soft and flexible tissue covering the bodies of vertebrates and humans
The epidermis is composed of a nonviable layer called the stratum corneum, which acts as a barrier for the body, protecting it from external agents and maintaining cutaneous hydration [2], whereas the dermis is essentially composed of connective tissue, sweat glands, and nerves
The argan-fruit pulp extracts showed superior polyphenol contents, with values higher than 55 mgeqAG/gDM, whereas press-cake extracts exhibited values ranging between 3 and 10 mgeqAG/gDM. These results revealed that the argan pulp extracts have higher amounts of polyphenols, and confirmed the dermocosmetic activities previously described
Summary
Skin is a layer of soft and flexible tissue covering the bodies of vertebrates and humans. The epidermis is composed of a nonviable layer called the stratum corneum, which acts as a barrier for the body, protecting it from external agents and maintaining cutaneous hydration [2], whereas the dermis is essentially composed of connective tissue (collagen and elastin), sweat glands, and nerves. TThhee aarrggaann ttrreeee ((FFiigguurree 11)) iiss aann eennddeemmiicc ppllaanntt tthhaatt ggrroowwss iinn tthhee ssoouutthhwweesstteerrnn aarreeaass ooff MMoorrooccccoo,, aanndd iiss kknnoowwnn ffoorr iittss ooiill eexxttrraacctteedd ffrroomm ffrruuiitt kkeerrnneellss. TThhiiss ooiill iiss wwiiddeellyy uusseedd ffoorr nnuuttrriittiioonn bbyy tthhee BBeerrbbeerr ccoommmmuunniittiieess ooff MMoorrooccccoo aanndd iiss rreeccooggnniizzeedd ffoorr iittss nnuuttrriittiioonnaall aanndd ddeerrmmaattoollooggiicc pprrooppeerrttiieess. TThhee mmaaiinn ccoommppoouunnddss ooff aarrggaann eexxttrraaccttss wweerree sseelleecctteedd ffrroomm lliitteerraattuurree aanndd ssuubbmmiitttteedd ttoo mmoolleeccuullaarr ddoocckkiinngg iinn oorrddeerr ttoo iiddeennttiiffyy tthheeiirr mmeecchhaanniissmmss ooff aaccttiioonn. TToo tthhee bbeesstt ooff oouurr kknnoowwlleeddggee,, tthhiiss ppaappeerr iiss tthhee fifirrsstt rreeppoorrtt ooff tthhee ddeerrmmooccoossmmeettiicc aaccttiivviittiieess ooff aarrggaann bbyy--pprroodduuccttss
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