Intsia bijuga Heartwood Extract and Its Phytosome as Tyrosinase Inhibitor, Antioxidant, and Sun Protector

Intsia bijuga (Colebr.) wood (Indonesian: Merbau) is commercial wood with high economic value and is most commonly found in Indonesia. Intsia wood extractives have biological activities related to their potential as natural active ingredients for antiaging cosmetics This study aimed to select the best extraction solvent and phytosome formulation of I. bijuga heartwood extract as an active ingredient for topical antiaging cosmetics. There were five and three variations on extraction solvent and phytosome formulation, respectively. Three main antiaging activity parameters, namely antioxidant, antityrosinase, and sun protection factor (SPF) values, were considered in selecting the best extract and phytosome formula. The results showed that 50% ethanol possessed good antioxidant and antityrosinase activity, but was lower in SPF value, which was significantly different than in other extracts. The phytochemical profile revealed robidanol and robinetin as the main constituent in five I. bijuga extracts. Phytosome F3 possessed high antioxidant, antityrosinase, and SPF values compared to other 50% ethanol phytosome extracts. It could be concluded that I. bijuga ethanol extracts and its phytosome are potent enough to be developed as an antiaging active ingredient in topical use cosmetics.

Insights into the mechanism of Cymbopogan martinii essential oil in topical therapy of acne vulgaris

Aim: The present study investigated the essential oil of Cymbopogan martinii (palmarosa oil; PRO) as a potential topical therapy in acne vulgaris. Materials & methods: GC-MS profiling and biocompatibility studies of PRO were undertaken. The antimicrobial potential was assessed against Cutibacterium acnes. anti-inflammatory, antityrosinase activity and lipid peroxidation were also evaluated. Results: Geraniol was identified as the major phytoconstituent, and the oil was found to be safe for topical application. The minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration values were noted as 16 μl/ml. PRO reduced the cytokine levels of TNF-α, IL-12 and IL-8 and inhibited tyrosinase. A low concentration of the oil (up to 0.5 μl/ml) produced malondialdehyde levels equivalent to that of untreated cells. Conclusion: PRO may prove useful as a natural topical agent in the management of acne.

Development from Jasminum sambac Flower Extracts of Products with Floral Fragrance and Multiple Physiological Activities

To obtain a potential commercial product with floral fragrance and physiological properties from Jasminum sambac flower extracts, enfleurage was conducted for a short time and followed by further extraction through supercritical fluid extraction (SFE). The product extracted through SFE (called 100%SFE) exhibited low physiological activity (including 50.7% antityrosinase activity, 38.6%–45.9% radical scavenging activity, and 6,518–15,003 mg/L half-maximal inhibitory concentration [IC50] of antioxidant activity) and an intense jasmine-like flavor but was nontoxic to CCD-996SK and HEMn cells. By contrast, the residue (called RO) exhibited high physiological activity (94.2%–100%), light jasmine-like flavor, and slight cytotoxicity at the concentration of 4,000 mg/L. When 100%SFE and RO were mixed in the ratio 2 : 8, the resultant mixture exhibited 100% antityrosinase activity, >91.3% radical scavenging activity, strong antioxidant activity (IC50: 273–421 mg/L), high total phenolic content (172.15 mg-GAE/g-extract), noncytotoxicity, and moderately intense jasmine-like flavor; it is also economically competitive. The major antioxidants in these extracts were revealed through gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS). Additionally, the composition and quality of fragrance were confirmed through GC-MS and sensory evaluation, respectively. The major fragrance components in the 2 : 8 extract mixture were benzyl acetate, β-pinene, pentadecyl-2-propyl ester, citronellol, jasminolactone, linalool, farnesol, and jasmone. On the basis of the results, we strongly suggest that the 2 : 8 mixture of extracts from J. sambac flowers can be a powerful antioxidant, whitening, and nontoxic ingredient that can be employed in the pharmaceutical, cosmeceutical, and food industries.

Antimelanogenesis Effects of Leaf Extract and Phytochemicals from Ceylon Olive (Elaeocarpus serratus) in Zebrafish Model

The melanogenesis inhibition effect in zebrafish (Danio rerio) and antityrosinase activity of the ethanolic extract and its phytochemicals from Ceylon olive (Elaeocarpus serratus Linn.) leaves were investigated in this study. Among the leaf extract and four soluble fractions, the ethyl acetate soluble fraction exhibits the best antityrosinase and antimelanogenesis activities. One phenolic acid, gallic acid, and two flavonoids, myricetin and mearnsetin, are isolated from the active subfractions through the bioassay-guided isolation; their structures are elucidated based on the 1D and 2D NMR, FTIR, UV, and MS spectroscopic analyses. These compounds have significant antityrosinase activity whether using l-tyrosine or l-DOPA as the substrate; mearnsetin shows the optimal activity. In the enzyme kinetic investigation, both gallic acid and mearnsetin are the competitive-type inhibitors against mushroom tyrosinase, and myricetin acts as a mixed-type tyrosinase inhibitor. Leaf extract and an ethyl acetate soluble fraction show effective performance in the inhibition of melanin formation in zebrafish embryos. Mearnsetin also possesses a promising antimelanogenesis effect, which is superior to the positive control, arbutin. Results reveal that the Ceylon olive leaf extract and its phytochemicals, especially mearnsetin, have the potential to be used as antimelanogenesis and skin-whitening ingredients.

Identification of Phenolic Compounds by LC-MS/MS and Evaluation of Bioactive Properties of Two Edible Halophytes: Limonium effusum and L. sinuatum

This work aimed to evaluate the phenolic content and in vitro antioxidant, antimicrobial and enzyme inhibitory activities of the methanol extracts and their fractions of two edible halophytic Limonium species, L. effusum (LE) and L. sinuatum (LS). The total phenolic content resulted about two-fold higher in the ethyl acetate fraction of LE (522.82 ± 5.67 mg GAE/g extract) than in that of LS (274.87 ± 1.87 mg GAE/g extract). LC-MS/MS analysis indicated that tannic acid was the most abundant phenolic acid in both species (71,439.56 ± 3643.3 µg/g extract in LE and 105,453.5 ± 5328.1 µg/g extract in LS), whereas hyperoside was the most abundant flavonoid (14,006.90 ± 686.1 µg/g extract in LE and 1708.51 ± 83.6 µg/g extract in LS). The antioxidant capacity was evaluated by DPPH and TAC assays, and the stronger antioxidant activity in ethyl acetate fractions was highlighted. Both species were more active against Gram-positive bacteria than Gram negatives and showed considerable growth inhibitions against tested fungi. Interestingly, selective acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity was observed with LE and LS. Particularly, the water fraction of LS strongly inhibited AChE (IC50 = 0.199 ± 0.009 µg/mL). The ethyl acetate fractions of LE and LS, as well as the n-hexane fraction of LE, exhibited significant antityrosinase activity (IC50 = 245.56 ± 3.6, 295.18 ± 10.57 and 148.27 ± 3.33 µg/mL, respectively). The ethyl acetate fraction and methanol extract of LS also significantly inhibited pancreatic lipase (IC50 = 83.76 ± 4.19 and 162.2 ± 7.29 µg/mL, respectively). Taken together, these findings warrant further investigations to assess the potential of LE and LS as a bioactive source that can be exploited in pharmaceutical, cosmetics and food industries.

Multifunctional Activities of Gold Nanoparticles Biosynthesized Using Bacteria Isolated from Mining Areas

Research on gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) has often focused on their physical, chemical, and crystalline characteristics. Commercial AuNPs have been applied in the diverse fields of biomedicine, catalysis, photovoltaics, and sensing. In this study, we explored the various activities of AuNPs to widen their applicability. This paper presents a simple and rapid synthesis process of AuNPs with bacteria isolated from a gold mining area. We also investigated the optimization of reaction parameters for AuNP synthesis. The study results revealed that among the isolated strains, Bifidobacterium lactis and Escherichia coli demonstrated the highest capabilities of AuNP synthesis. The optimal pH values for AuNP synthesis by B. lactis (BLAuNPs) and E. coli (ECAuNPs) were 5.0 for 72 h of incubation and 8.0 for 24 h of incubation. The average particle sizes of ECAuNPs and BLAuNPs were 4.2 and 5.6 nm, respectively. Furthermore, these biogenic AuNPs were found to be stable with no aggregation after 3 months of storage. BLAuNPs and ECAuNPs exhibited high levels of antimicrobial, antioxidant, photocatalytic, and antityrosinase activity. Moreover, they were noncytotoxic to skin cells even at 100% melanin inhibitory concentrations. Considering the demonstrated multifunctional activities of AuNPs, BLAuNPs and ECAuNPs have promising potential for commercialization.

In vitro antioxidant and antityrosinase activities of Manilkara kauki

Manilkara kauki L. Dubard is a tropical plant in the genus Manilkara of family Sapotaceae. This study investigated the total phenolic and flavonoid contents, and antioxidant and antityrosinase activities in different parts of M. kauki (fruits, leaves, seeds, stem barks and woods) and in fractions of stem barks. The total phenolic and flavonoid contents of the methanol and aqueous crude extracts of different parts of M. kauki ranged from 10.87 to 176.56 mg GAE (gallic acid equivalents) per gram of crude extract and 14.33 to 821.67 mg QE (quercetin equivalents) per gram of crude extract, resp. Leaves and stem barks exhibited higher total phenolic and flavonoid contents and antioxidant and anti-tyrosinase activities than fruits, seeds and woods. Stem barks were sequentially extracted with n-hexane, ethyl acetate, methanol and water and then the fractionated extracts were subjected to antioxidant and antityrosinase activities testing. The ethyl acetate and methanol extracts of stem barks exhibited higher total phenolic and flavonoid contents and antioxidant and antityrosinase activities than the n-hexane and aqueous extracts. Moreover, ethyl acetate extract of M. kauki stem exhibited the highest antityrosinase activity. It may be a potential source of tyrosinase inhibitors for pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications.