Tyrosinase and Melanogenesis Inhibition by Indigenous African Plants: A Review

Abstract

The indiscriminate use of non-regulated skin lighteners among African populations has raised health concerns due to the negative effects associated with skin lightener toxicity. For this reason, there is a growing interest in the cosmetic development of plants and their metabolites as alternatives to available chemical-derived skin lightening formulations. Approximately 90% of Africa’s population depends on traditional medicine, and the continent’s biodiversity holds plant material with various biological activities, thus attracting considerable research interest. This study aimed to review existing evidence and document indigenous African plant species capable of inhibiting the enzyme tyrosinase and melanogenesis for potential incorporation into skin lightening products. Literature search on melanin biosynthesis, skin lightening, and tyrosinase inhibitors resulted in the identification of 35 plant species were distributed among 31 genera and 21 families across 15 African countries and 9 South African provinces. All plants identified in this study showed competent tyrosinase and melanogenesis inhibitory capabilities. These results indicate that African plants have the potential to serve as alternatives to current chemically-derived skin lighteners.

Untargeted Phenolic Profiling and Functional Insights of the Aerial Parts and Bulbs of Drimia maritima (L.) Stearn

“…Tyrosinase inhibitors are among the most promising solutions to counter the eventual undesirable effects associated with melanogenesis [ 46 ], with a large demand in the cosmetic and medicinal industry due to their preventive effect on pigmentation disorders and skin-whitening effect [ 47 ]. Indeed, existing evidence [ 48 ] suggests that some phytochemicals present tyrosinase and melanogenesis inhibitor properties. In the present study, either methanolic or ethyl acetate extracts from D. maritima seemed to be effective tyrosinase inhibitors, likely due to the accumulation of phenolic compounds.…”

Quercetin 3-O-Galactoside Isolated from Limonium tetragonum Inhibits Melanogenesis by Regulating PKA/MITF Signaling and ERK Activation

“…Several phytochemicals, including flavonoids, coumarins, tannins, and terpenes, have been reported to possess beneficial effects toward skin, such as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities [ 13 , 14 ]. Further research also revealed that these compounds exert skin-whitening activities via inhibition of the TYR and suppression of the melanosome uptake and distribution [ 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 ]. Among them, flavonoids are the one of the most common phytochemicals.…”

Laccases and Tyrosinases in Organic Synthesis

“…They can also be useful in the modification of biopolymers [ 42 ] and biodegradation [ 21 ]. Most recent reviews on TYRs have focused on TYR inhibitors [ 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 ], which have been intensively studied because the enzyme plays a key role in melanogenesis. TYRs, particularly the readily available TYR from Agaricus bisporus , have often been used as models for testing new inhibitors with potential application in medicine and cosmetics [ 46 , 48 ].…”