Anti-tyrosinase, anti-collagenase, anti-elastase activities and formulation of cream containing selected traditional Malaysian vegetables (ulam)

Tyrosinase is a key enzyme that catalyzes synthesis of melanin in plants, microorganisms and mammalian cells. Melanin biosynthesis inhibitory compounds are useful for skin whitening agents used in cosmetics and also as a remedy for disturbances in pigmentation. Aging is an inevitable process for all living organisms. In humans, the skin is the most affected tissue. Degradation of the extra cellular matrix leads to an increase in activity of certain dermal enzymes involved in skin-aging including elastase and collagenase enzymes directly linked to skin aging. The present study is an effort to investigate the tyrosinase, elastase and collagenase inhibition in selected Malaysian vegetables towards their application in skincare formulation. The tyrosinase, elastase and collagenase inhibition assays were used to assess the skin whitening and anti-aging potential of the methanol plant extracts. The leaf extracts of asam gelugor (Garcinia atroviridis), tenggek burung (Euodia redlevi), ulam raja (Cosmos caudatus), pegaga (Centella asiatica), and limau purut (Citrus hystrix) were tested for their potential to inhibit tyrosinase, collagenase, and elastase effects. The concentrations tested were 100, 200, 300, 400, and 500 μg/ml. The trend of tyrosinase inhibition was: C. hystrix > G. atroviridis > C. asiatica > C. caudatus > E. redlevi. For collagenase inhibition, the trend was: C. asiatica > G. atroviridis > E. redlevi > C. hystrix > C. caudatus. The order of elastase inhibition was: G. atroviridis > C. asiatica > C. hystrix > E. redlevi > C. caudatus. Three extracts (C. hystrix, G. atroviridis, C. asiatica) showed tyrosinase inhibitory activity higher (91.48 – 86.36%) than the positive control (Kojic acid), four extracts (C. asiatica, G. atroviridis, E. redlevi, C. hystrix) showed more than 70% inhibitory activity in the collagenase assay while three extracts (G. atroviridis, C. asiatica, C. hystrix) showed elastase inhibitory activity higher (82.19 – 77.83%) than the positive control (EGCG). These preliminary results show that Malaysian vegetables have an important role to play in the development of naturally derived whitening and anti-aging agents. Based on the aesthetic applications of the three bioactivities, G. atroviridis showed the highest trend of bioactivities and was carried forward in the cream formulation. Cream formulation containing 1% G. atroviridis extract was prepared and stability tests were done to see variations in cosmetic properties. Viscosity, pH, particle size, and appearance of the cream maintained stable condition for 28 days. Thus, G. atroviridis extract might have the immense potential to be used as an ingredient of products for topical application as skin whitening and antiaging in cosmetic formulations.