Tyrosinase Inhibitory Properties of Compounds Isolated from Artocarpus integer Roots

Area of Science:

• Phytochemistry
• Natural Products Chemistry
• Enzyme Inhibition Studies

Background:

• The Artocarpus integer plant is a source of bioactive natural products.
• Xanthones and flavones are classes of compounds with diverse biological activities.
• Tyrosinase is a key enzyme in melanin production, making it a target for skin-lightening agents.

Purpose of the Study:

• To isolate and characterize new phytochemicals from Artocarpus integer root extract.
• To evaluate the antityrosinase activity of isolated compounds.
• To elucidate the mechanism of tyrosinase inhibition by potent compounds.

Main Methods:

• Phytochemical investigation using spectroscopic techniques (NMR, MS) and computational methods for structure elucidation.
• In vitro antityrosinase activity assay to determine IC50 values.
• Enzyme kinetics studies and molecular docking simulations to understand inhibition mechanisms.

Main Results:

• Isolation of five new compounds: two geranylated xanthones, one geranylated flavone, one flavanone, and one benzopyran, along with 16 known compounds.
• Flavone 12 and arylbenzofuran 19 exhibited potent antityrosinase activity with IC50 values of 1.7 ± 0.2 μM and 1.2 ± 0.1 μM, respectively.
• Compound 12 acts as a competitive inhibitor, while compound 19 is a noncompetitive inhibitor of tyrosinase.

Conclusions:

• Artocarpus integer root is a rich source of diverse phytochemicals, including novel xanthones and flavonoids.
• Compounds 12 and 19 demonstrate significant potential as tyrosinase inhibitors.
• The distinct inhibition mechanisms of compounds 12 and 19 provide valuable insights for designing new antityrosinase agents.