Research progress of whitening active ingredients from plant extracts

Inhibitors of melanocyte function

Endothelin antagonist

Is made of European herbschamomile. The uneven distribution of endothelin in the skin is the main factor leading to the formation of color spots. Endothelin antagonists can inhibit the activation of tyrosinase by endothelin and promote the differentiation of melanocytes, with high efficiency and uniform distribution of melanin. Wu pinru and other researchers found that endothelin antagonist extracted from aquatic organisms has little cytotoxicity and can inhibit the differentiation of melanocytes and tyrosinase activity of endothelin. It is considered that it may have application prospects for skin pigmentation diseases caused by ultraviolet (UV) irradiation or other reasons due to the increase of endothelin-l.

Resveratrol and its derivatives

Resveratrol mainly exists in grapes, Polygonum cuspidatum, resveratrol and other plants. It inhibits the function of melanocytes and tyrosinase activity in a concentration dependent manner, thereby reducing melanin synthesis. Jeong et al found that it is also related to tyrosinase related proteins [tyrosine related protein (TPR) -1, tpr] and microphthalmia related transcription factor (MITF) in melanogenesis. . Jialili et al. [7] showed that resveratrol for external use can effectively improve skin color, has certain whitening effect, has no adverse reactions, and has good safety. Resveratrol has the disadvantages of instability and poor bioavailability. Studies have found that its derivatives (pentaalkyl ether derivatives and tetraester derivatives) have high bioavailability, can better inhibit the synthesis of melanin, and have broad application prospects in skin whitening cosmetics .

Sanbaicao extract

Sanbaicao belongs to the genus sanbaicao of sanbaicao family. Liuxiaoxin found that the extract of sanbaicao can inhibit the proliferation and tyrosinase activity of B16 melanoma cells, and reduce the content of intracellular melanin. The study found that the skin care cream containing sanbaicao extract has little irritation to human skin and good stability, and its whitening effect is better than that of the skin care cream containing arbutin. As a new type of plant whitening agent, sanbaicao extract will have broad development and application prospects in the field of cosmetics.

Camellia flower extract

Camellia flower belongs to the genus Camellia of Theaceae. Nakamura et alThe study found that camellia flower bud extract can inhibit melanogenesis and promote fibroblast differentiation. Huang Xiaofeng et alThe results showed that the extract from the branches and leaves of Camellia yunnanensis had better effects on cell proliferation and inhibition of tyrosinase activity than arbutin, and its safety was better than arbutin. It is a new type ofSkin whitening agents have broad application prospects.

Melanin synthase inhibitors

Arbutin

It is an important tyrosinase inhibitor, which can inhibit the activity of tyrosinase, block the synthesis of dopa and dopaquinone, thus inhibiting the production of melanin, and can significantly reduce the pigmentation caused by ultraviolet light, but it has poor stability and certain photosensitivity. The study found that arbutin with a concentration of 3% was safe, less cytotoxic, less irritating and allergic, and its upper concentration limit could not exceed 7%. High concentrations of arbutin would make normal skin decolorized. Its natural active ingredient glucopyranoside has stronger inhibitory effect on human tyrosinase than arbutin, and it replaces arbutin because it is more effective and stable.

licorice root extract

Its active ingredients are mainly liquiritin, isoliquiritigenin and licorice flavonoids. Glycyrrhizin makes skin melanin evenly distributed by dispersing and aggregating melanin to achieve whitening effect; The main effect of licorice flavonoids is to inhibit the activities of tyrosinase, dhica oxidase and dopachrome tautase. . Its concentration in whitening products is 10% - 40%, but the content of active ingredients in licorice is not high and it is difficult to purify, so it is expensive.

Rhizoma Chuanxiong Extract

It was found that the extract of Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort. Could effectively inhibit the activity of tyrosinase, showing a competitive inhibitory effect. .

Rhodiola Rosea Extract

Salidroside and flavonoids are the main active ingredients of salidroside, which can reduce the damage of ultraviolet light to lipids and cell membranes. . The study found that 1% and 5% rhodiola extract did not cause adverse reactions in human body. It is a highly safe cosmetic active ingredient, and has a broader prospect in the application of cosmetics.

Aloe Vera

It is a low molecular weight plant glycoprotein extracted from Aloe Vera. It mainly inhibits the formation of dopaquinone by competitively inhibiting the oxidation site of dopa. It can achieve noncompetitive inhibition of tyrosine hydroxylase activity by competitively inhibiting the copper ion on the hydroxylase site.In addition, aloe vera can also reduce skin melanization caused by ultraviolet light, and has a good repair effect on sunburned skin.Aloe Vera is hydrophilic and non cytotoxic. The combination of aloe vera and arbutin can improve the whitening effect.

Plant polyphenols

It mainly exists in the skin, roots, leaves and fruits of plants. The whitening effect is mainly related to its absorption of UV light, antioxidation and elimination of free radicals, inhibition of tyrosinase and peroxidase activities.Ellagic acid is a natural polyphenol extracted from pomegranate peel, bark, and various fruits and vegetables. It can inhibit the proliferation of melanocytes, inhibit the tyrosinase activity of melanocytes, reduce melanin synthesis, and has a strong absorption effect on ultraviolet light. It plays a role in preventing sunlight or scavenging free radicals by absorbing ultraviolet light.Plant polyphenols are aIt has a broad development prospect for the development and utilization of cosmetics.

Melanin reducing decolorizer and antioxidant

Procyanidins

It can be extracted from grape seeds, hawthorn, rhubarb, pine bark and other plants, can inhibit the activity of tyrosinase, reduce the o-benzoquinone structure of melanin to phenol type structure, and weaken the color spots; ; It can also produce synergy with vitamins C and E. Proanthocyanidins in grape seed extract contain a large number of phenolic hydroxyl groups, which can scavenge a variety of reactive oxygen free radicals, improve the activity of antioxidant enzymes, and have a strong antioxidant effect. Procyanidins have broad application prospects for the development of new skin whitening agents.

Uyghur medicine hyacinth extract

. The study found that the Uyghur medicine hyacinth extract can scavenge 1,1-diphenyl-2-trinitrophenylhydrazine (DPPH) free radicals and inhibit the activity of elastase. Elastase usually expresses the anti-aging effect of the extract together with DPPH free radicals; In addition, the extract can also inhibit the activity of tyrosinase in the process of melanogenesis, and the inhibitory effect is better than that of vitamin C, which has better whitening potential.

Melanocyte trafficking blockers

Tea extract

Theaflavin, gallic catechin gallic acid.Studies have found that theaflavin and EGCG can inhibit the transfer of melanin particles to keratinocytes, inhibit cell proliferation, inhibit the activity of tyrosinase, and reduce the synthesis of melanin, thus playing a whitening effect;In addition, it can prevent exogenous factors such as UV and oxygen free radicals from accelerating the formation process of melanin and enhancing the whitening effect.The results showed that tea polyphenols did not damage the chromosomes and germ cells of animal cells;The results of 30 day feeding test showed that tea polyphenols had no obvious toxic effect on animals.

nicotinamide

It is a bioactive form of nicotinic acid (vitamin B 3) and widely exists in many root vegetables. Nicotinamide can inhibit the transfer of melanin particles to keratinocytes and reduce pigmentation. Patamu mohemati et al. [24] found that nicotinamide participates in the transport process of melanin and can accelerate the movement rate of melanosomes in melanocytes. The mechanism may be through regulating calcium pump, dynein expression and melanosome movement to affect the transport of substances in melanocytes. Topical nicotinamide can also reduce collagen oxidation products and improve the function of skin barrier [25]. The study found that external application of 5% nicotinamide can reduce the facial spots of female patients, and adding 2% nicotinamide to sunscreen can prevent skin tanning.

Skin peeling agent

Fructic acid

Fruit acid, namely a-hydroxy acid, mainly penetrates into the stratum corneum of the skin, promotes the weakening of the binding force between aged stratum corneum cells, accelerates cell metabolism, promotes cell death and shedding, removes facial fine lines and desalts epidermal pigment, but also resists free radicals, promotes the formation of collagen, and makes the skin white, smooth and elastic. The mechanism of skin changing with fruit acid is to use fruit acid with a concentration higher than 20% to weaken the connection of skin keratinocytes, make keratinocytes containing melanin fall off, promote the proliferation of collagen fibers and mucins in the dermis, reduce skin aging, and achieve the effect of whitening and rejuvenation. . High concentration of fruit acid products can cause skin redness, swelling, sensitivity and ulceration. China stipulates that the content of a-hydroxy acid in cosmetics should not exceed 6%, and the pH value should not be lower than 3.5.

Copyright notice: the article is from the Journal of clinical dermatology, Volume 46, issue 1, 2017; Authors: yangxujuan, zhouting, wuwenjuan, guomeihua, nongxiang, he Li

News Center

Research progress of whitening active ingredients from plant extracts

About Us

Online Shop Terms

Service Center

My Account

Online Consultation