Planta Med 2011; 77 - PE36
DOI: 10.1055/s-0031-1282367

Whitening effect and antioxidant activity of essential oils from Cryptomeria japonica

S Kim 1, S Lee 1, K Gwak 1, J Lee 2, I Choi 2
  • 1Dept. of Forest Sciences, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, Seoul National University, 599 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, 151–921, South Korea
  • 2Dept. of Forest Sciences, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, Seoul National University, 599 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, 151–921, South Korea; Dept. of Forest Sciences, Research Institute for Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul National University, 599 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, 151–921, South Korea

The aim of this study was to investigate whitening effect and anti-oxidation effect by determining the tyrosinase inhibition activity, DPPH radical scavenging activity and superoxide dismutase (SOD) like activity of essential oil from Cryptomeria japonica D.Don.

Essential oil of C. japonica was extracted by steam distillation of Clevenger-type. Essential oil of C. japonica was divided into crude oil and 6 fractions by column chromatography and thin layer chromatography. Crude oil and 6 fractions of C. japonica essential oil inhibited the oxidation of L-tyrosine and L-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA) by mushroom tyrosinase. In tyrosinase inhibitory activity of essential oils of C. japonica, the activity was effective at the fraction A (L-tyrosine: 86.76%, L-DOPA: 88.45%) and B (L-tyrosine: 87.53%, L-DOPA: 85.03%). In examination of anti-oxidation activity, the C. japonica essential oils were determined using the free radical and the stable reductant, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrydrazyl (DPPH) and pyrogallol. Fraction B (44.11%), C (86.91%) and D (44. 40%) were highly effective of DPPH radical scavenging, and in examination of SOD like activity, fraction B (96.19%) was appeared as extremely high effective.

Fraction B of C. japonica essential oil, effective fraction of whitening activity and anti-oxidation activity, was mainly consisted of bornyl acetate and nezukol, which are terpenoids having hydroxyl group. These compounds were inhibition of acting on tyrosinase in melanin biosynthesis and block up DPPH radical scavenging and auti-oxidation by supplying hydrogen. Thus, they can apply for cosmeceutical material as functional raw material containing highly active compounds for whitening and anti-oxidation.

References: 1. Blois MS (1958) Nature 181: 1199–1200.

2. Brand-Williams et al. (1995) LWT-Food Sci Technol 28(1): 25–30.

3. Kulisic T et al. (2004) Food Chem 85(4): 633–640.

4. Marklund S et al. (1974) European J Biochem 47(3): 469–474.

5. Yagi A et al. (1986) Planta Med 52: 517–519.