Aloin, cinnamic acid and sophorcarpidine are potent inhibitors of tyrosinase.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effects of aloin, cinnamic acid and 15 other kinds of natural chemicals on the activity of tyrosinase, in order to provide lightening agents in the treatment of hyperpigmentation disorders and cosmetic additives. METHODS Tyrosinase activity was estimated by measuring the oxidation rate of L-dopa. Inhibition of the enzyme was deduced according to the Lineweaver-Burk plots compared to the control. RESULTS Cadabine, paeonal, farrerol, evodin, cinnamic acid, aloin and sophorcarpidine had different levels of inhibition of tyrosinase. The inhibitory rates of cinnamic acid (2 mmol/L, 0.5 mmol/L), aloin (2 mmol/L) and the rest were significantly higher than that of hydroquinone (0.5 mmol/L) (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Tyrosinase activity can be greatly inhibited by cinnamic acid, aloin and sophorcarpidine, of which sophorcarpidine functions as an uncompetitive inhibitor, compared to aloin and cinnamic acid, which are mixed-type inhibitors.