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. 2020 Apr 24;20(1):173–185. doi: 10.3892/etm.2020.8687

Table II.

Tyrosinase inhibitors from natural sources and characterization of the active compounds.

Mode of action
Structure type Source Mechanism IC50 (Refs.)
Anthraquinones
     Hydroquinone Coffee, cranberries and blueberries. Alternative substrate 75 µMa (74,75)
     Arbutin Cranberries, blueberries, wheat and pears Alternative substrate 0.17 µMa; 4.0 µMb (76,77)
Flavonoids
     Epigallocatechin gallate Tea Copper chelation - (80)
     Quercetin Sophora japonica Competitive inhibition 30.8 µMa (81)
     Aloesin Aloe vera Competitive inhibition, Dopa oxidation 0.17 mMa (82,83)
     Glabridin, semilicoisoflavone B, allolicoisoflavone B Glycyrrhiza **** 0.43 µMa; 0.25 µMa; 0.80 µMa (87,88)
     Anthocyanosides Black soya bean, red grapes Scavenging free radicals - (96)
     Flavonoid compounds and ferulic acid Spiranthes sinensis Copper chelation 0.21 mg/mla (95)
     2,4,2',4'-Hydroxycalcone Morus australis Competitive inhibition 0.21 µMa (93)
     Fleminchalones A-C Flemingia philippinensis Competitive inhibition 1.28 µMa (92)
     Baicalin Scutellaria baicalensis Inhibition of tyrosinase expression and activity - (97)
     Soybean extracts Soybean Inhibition of tyrosinase expression and activity - (91)
     Carthamus yellow Carthamus tinctorius Competitive inhibition 1.01 mg/mla (94,100)
     Coumestrol Medicago sativa Inhibition of tyrosinase expression - (98)
Resveratrol analogs
     Resveratrol Grape, Polygonum cuspidatum Alternative substrate 54 µMa; 250 µMb (85,86)
Phenylpropanoids
     Ferulic acid Tetragonia tetragonioides, Angelicae Gigantis Radix Inhibition of tyrosinase expression (103)
     Cinnamic acid esters Origanum vulgare - 16.13 µMa (102)
     Benzaldehyde Cinnamon oil, bitter almond oil Partial noncompetitive inhibition 31.0 mµMa (101)
Olefinic unsaturated compounds
     Astaxanthin, astaxanthin esters Green alga Haematococcus pluvialis Inhibition of tyrosinase expression - (104,105)
     Curcumin Curcuma aromatica Salisb. Inhibition of tyrosinase expression 0.18 mMa (106)
Others
     Kojic acid Aspergillus solid culture Copper chelation 6.2 µMa; 250 µMb (107,108)
      Bis(4-hydroxybenzyl)sulfide Rhizome of Gastrodia elata Copper chelation 0.53 µMa (114)
     Methyl gentisate Radix gentianae Copper chelation 11.2 µMa; 30.9 µMb (109,110)
     Ganodermanondiol Ganoderma lucidum Inhibition of tyrosinase expression - (111,112)
     10-Hydroxy-2-decenoic acid Royal jelly Inhibition of tyrosinase expression - (113)
     S. japonicus extracts Stichopus japonicus Inhibition of tyrosinase expression - (66)

aKinetics study on mushroom tyrosinase;

bkinetics study on melanocyte or melanoma cell cultures.