Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi extract and linoleic acid from Passiflora edulis synergistically decrease melanin synthesis in B16 cells and reconstituted epidermis

Abstract

Several treatments for skin whitening are available today, but few of them are completely adequate, especially owing to the carcinogenic potential attributed to classical drugs like hydroquinone, arbutin and kojic acid. To provide an alternative and safer technology for whitening, we developed two botanical compounds originated from Brazilian biodiversity, an extract of Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi and a linoleic acid fraction isolated from Passiflora edulis oil. The whitening effect of these compounds was assessed using biochemical assays and in vitro models including cellular assays and equivalent skin. The results showed that S. terebinthifolius Raddi extract is able to reduce the tyrosinase activity in vitro, and the combination of this extract with linoleic acid is able to decrease the level of melanin produced by B16 cells cultured with melanocyte-stimulating hormone. Furthermore, melanin was also reduced in human reconstituted epidermis (containing melanocytes) treated with the compounds. The combination of the compounds may provide a synergistic positive whitening effect rather than their isolated use. Finally, we demonstrated that the performance of these mixed compounds is comparable to classical molecules used for skin whitening, as kojic acid. This new natural mixture could be considered an alternative therapeutic agent for treating hyperpigmentation and an effective component in whitening cosmetics.

Skin Whitening Cosmetics: Feedback and Challenges in the Development of Natural Skin Lighteners

“…Several protocols have been developed depending on the cell lineage employed, the culture conditions, and the method employed to evaluate the inhibition activity [86][87][88]. The evaluation of cellular MITF expression enables the identification of whitening substances that do not, or only at a very low level, display tyrosinase activity [69,89].…”

“…However, these systems are expensive and their implementation is difficult. Skin explants sampled from volunteers or stemming from surgical waste, as well as commercially available skin equivalent models (SEM) constituted of human epidermal cells, may be preferred for in vitro systems for testing skin whitening substances [88,91,92].…”

The in vitro effects of black soldier fly larvae (Hermitia illucens) oil as a high-functional active ingredient for inhibiting hyaluronidase, anti-oxidation benefits, whitening, and UVB protection

“…Linoleic acid has been previously associated with the modulation of melanogenesis and the inhibition of melanin synthesis in skin cells. Furthermore, other sources of linoleic acid, such as Chia seed extract ( Salvia hispanica ) and Passiflora edulis oil, have demonstrated the ability to inhibit melanin biosynthesis and reduce tyrosinase activity in vitro ( Jorge et al, 2012 ; Diwakar et al, 2014 ). These findings suggested that compounds containing linoleic acid, like SFO, could be valuable in the prevention and treatment of hyperpigmentation and other signs of skin aging.…”

Will Governmental Incentives in Developing Countries Support Companies to Innovate More?: Evidences from Skin Care Patent Applications in Brazil

“…Garcia, Domingues and Rodrigues (2010), in their turn, relate 85 plant and 12 animal specimens from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest with medical and cosmetic activities. Indeed, some companies have already managed to obtain potential cosmetic ingredients from natural resources of the Brazilian biodiversity (Jorge et al, 2012).…”