Effect of Pleurotus nebrodensis extract on melanin synthesis A natural alternative for cosmetics.docVIP

Int. J. Med. Arom. Plants, ISSN 2249 – 4340 RESEARCH ARTICLE Vol. 2, No. 4, pp. 579-588, December 2012 Effect of Pleurotus nebrodensis extract on melanin synthesis: A natural alternative for cosmetics D. M. DANGRE , L. P. DAFNE , R. P BHAGAT , C. J. CHANDEKAR3 1* 1 2 1 Department of AYUSH, Maharashtra University of Health Sciences, Vani-Dindori Road, Mhasrul, Nashik, Maharashtra, India. 2 Department of Biotechnology, Rajarshi Shahu College, Latur, Maharshtra, India. 3 Department of Biotechnology, Shri Shivaji Science College, Congress Nagar, Nagpur, India. *Corresponding Author, Tel: +91- 253-2539125, Fax: +91-253-2539125 Article History: Received 6 October 2012, Revised 27 December 2012, Accepted 28 December 2012. th th th Abstract: The mushroom Pleurotus nebrodensis is an edible mushroom widely used for nutritional and medicinal pur- poses. It was observed that the skin of mushroom farmers is turn out to be fairer as they were regularly involved in mush- room handling and process. In order to examine this effect and as a preliminary step to apply for cosmetic ingredients, the extracts as well as its fractionates with certain organic solvents have been prepared to characterize the effect by tyrosinase inhibition assay and melanogenesis inhibition capability in cultured human melanocytes as an in vitro model. The investigation revealed that certain extracts from P. nebrodensis are more effective in skin whitening than that of Arbutin, a widely used whitening ingredient in functional cosmetic products. Keywords: Cosmetic ingredients; edible mushroom; melanogenesis inhibition; tyrosinase inhibition assay. Introduction polyphenol-like biopolymer with a complex structure and color varying from yellow to black (Prota 1988). The color of mammalian skin and hair is determined by a number of factors, the most important of which is the degree and dis- tribution of melanin pigmentation. Melanin is secreted by m