Abstract:
Skin-whitening effect is closely linked with the melanogenesis inhibitory activity and free radical scavenging
capacity. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the skin-whitening effect of cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.)
extract. The whitening activity was evaluated by cell-free mushroom tyrosinase assay, free radical scavenging assay, cell
viability assay, cellular tyrosinase assay and melanin content assay using B16F10 murine melanoma cells. The results
showed that cumin extract exhibited concentration-dependent inhibitory effect on both monophenolase and diphenolase
activities of mushroom tyrosinase (IC50 values of 1.027mg/mL and 0.977mg/mL, respectively). Kinetic study on
diphenolase showed that the cumin extract was a reversible mixed-type inhibitor, and the inhibition constant (KI) was
determined to be 0.62mg/mL. In addition, cumin extract significantly suppressed melanin production and cellular
tyrosinase activity of B16F10 melanoma cells in a concentration and time dependent manner without cytotoxicity.
Moreover, cumin extract exerted strong scavenging capacity on DPPH, hydroxyl and superoxide anion radicals. Taken
together, these results strongly suggest that cumin is a potential skin-whitening agent for the cosmetic industry.
