In Vitro Tyrosinase Inhibitory and Antioxidant Activities of Extracts and Constituents of Paeonia lactiflora Pall. Flowers

Background: In recent years researchers have undertaken the search for antioxidant compounds that can delay or inhibit the initiation or propagation of oxidative chain reaction and thus prevent or repair oxidative damage done to the body's cells by reactive oxygen species. Currently, a variety of synthetic antioxidant supplements are available. However, antioxidants derived from natural sources have attracted many interests for use in foods or pharmaceutical preparations. Various dermatological disorders such as freckling, age spots and sites of actinic damage are caused by the accumulation of dermal melanin pigment, which is synthesized in melanocytes via the action of tyrosinase. Therefore, there is a large demand for developing antityrosinase and antioxidant products to treat and protect against hyperpigmentation and ageing of the skin caused by ultraviolet rays, ROS, free radicals and other insults. Keywords: Antioxidant activity, tyrosinase inhibitory activity, Paeoniaceae, reactive oxygen species, high performance liquid chromatography, Paeonia lactiflora Pall.