Antityrosinase Activity of Phycocyanin and Cream Formulation for Hyperpigmentation

Abstract

Free radicals are involved in the catalytic reactions of tyrosinase to give dopaquinone in melanin biosynthesis. Screening of molecules with antioxidant activity from natural sources which inhibit tyrosinase has become important for cosmetic and medicinal topical products. Tyrosinase inhibitors are used in treating hyperpigmentation. Synthetic tyrosinase inhibitors possess side effects such as skin irritation, dermatitis, dryness, and inflammatory reaction. The objective of the study is to evaluate the tyrosinase inhibition potential of phycocyanin, which is a pigment extracted from the blue green algae Spirulina platensis and formulating a cream that can be used to treat hyperpigmentation. Phycocyanin possesses anticancer, antioxidant, antiviral and anti-inflammatory activities and exhibits the regulative ability of tyrosinase expression and thereby modulates melanogenesis. The spectral characterization of phycocyanin is carried out using UV-vis spectroscopy, FTIR and HPTLC. Phycocyanin showed tyrosinase inhibition potential with an IC50 of 30.88-39.87 μg/ml in SK-Mel-28 melanoma cells. In melanogenesis pathway, tyrosinase regulates the production of melanin by the skin cells and by incorporating phycocyanin in cream will reduce the melanin production and treat hyperpigmentation.