Potential of Ferulic Acid from Corn Oil as a Natural Whitening Agent: In Vitro Study on Tyrosinase Enzyme Inhibition

Abstract

The desire to improve physical appearance women has increased awareness of the importance of skin care, including skin tone. A potential approach to enhancing skin brightness involves the inhibition of melanin biosynthesis, a process that is crucially dependent on the activity of the enzyme tyrosinase. Ferulic acid, a phenolic compound found in corn oil, has been shown to have potential as a tyrosinase inhibitor. The objective of this study is to assess the efficacy of ferulic acid, a naturally occurring compound, in its role as a depigmenting agent through in vitro experiments, focusing specifically on its interaction with the tyrosinase enzyme. The extraction of corn oil was accomplished through the utilization of hexane and 96% methanol, then followed by the isolation of ferulic acid via radial chromatography. The characterization of ferulic acid was conducted employing FTIR, NMR, and LC-MS/MS analysis. The activity test results demonstrated an IC50 value of 22 ppm, while the positive control, kojic acid, demonstrated an IC50 value of 0.33 ppm. In light of the findings, ferulic acid was identified as a potent tyrosinase inhibitor of the tyrosinase enzyme, thereby substantiating its capacity to function as a whitening agent.