Abstract

Melanin is a natural pigment primarily responsible for the coloration of skin, hair, and eyes. Besides that, melanin plays a critical role in protecting human skin against UV-induced damage. Nevertheless, its overproduction may lead to abnormal dermatological conditions, including melasma, hyperpigmentation, and freckles. Given the rising demand for safe and effective skincare products, exploring herbal ingredients and natural compounds with anti-melanogenesis activities has become a prominent trend in cosmeceutical research and development. This study aims to evaluate the potential tyrosinase inhibitory and the efficacy in reducing melanin synthesis of extracts from Desmodium styracifolium using the B16F10 melanoma cell model. Additionally, the cytotoxicity of these extracts was assessed via the MTT assay. The results showed that dichloromethane (DS-DCM), ethyl acetate (DS-EA), and methanol (DS-MeOH) extracts exhibited significant tyrosinase inhibitory activities, with inhibition rates of 71.65 + 7.59%, 105.51 + 6.15% and 61.42 + 10.33%, respectively, at a concentration of 500 µg/mL. Furthermore, the melanogenesis inhibition rates of DS-DCM and DS-EA extracts at a concentration of 50 µg/mL were 20 + 1.78% and 26.5 + 2.87%, respectively. Notably, all samples showed no cytotoxicity on B16F10 cell line within the investigated concentration. Besides that, molecular docking analysis of 32 phytochemical constituents from Desmodium styracifolium against the enzyme tyrosinase predicted 10 compounds with robust binding affinities and strong interactions, yielding binding affinities below -7.9 kcal/mol. These findings suggest that Desmodium styracifolium extracts are promising candidates for application as ingredients in the formulation of natural skin-whitening products.