TYROSINASE INHIBITORS FROM ANISE OIL

Anisaldehyde characterized in the seeds of Pimpinella anisum L. (Umbel liferae), also known as aniseed, was found to inhibit the oxidation of L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA) by mushroom tyrosinase (EC 1.14 .18.1) with an ID50 of 43 mu g/mL (0.32 mM). The inhibition kinetics a nalyzed by a Lineweaver-Burk plot established anisaldehyde to be a non competitive inhibitor for this oxidation. On the basis of this Ending, various related analogues were also tested in order to gain new insig hts into their structural functions.