Tyrosinase inhibitory activity of Bangladeshi indigenous medicinal plants

The tyrosinase-inhibitory activity of 15 kinds of Bangladeshi medicinal pla nts was evaluated. Methanol extracts were prepared for screening tests, and other kinds of extracts mere also studied for those with high activity. Sw ertia chirata, Piper nigrum, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Piper longam and Ocimum am ericanum mere screened as highly inhibiting samples. Methanol was found to be the most efficient solvent for extracting the active compounds. The 50% tyrosinase-inhibitory concentration of the Glycyrrhiza glabra methanol extr act was 21.2 mu g/ml.