Potency of bisresorcinol from Heliciopsis terminalis on skin aging: in vitro bioactivities and molecular interactions

BACKGROUND: A bisresorcinol was isolated as the main constituent of Heliciopsis terminalis’s trunk (Proteaceae). Recently, resorcinol is applied as an active whitening agent in various cosmetic products. Because of the structural mimic to resorcinol, benefits of the bisresorcinol as an aging-enzyme antagonist were demonstrated in this study. METHODS: The bisresorcinol was purified from the crude ethanolic extract of H. terminalis’s trunk by solvent extraction and preparative chromatography, respectively. Inhibitory activity on collagenase, elastase, and tyrosinase of the compound was investigated by using a different spectroscopic technique. Molecular docking was carried out to predict possible interactions of the substance around the enzyme active sites. RESULTS: The IC(50) values on collagenase of the bisresorcinol and caffeic acid were 156.7 ± 0.7 and 308.9 ± 1.6 µmole L(−1), respectively. For elastase activity, the IC(50) of 33.2 ± 0.5 and 34.3 ± 0.3 µmole L(−1) was respectively determined for the bisresorcinol and ursolic acid. The bisresorcinol was inhibitory to tyrosinase by exhibiting the IC(50) of 22.8 µmole L(−1), and that of 78.4 µmole L(−1) was present for β-arbutin. The bisresorcinol bound to collagenase, elastase, and tyrosinase with the respective binding energies of −5.89, −5.69, and −6.57 kcal mol(−1). These binding energies were in the same ranges of tested inhibitors. The aromatic phenol groups in the structure were responsible for principle as well as supporting binding interactions with enzymes. Hydrogen binding due to hydroxyl groups and π-related attractive forces from an aromatic ring(s) provided binding versatility to bisresorcinol. CONCLUSION: The bisresorcinol purified from H. terminalis might be useful for inclusion in cosmetic products as an aging-enzyme antagonist.