Data on the inhibitory effect of traditional plants from Sri Lanka against tyrosinase and collagenase.

This article describes the inhibitory effects of extracts from 25 plants harvested in Sri Lanka against tyrosinase and collagenase. Inhibitors of these enzymes are common ingredients in cosmetics and medications, which help protect the skin against hyperpigmentation and premature aging. The article also discusses the polyphenol content of the extracts, which is well known to possess antioxidant properties. The extract data from the following plants, which have a long history in Sri Lankan traditional medicine, such as Ayurveda, have been provided: English name, "local name in Sri Lanka," (scientific name). Indian copperleaf plant, "kuppameniya," (Acalypha indica); red sandalwood, "madatiya", (Adenanthera pavonina); balipoovu plant, "polpala," (Aerva lanata); snap ginger, "heen araththa," (Alpinia calcarata); bael fruit, "beli," (Aegle marmelos); coastal waterhyssop, "lunuwila," (Bacopa monnieri); porcupine flower, "katu karandu," (Barleria prionitis); balloon-vine plant, "wel penera," (Cardiospermum halicacabum); water caltrop, "Katupila," (Flueggea leucopyrus); Indian sarsparilla, "iramusu," (Hemidesmus indicus); malabar nut plant, "adhatoda," (Justicia adhatoda); wood apple, "divul," (Limonia acidissima); holy basil plant, "maduruthala," (Ocimum tenuiflorum); emblic myrobalan plant, "nelli," (Phyllanthus emblica); long pepper plant,"thippili," (Piper longum); country borage plant, "kapparawalliya," (Plectranthus amboinicus); common sesban, "wel murunga," (Sesbania sesban); turkey berry, "gona batu," (Solanum rudepannum Dunal); purple fruited pea eggplant,"welthibbatu," (Solanum trilobatum); black plum, "madan," (Syzygium cumini); crape jasmine, "wathusudda," (Tabernaemontana divaricate); purple tephrosia, "pila," (Tephrosia purpurea); Chinese chaste tree, "nika," (Vitex negundo); and arctic snow, "suduidda," (Wrightia antidysenterica). The inhibitory effects of these plant extracts on tyrosinase and collagenase, as well as polyphenol contents in the extracts, are detailed in Table 1.

Antimicrobial constituents of peel and seeds of camu-camu (Myrciaria dubia).

Various antimicrobial constituents of camu-camu fruit were isolated. Acylphloroglucinol (compound 1) and rhodomyrtone (compound 2) were isolated from the peel of camu-camu (Myrciaria dubia) fruit, while two other acylphloroglucinols (compounds 3 and 4) were obtained from camu-camu seeds. The structures of the isolated compounds were characterized by spectrophotometric methods. Compounds 1 and 4 were confirmed to be new acylphloroglucinols with different substituents at the C7 or C9 position of 2, and were named myrciarone A and B, respectively. Compound 3 was determined to be isomyrtucommulone B. This is the first report of the isolation of 3 from a natural resource. The antimicrobial activities of compounds 1, 3, and 4 were similar to those of 2, and the minimum inhibitory concentrations were either similar to or lower than that of kanamycin. These results suggest that the peel and seeds of camu-camu fruit could be utilized for therapeutic applications.

Volatile Components of the Essential Oil of Artemisia montana and Their Sedative Effects.

The sedative effects of volatile components in the essential oil of Artemisia montana ("Yomogi") were investigated and measured using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Major components identified included 1,8-cineol, camphor, borneol, α-piperitone, and caryophyllene oxide. Among them, 1,8-cineol exhibited the highest flavor dilution (FD) value in an aroma extract dilution analysis (AEDA), followed by borneol, o-cymene, ß-thujone, and bornyl acetate. The sedative effects of yomogi oil aroma were evaluated by sensory testing, analysis of salivary α-amylase activity, and measurement of relative fluctuation of oxygenated hemoglobin concentration in the brain using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). All results indicated the stress-reducing effects of the essential oil following nasal exposure, and according to the NIRS analysis, 1,8-cineol is likely responsible for the sedative effects of yomogi oil.

Large-scale production of phospholipase D from Streptomyces racemochromogenes and its application to soybean lecithin modification.

Phospholipase D (PLD) catalyzes transphosphatidylation, causing inter-conversion of the polar head group of phospholipids and phospholipid hydrolysis. Previously, we cloned PLD103, a PLD with high transphosphatidylation activity, from Streptomyces racemochromogenes strain 10-3. Here, we report the construction of an expression system for the PLD103 gene using Streptomyces lividans as the host bacterium to achieve large-scale production. The phosphatidylcholine (PC) hydrolysis activity of S. lividans transformed with the expression plasmid containing the PLD103 gene was approximately 90-fold higher than that of the original strain. The recombinant PLD103 (rPLD103) found in the supernatant of the transformant culture medium was close to homogeneous. The rPLD103 was indistinguishable from the native enzyme in molecular mass and enzymatic properties. Additionally, rPLD103 had high transphosphatidylation activity on PC as a substrate in a simple aqueous one-phase reaction system and was able to modify the phospholipid content of soybean lecithin. Consequently, the expression system produces a stable supply of PLD, which can then be used in the production of phosphatidyl derivatives from lecithin.