Cellular enzyme-modulating activity of p-acetoxycinnamyl alcohol from Alpinia officinarum

Abstract Alpinia officinarum, commonly referred to as lesser galangal, is a medicinal plant traditionally used in East Asian practices owing to its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties. This study aimed to isolate p-acetoxycinnamyl alcohol from A. officinarum and evaluate its...

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Main Authors: Chang-Dae Lee, Hyosun Lim, Hak-Dong Lee, Sullim Lee, In Young Bae, Sanghyun Lee
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SpringerOpen 2025-05-01
Series:Applied Biological Chemistry
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s13765-025-01004-x
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Summary:Abstract Alpinia officinarum, commonly referred to as lesser galangal, is a medicinal plant traditionally used in East Asian practices owing to its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties. This study aimed to isolate p-acetoxycinnamyl alcohol from A. officinarum and evaluate its effect on melanogenesis-related enzyme expression. p-Acetoxycinnamyl alcohol was successfully isolated and structurally characterized from A. officinarum using NMR spectroscopy. The compound’s skin-whitening potential was investigated through a combination of molecular docking simulations and in vitro assays using B16F10 melanoma cells. The results demonstrated that p-acetoxycinnamyl alcohol showed potent binding affinity and inhibited the expression of microphthalmia-associated transcription factor, tyrosinase, tyrosinase-related protein (TRP)-1, and TRP-2 in melanocytes as shown by molecular docking simulations and in vitro assays. These findings indicate that p-acetoxycinnamyl alcohol has potential as a natural skin-whitening compound that controls melanogenic enzyme expression and functionality. The therapeutic potential of A. officinarum in functional cosmeceuticals and dermatological therapies emphasizes its pharmacognostical importance.
ISSN:2468-0842