Bengkoang roots (Phacyrhizus erosus) have been used as cosmetics materials, primarily as sun screening and skin whitening materials. Indonesia is a tropical country, which has high sunlight intensities every day. Sunlight, primarily the ultraviolet ray, causes several damages on skin; for examples, sunburn, cancer, and hyperpigmentation. Therefore, the Indonesian people need sun screening and skin whitening preparations to avoid the negative effects of ultraviolet. Up to now, active compounds in bengkoang roots which have skin whitening and sun screening activity have not been discovered yet. Therefore, the study on isolation, structure elucidation, antioxidative and anti-tyrosinase assay of active compounds in bengkoang roots has been conducted. The isolation of active compounds has been carried out by Soxhlet extraction using solvents (petroleum ether, ethyl acetate and butanol) followed by fractionated using column chromatography. The structures of the compounds were elucidated using 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. 13 compounds were isolated. All compounds have an antioxidative activity with the exceptions of ß-sitosterol and stigmasterol. Three isoflavonoids (i.e. daidzein; daidzein-7-O-ß-glucopyranose; 5-Hydroxy-daidzein-7-O-ß-glucopyranose), and a pterocarpan (i. e. (8,9)-Furanyl-pterocarpan-3-ol) were isolated from the ethyl acetate extract. All compounds showed tyrosinase inhibitory activity with IC50 values from 4.38 to 22.20 mM. The other compounds, i. e. 2-Butoxy-2,5-bis(hydroxymethyl)-tetrahydrofurane from the butanol extract and 4-2-(Furane-2-nyl)ethyl)-2-methyl-2,5-dihydrofurane-3-carbaldehyde from the ethyl acetate after hydrolysis extract have the tyrosinase inhibitory activity with IC50 values of 1.21 mM and 0.20 mM, respectively. Based on the results, it can be concluded that bengkoang root can be used as sun screening and skin whitening materials for cosmetics preparations, because the bengkoang root posseses many compounds which have UV absorption, antioxidative and tyrosinase inhibitory activities. / Die Wurzeln der Bengkoang (Phacyrhizus erosus) werden im Bereich der Kosmetik, speziell zum Schutz vor UV-Strahlung und zum Bleichen der Haut, verwendet. Indonesien ist ein tropisches Land, in dem täglich die Sonne scheint. Die Sonnenstrahlung, insbesondere die UV-Strahlung hat negative Auswirkungen, wie z. B. Sonnenbrand, Krebserzeugung und Hyperpigmentation. Deshalb brauchen die Menschen in Indonesien „sunscreen and whitening“-Kosmetik zum Schutz der Haut vor der Sonneneinstrahlung. Bis heute gibt es keine wissenschaftlichen Beweise, ob Bengkoang Wirkstoffe enthält, die die UV-Strahlung absorbieren und die Haut bleichen können. Ziel der Arbeit war die Suche nach Substanzen mit diesem Eigenschaften. Deshalb stand die Isolierung und Strukturaufklärung von Inhaltstoffen aus Bengkoang-Wurzeln sowie die Analyse der UV-Absorptionsfähigkeit und Analyse der Hautbleichungs-Fähigkeit der gefundenen Verbindungen im Mittelpunkt der Arbeit. Die Hautbleichungs-Fähigkeit wurde durch die Analyse der antioxidativen Aktivität und Tyrosinase-Inhibitor-Aktivität getestet. Aus Extrakten unterschiedlicher Polarität wurden Sekundärstoffe durch unterschiedliche chromatographische Trenn-Methoden (Säulenchromatographie mit verschiedenen stationären Phasen) isoliert, deren Struktur mittels Massen-spektrometrie und ein- und zweidimensionalen Kernresonanz-Spektroskopie-Experimente aufgeklärt würde. Insgesamt wurden 13 Naturstoffe isoliert, von denen 11 die antioxidative Aktivität haben. Nur ß-Sitosterol und Stigmasterol zeigten keine die antioxidative Aktivität. Drei Verbindungen der Isoflavonoid-Gruppe, nämlich Daidzein, Daidzein-7-O-ß-glucopyranose, 5-hydroxy-daidzein-7-O-ß-glucopyranose und eine Verbindung der Pterocarpan-Gruppe, nämlich (8,9)-Furanyl-pterocarpan-3-ol, wurde aus dem Essigsäureethylacetat-Extrakt isoliert. Alle haben starke Tyrosinase-Inhibitions-Aktivität mit IC50-Werten von 4.38 mM bis 22.20 mM. Die andere Verbindungen, nämlich 2-Butoxy-2,5-bis(hydroxymethyl)-tetrahydrofuran aus dem Butanol-Extrakt und 4-(2-(Furan-2-nyl)ethyl)-2-methyl-2,5-dihydrofuran-3-carbaldehyd aus dem Essigsäureethylacetat-Extrakt-nach- Hydrolyse, haben eine Tyrosinase-Inhibitions-Aktivität mit IC50-Werten von 1.21 mM und 0.20 mM. Zusammenfassend kann festgestellt werden, dass Bengkoang viele aktive Verbindungen im Bereich der UV Absorption, antioxidative Aktivität und Tyrosinase-Inhibitions-Aktivität haben. Deshalb kann Bengkoang für Kosmetik, speziell als Material, das vor UV-Strahlung schützt und die Haut bleicht, verwendet werden.

Os compostos fenólicos, quando em altas concentrações na água, são poluentes de alta periculosidade, difíceis de serem eliminados até mesmo por métodos convencionais, como por exemplo, a biorremediação microbiológica dos lodos ativados e os métodos físico-químicos. Sabendo da presença dos fenóis em muitos efluentes industriais se faz necessário o estudo de novos processos para o tratamento desses efluentes que possuam aplicações eficazes e, sobretudo, ecologicamente corretas. A presente pesquisa visou a degradação de poluentes fenólicos em soluções aquosas através da oxidação enzimática com tirosinase imobilizada em quitosana. A contribuição tecnológica relaciona-se com a possibilidade de aplicação do estudo em escala industrial em processos de tratamento de efluentes industriais que contenham poluentes fenólicos. Fenóis como o 4-clorofenol, 4-cresol, 4-nitrofenol e o próprio fenol, foram utilizados em ensaios de oxidação enzimática em vaso agitado, em regime dinâmico, em processo de batelada, temperatura de 45°C e três faixas de concentração enzimática (40, 60 e 80 U/ml). Além disso, foram testadas três formas de quitosana utilizadas na imobilização enzimática e aplicadas nos processos de oxidação de fenol: esferas, flocos e micro partículas de quitosana. A enzima tirosinase foi eficiente na degradação de fenol, 4-cresol e 4-clorofenol, diminuindo consideravelmente a concentração destes poluentes nas soluções aquosas. Porém, a tirosinase não oxidou significativamente o 4-nitrofenol. Verificou-se que o efeito de alguns substituintes do anel aromático do fenol e a posição desse substituinte no anel aromático, exerce influência direta na atividade da enzima durante as reações oxidativas envolvendo os compostos fenólicos. Embora o presente estudo tenha apresentado bons resultados na remoção de alguns compostos fenólicos em soluções aquosas por meio da oxidação de tais poluentes pela enzima tirosinase imobilizada em quitosana, o complexo enzima-suporte não apresentou a mesma eficiência nos ensaios subseqüentes, nos quais foi estudada a reutilização da enzima imobilizada. / The phenolic compounds when in high concentrations in water are extremely dangerous pollutants and difficult to be eliminated even by conventional methods such as the microbiological bioremediation with activated sludge and physico-chemical methods. Phenols are present in many industrial effluents and is necessary to develop new and effective processes for the treatment of that effluents and, if possible, environmentally friendly. This research aimed the degradation of phenolic pollutants in aqueous solutions by enzymatic oxidation with tyrosinase immobilized in chitosan. Phenols such as 4-chlorophenol, 4-cresol, 4-nitrophenol and phenol, had been used in assays of enzymatic oxidation in an agitated reactor, in dynamic regime, in a batch process, temperature of 45°C and three values of enzymatic concentration ( 40, 60 and 80 U/ml). In addition, three forms of chitosan had been used in enzymatic immobilization and applied in the processes of oxidation of phenol: pellets, flakes and small particles of chitosan. Tyrosinase was efficient in the degradation of phenol, 4-cresol and 4-chlorophenol, reducing significantly the concentration of these pollutants in aqueous solutions. However, tyrosinase did not oxidized 4-nitrophenol. It was verified that the effect of some substitutes and their position in the aromatic ring has a direct influence on the activity of the enzyme during the oxidative reactions involving phenolic compounds. Although this study has shown good results in the removal of some phenolic compounds in aqueous solutions through the oxidation of such pollutants by the tyrosinase immobilized on chitosan, the enzyme-support did not present the same efficiency in subsequent assays, in which we studied the reuse of the immobilized enzyme.

O presente trabalho apresenta o estudo de processos biotecnológicos para a remoção de fenol de soluções aquosas em regime de batelada em 3 processos distintos (A), (B) e (C) respectivamente. Sendo eles a adsorção de fenóis de soluções aquosas em Quitosana, degradação enzimática de fenóis através da tirosinase em meio aquoso e adsorção/degradação de fenóis de soluções aquosas em Quitosana contendo tirosinase imobilizada. Para isto foram estudadas as influências das variáveis temperatura, pH, concentração da Quitosana e velocidade de agitação no processo (A), temperatura, pH, concentração da tirosinase livre e velocidade de agitação no processo (B) e no processo (C), temperatura, pH, concentração da Quitosana, concentração da tirosinase imobilizada e velocidade de agitação. / This paper presents the study of biotechnology processes for the removal of pHenol from aqueous solution in batch reactor in 3 separate cases (A), (B) and (C) respectively. As they adsorption of pHenols from aqueous solutions on chitosan, enzymatic degradation of pHenols by tyrosinase in aqueous solution and adsorption / degradation of pHenols in aqueous solutions containing chitosan immobilized tyrosinase. For this we examined the influence of varying temperature, pH, concentration of chitosan and stirring speed of the process (A), temperature, pH, concentration of free tyrosinase and stirring speed of the process (B) and Case (C), temperature , pH, concentration of chitosan, concentration of tyrosinase immobilized and speed of agitation.

O presente trabalho apresenta o estudo de processos biotecnológicos para a remoção de fenol de soluções aquosas em regime de batelada em 3 processos distintos (A), (B) e (C) respectivamente. Sendo eles a adsorção de fenóis de soluções aquosas em Quitosana, degradação enzimática de fenóis através da tirosinase em meio aquoso e adsorção/degradação de fenóis de soluções aquosas em Quitosana contendo tirosinase imobilizada. Para isto foram estudadas as influências das variáveis temperatura, pH, concentração da Quitosana e velocidade de agitação no processo (A), temperatura, pH, concentração da tirosinase livre e velocidade de agitação no processo (B) e no processo (C), temperatura, pH, concentração da Quitosana, concentração da tirosinase imobilizada e velocidade de agitação. / This paper presents the study of biotechnology processes for the removal of pHenol from aqueous solution in batch reactor in 3 separate cases (A), (B) and (C) respectively. As they adsorption of pHenols from aqueous solutions on chitosan, enzymatic degradation of pHenols by tyrosinase in aqueous solution and adsorption / degradation of pHenols in aqueous solutions containing chitosan immobilized tyrosinase. For this we examined the influence of varying temperature, pH, concentration of chitosan and stirring speed of the process (A), temperature, pH, concentration of free tyrosinase and stirring speed of the process (B) and Case (C), temperature , pH, concentration of chitosan, concentration of tyrosinase immobilized and speed of agitation.

[1-14C]-N-Acetyldopamine (NADA) was oxidized in the presence of methyl [3-3H]-β-alanate with mushroom tyrosinase. The complex mixture of reaction products was partly resolved by chromatographic procedures and analyzed by spectroscopic methods. Methyl-β-alanate is incorporated to only a small extent into oxidation products of NADA which inter alia are presumed to be oligomeric hydroxyquinones. After oxidation of [1-14C, 2-3H]-NADA with preparations from tanning Manduca sexta pupal cuticle, N-acetylnoradrenalin was identified as one of the products. Binding of radioactivity to melanin-like material was also observed. These results suggest that oxidation products different from those formulated usually for the crosslinkages between protein amino groups and N-acetyldopaquinone are deposited in darkly brown coloured insect cuticles during sclerotization.

Neurodegenerative diseases are associated with loss of neurons ultimately leading to a decline in brain function. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is considered one of the most common neurodegenerative disorders that affects 16 million people worldwide. The cause of the disease remains unknown, although significant evidence proposes the amyloid Beta-peptide (A-Beta) as a potential culprit. The binding of Cu2+ by the soluble fragments of A-Beta have shown to form Type-3 copper centers and catalyze the oxidation of catechol-containing neurotransmitters. Furthermore, the use of flavonoids as antioxidants to slow or inhibit the neurotransmitter oxidation has suggested further health benefits with their consumption. A structure-function correlation is also made between the flavonoids and their reactively with Cu2+-A-Beta. Mechanistic insight into the binding of catechol and dioxygen within the tyrosinase-like mechanism are made using a metallopeptide modeling the active site of the metzinicins.

No description available.

Os compostos fenólicos, quando em altas concentrações na água, são poluentes de alta periculosidade, difíceis de serem eliminados até mesmo por métodos convencionais, como por exemplo, a biorremediação microbiológica dos lodos ativados e os métodos físico-químicos. Sabendo da presença dos fenóis em muitos efluentes industriais se faz necessário o estudo de novos processos para o tratamento desses efluentes que possuam aplicações eficazes e, sobretudo, ecologicamente corretas. A presente pesquisa visou a degradação de poluentes fenólicos em soluções aquosas através da oxidação enzimática com tirosinase imobilizada em quitosana. A contribuição tecnológica relaciona-se com a possibilidade de aplicação do estudo em escala industrial em processos de tratamento de efluentes industriais que contenham poluentes fenólicos. Fenóis como o 4-clorofenol, 4-cresol, 4-nitrofenol e o próprio fenol, foram utilizados em ensaios de oxidação enzimática em vaso agitado, em regime dinâmico, em processo de batelada, temperatura de 45°C e três faixas de concentração enzimática (40, 60 e 80 U/ml). Além disso, foram testadas três formas de quitosana utilizadas na imobilização enzimática e aplicadas nos processos de oxidação de fenol: esferas, flocos e micro partículas de quitosana. A enzima tirosinase foi eficiente na degradação de fenol, 4-cresol e 4-clorofenol, diminuindo consideravelmente a concentração destes poluentes nas soluções aquosas. Porém, a tirosinase não oxidou significativamente o 4-nitrofenol. Verificou-se que o efeito de alguns substituintes do anel aromático do fenol e a posição desse substituinte no anel aromático, exerce influência direta na atividade da enzima durante as reações oxidativas envolvendo os compostos fenólicos. Embora o presente estudo tenha apresentado bons resultados na remoção de alguns compostos fenólicos em soluções aquosas por meio da oxidação de tais poluentes pela enzima tirosinase imobilizada em quitosana, o complexo enzima-suporte não apresentou a mesma eficiência nos ensaios subseqüentes, nos quais foi estudada a reutilização da enzima imobilizada. / The phenolic compounds when in high concentrations in water are extremely dangerous pollutants and difficult to be eliminated even by conventional methods such as the microbiological bioremediation with activated sludge and physico-chemical methods. Phenols are present in many industrial effluents and is necessary to develop new and effective processes for the treatment of that effluents and, if possible, environmentally friendly. This research aimed the degradation of phenolic pollutants in aqueous solutions by enzymatic oxidation with tyrosinase immobilized in chitosan. Phenols such as 4-chlorophenol, 4-cresol, 4-nitrophenol and phenol, had been used in assays of enzymatic oxidation in an agitated reactor, in dynamic regime, in a batch process, temperature of 45°C and three values of enzymatic concentration ( 40, 60 and 80 U/ml). In addition, three forms of chitosan had been used in enzymatic immobilization and applied in the processes of oxidation of phenol: pellets, flakes and small particles of chitosan. Tyrosinase was efficient in the degradation of phenol, 4-cresol and 4-chlorophenol, reducing significantly the concentration of these pollutants in aqueous solutions. However, tyrosinase did not oxidized 4-nitrophenol. It was verified that the effect of some substitutes and their position in the aromatic ring has a direct influence on the activity of the enzyme during the oxidative reactions involving phenolic compounds. Although this study has shown good results in the removal of some phenolic compounds in aqueous solutions through the oxidation of such pollutants by the tyrosinase immobilized on chitosan, the enzyme-support did not present the same efficiency in subsequent assays, in which we studied the reuse of the immobilized enzyme.

Please read the abstract in the section front of this document. / Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Plant Science / unrestricted

>Magister Scientiae - MSc / Hyperpigmentation disorders such as melasma, freckles and black-pigmented spots on the surface of the skin are often a result of increased over production and accumulation of melanin pigments in the skin. In melanin biogenesis, tyrosinase is the key enzyme that catalysis the synthesis of melanin, thus the most effective and easiest way to reduce melanin synthesis is by inhibiting tyrosinase. There are a large number of reported tyrosinase inhibitors, their identification and isolation from natural sources is highly important because when natural tyrosinase inhibitors are identified in natural sources, their production is relatively low in cost. Tyrosinase inhibitors are highly sought in the cosmetic industry because of their skin – whitening effects. Most common used tyrosinase inhibitors are kojic acid (KA), arbutin, hydroquinone and ascorbic acid. However, these inhibitors have side effects and lack clinical efficiency. These facts led us to focus our research work on the exploration of natural tyrosinase inhibitors. Due to the therapeutic potential of medical plants researchers are not only concerned with validating ethnopharmacological usage of plants, but also with identification, isolation and characterization of bioactive components. Sutherlandia frutescens and Psoralea aphylla are both examples of indigenous fynbos species, which have been applied by indigenous people for the benefit of their medicinal properties.