Inhibitory effects of Lavandula extracts on elastase and tyrosinase

Nowadays, there is an increasing interest in the use of natural botanical herbal extracts as active ingredients of functional cosmetic and pharmaceutical products. Lavandula x intermedia Emeric ex Loisel. ‘Budrovka’ is an indigenous cultivar of lavandin and, together with the common lavender (L. angustifolia), it has been widely cultivated in Croatia. The present study was undertaken to evaluate and compare the possible inhibitory effects of Lavandula ethanolic extracts on elastase and tyrosinase which are important therapeutic targets. In terms of anti-ageing, finding inhibitors of elastase enzyme can be useful to prevent loss of skin elasticity and wrinkle formation, but also an anti-elastase agent may be useful in the treatment of inflammation. Inhibition of elastase activity by the leaf, flower and inflorescence stalk extracts of Lavandula x intermedia ‘Budrovka’ at 1mg/mL was found to be 100%, 77.7% and 18.6%, respectively, while the inhibitory percentages for L. angustifolia extracts were 100% (leaf), 65.8% (flower) and 15.1% (inflorescence stalk). Investigation of tyrosinase inhibitors may lead to development of novel agents for the treatment of hyperpigmentation as well as skin-whitening agents. In the tyrosinase inhibition assay, flower extracts (1mg/mL) of L. x intermedia ‘Budrovka’ and L. angustifolia were the most effective, exhibiting similar inhibitory effects of 70.4% and 72.9%, respectively, while the leaf and inflorescence stalk extracts exerted lower activity. According to the results of the present in vitro enzyme inhibition studies, flowers and leaves of both Lavandula taxa may be promising sources of active ingredients in dermatological preparations.