Plants have been the source of medicinal and cosmetic ingredients since time immemorial. Their uses have been documented in many societies and Asian countries have had an advantage so far as the traditional information has been documented both in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicines.
Asian pharmacopoeia has contributed plants like mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana) as a major source of antioxidants and α-mangostin, which has potent anti-melanogenic activity by prohibiting the process of tyrosinase oxidation.1 The leaves have also shown capacity in decreasing melanin biosynthesis for both secreted and intracellular melanin content. The activity has been attributed directly to the αmangostin also present in the leaves.2 α-mangostin is now well known as a potent inhibitor to melanin biosynthesis inhibiting tyrosinase activity and by suppressing gene expression.
Centella asiatica
With almost 125,000 species of flowering plants residing in the tropical forests, the islands in the biodiversity hotspots continue to support a vast reservoir of potential biomolecules with wide ranging applications including the cosmetic sector. One such biodiversity hotspot is the Mascarene Islands in the Indian Ocean. These islands (Mauritius, Rodrigues and Reunion Islands) along with the island of Madagascar are blessed with unique plants found nowhere else in the world. Madagascar already has contributed the Boileau (Centella asiatica), which is being used by the cosmetic industry. This plant has been used locally for the management of dermatological conditions including ulcers, small wounds and chaps.3
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