Antioxidant and Anti-Tyrosinase Activity of Lime Extracts

R. Sariri* and H. Ghafoori

Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Guilan, Rasht Iran.

Corresponding Author e-mail: : sariri@guilan.ac.ir

ABSTRACT: Formation of melanin in fruits and vegetables damaged by mechanical injury during harvesting, postharvest storage or processing is the main reason for browning. Oxidation of phenolic compounds to the corresponding quinines, facilated by tyrosinase, is responsible for this enzymatic browning. Although the use of synthetic compounds such as organic acids, amines, thiols and most recently, alcohols as tyrosinase inhibitors have been studied and reported, natural inhibitors have received less attention in this regard. The present study reports the free radical scavenging and anti-tyrosinase activity of whole lime and dried peel extracts. It was found that lime extracts contained ascorbic acid ranging from 60.52 to 85.64 mg/g DW, gallic acid from 10.30 to 28.25 mg/g DW, and ellagic acid from 8.25 to 11.50 mg/g DW depending on the cultivars. Whole lime extracts contained higher levels of all three plant polyphenols and also exhibited the highest radical scavenging activities when compared with dried peel extracts.

KEYWORDS: Tyrosinase; inhibition; enzyme kinetics; whole lime extract

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