2-(4-羥基苯氧基)丙酸 [(R)-2-(4-hydroxyphenoxy)propionic acid,(R)-HPOPA],為合成芳氧苯氧丙酸類(aryloxyphenoxypropionic acid)除草劑的重要中間體,也曾報導(R)-HPOPA有抑制黑色素的功效,但截至目前,仍很少有研究探討其美白作用機轉。因此,本研究的主要目的,在探討(R)-HPOPA的美白及抗氧化功效,結果顯示(R)-HPOPA對蘑菇酪胺酸酶的單酚酶活性具有很強的抑制能力(IC50=0.05mM),然而在雙酚酶試驗中卻沒有抑制效果。酵素動力學分析(R)-HPOPA屬於混合型的單酚酶抑制劑。此外,(R)-HPOPA對B16F10小鼠黑色素瘤細胞的酪胺酸酶活性及黑色素生成都有很好的抑制效果甚至優於麴酸,且不會造成任何細胞毒性。(R)-HPOPA也具有良好的DPPH清除能力(IC50=0.19 mM)且呈劑量依賴性。研究結果顯示(R)-HPOPA有很好的抑制黑色素的效果,而其部份的原因可能與其優異的單酚酶抑制效果及抗氧化力有關。
(R) -2- (4-hydroxyphenoxy) propionic acid [(R)-HPOPA], is a synthetic aryloxyphenoxypropionic acid and also is an important herbicide intermediate. Previous studies have reported that (R)-HPOPA could significantly inhibit melanin formation, but little or no study in mechanism of whitening effect. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the whitening and antioxidative effcts of (R)-HPOPA . (R)-HPOPA exhibited potent inhibitory effect on monophenolase activity ( IC_(50) = 0.05mM) in mushroom tyrosinae assay but exhibited no effect on diphenolase activity. Kinetic analysis showed (R)-HPOPA is a mixed type monophenolase inhibitor. In addition, (R)-HPOPA had potent effect on reducing melanin and the intercellular tyrosinase activity in B16F10 cells .The inhibitory effect of (R)-HPOPA is better than kojic acid and did not cause any cytotoxicity. (R)-HPOPA also exhibited potent effect on scavenging DPPH radicals (IC_(50) = 0.19 mM) and in dose-dependent manner. In general, (R)-HPOPA exhibited potent inhibitory effect on melanogenesis which may be associated with inhibitory effect on monophenolase and its antioxidant capacity, at least in part.