Anti-skin ageing activity of napthoquinones from Arnebia nobilis Reichb.f.

The present isolation and identification of napthoquinones from roots of Arnebia nobilis Reichb.f. can lead to the discovery of new anti-skin ageing ingredient in colour cosmetics. Four compounds have been isolated and purified by rigorous column chromatography. The compounds are identified as β, β-dimethylacryl alkannin (AN-I), acetoxyisovaleryl alkannin (AAN-II), acetyl alkannin (AN-III) and alkannin (AN-IV) by interpretation of spectroscopic data. This study is the first to report the isolation of Acetoxyisovaleryl alkannin (AAN-II) from A. nobilis. The IC50 values of the compounds, determined in human skin cells (human dermal fibroblasts and human keratinocytes) and mouse embryonic fibroblasts (NIH3T3) varied significantly among the four alkannins. Among the four compounds, β-acetoxyisovaleryl alkannin (AAN-II) significantly inhibited hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced red blood corpuscle haemolysis and cellular senescence in human dermal fibroblasts. Collagen-I, elastin and involucrin syntheses in human dermal fibroblasts or keratinocytes were up regulated by AAN-II. These results support the potential utility of alkannins as novel anti-ageing ingredients.