Vitis amurensis roots have been reported to have the potential for skin whitening through the evaluation of melanogenesis and tyrosinase inhibitory activities. In this study, V. amurensis roots were utilized to quickly select whitening ingredients using LC-Q-TOF-MS coupled with tyrosinase inhibitory assay, and to optimize the extraction process for use as a skin whitening functional material by response surface methodology. Results showed that V. amurensis roots exhibited tyrosinase inhibitory effects by two stilbene oligomers, ε-viniferin (1) and vitisin B (2), as predicted by LC-Q-TOF-MS coupled with bioassay. The optimal extraction conditions (methanol concentration 66%, solvent volume 140 mL, and extraction time 100 min) for skin whitening ingredients were established with the yields 6.20%, and tyrosinase inhibitory activity was 87.27%. The relationship between each factor and its corresponding response was confirmed by Pearson's correlation analysis. The solvent volume showed clear linear relationship with yields, and methanol concentration had a strong linear relationship with tyrosinase inhibitory activity for compounds 1 and 2, as well as their combination. Overall, LC-Q-TOF-MS coupled with bioassay was proved to have the potential to effectively find new active constituents, as well as known active constituents; vitisin B can be proposed as a new natural potential whitening agent.
Keywords: LC-Q-TOF-MS coupled with tyrosinase inhibitory assay; Pearson’s correlation; Vitis amurensis; response surface methodology.