Total Phenolic Content and Tyrosinase Inhibitory Potential of Extracts from Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.

Background: Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp. (Fabaceae) is a legume plant which used for human food and animal feed. Objective: The present study was aimed to investigate total phenolic content and tyrosinase inhibitory potential of the root, stem and seed parts of C. cajan. Method: Crude extracts were prepared by reflux extraction using methanol, dichloromethane and water as solvents. Total phenolic contents of the obtained extracts were analyzed by Folin- Ciocalteu colorimetric method and the inhibitory effect on tyrosinase activity was determined spectrophotometrically. Results: The results revealed that dichloromethane seed extract had more total phenolic content than those of methanol and water seed extracts, respectively. Dichloromethane seed extract had the highest total phenolic content of 92.00 ± 1.24 mg GAE/ g extracts. However, the highest tyrosinase inhibitory activity was found in the root methanol extract with IC₅₀ of 3.55 ± 0.35 mg/ml. Conclusion: Type of extraction solvent was an important factor on phenolic contents of C. cajan extracts. The extracts of C. cajan inhibit slightly tyrosinase inhibitory.