Abstract
In our research program to investigate novel agents for anti-malodor activity from natural plant resources, we focused on Pterocarpus marsupium, which has been used as a “toothbrush tree” in Asian countries for many years. A 50% ethanol extract (PM-ext) was prepared and tested for anti-methioninase and anti-collagenase activity along with suppressive activity against matrix metalloprotease (MMP)-1 from interleukin-1β stimulated human gingival fibroblast. PM-ext showed moderate anti-methioninase and anti-collagenase activity as 35 and 33% at 500 μg/mL, while PM-ext showed suppression of MMP-1 release at 10 μg/mL. The active principles of MMP-1 release suppression were revealed as pterostilbene, (+)-liquiritigenin, isoliquiritigenin and α-epi-coatline A. Among them, pterostilbene showed suppression at 0.5 μM, which was the most potent of the four compounds.