article · Cosmetics
Argan fruit pulp and press cake are agricultural by-products traditionally used for fuel and livestock feed in Morocco. This research evaluated the potential of these materials as cosmetic ingredients by measuring their total phenolic content and assessing their capacity to inhibit tyrosinase, collagenase, and elastase, which are enzymes linked to skin ageing. In silico molecular docking was also conducted on the major polyphenols to explore how these compounds interact with target enzyme active sites. The fruit pulp exhibited the highest total phenolic content, exceeding 55 milligrams of gallic acid equivalent per gram of dry matter, alongside the strongest dermocosmetic inhibitory activities. These experimental outcomes corresponded with computational docking predictions, showing high binding affinities for lead compounds found in the pulp.
Developing effective skincare ingredients from agricultural residues adds value to farming by-products while supporting the search for natural cosmetic agents. Demonstrating that argan pulp inhibits enzymes associated with skin ageing provides a scientific basis for repurposing material that is traditionally used only as animal feed or heating fuel into higher-value personal care applications.
This research is relevant to cosmetic manufacturers and ingredient suppliers seeking natural bioactive compounds for anti-ageing skincare formulations. The technology is at an early research stage, based on in vitro enzyme assays and computational molecular docking. Commercial development would require scaling extraction methods, establishing safety and stability profiles, and performing clinical efficacy trials.
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The argan tree (Argania spinosa (L.) Skeels) is one of the most important floristic resources in Morocco. This Moroccan endemic tree is known for its numerous therapeutic and medicinal uses. In addition to some medicinal and cosmetic uses, argan fruit pulp and press cake are traditionally used by the Berber population for heating and feeding livestock. Molecular docking is an in silico approach that predicts the interaction between a ligand and a protein. This approach is mainly used in chemistry and pharmacology of natural products as a prediction tool with the purpose of selecting plant extracts or fractions for in vitro tests. The aim of this research is to study the evaluation of potential tyrosinase, collagenase, and elastase inhibitory activities of argan fruit press-cake and pulp extracts. Extracts were evaluated for their total phenolic content (TPC), and the major polyphenols of both press-cake and pulp extracts were submitted to molecular docking in order to determine the mechanisms of action of these compounds. Obtained results revealed that fruit pulp had the strongest dermocosmetic activities, as well as the highest TPC, with values above 55 mg gallic-acid equivalent per gram of dry matter (mgeq AG/gDM). Moreover, those results were positively correlated with the docking findings, suggesting that the pulp lead compounds have higher affinity with tyrosinase, collagenase, and elastase action sites. The results here presented are very promising and open new perspectives for the exploitation of argan-tree by-products as cosmetic agents towards the development of new anti-aging products.
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DOI: 10.3390/cosmetics9010024
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