Antityrosinase and antimicrobial activities of 2-phenylethanol, 2-phenylacetaldehyde and 2-phenylacetic acid

The inhibition kinetics of 2-phenylethanol, 2-phenylacetaldehyde and 2-phenylacetic acid on the enzyme activity of mushroom tyrosinase have been investigated. The results showed that these aromatic compounds can lead to reversible inhibition of the enzyme; furthermore, 2-phenylacetaldehyde and 2-phenylacetic acid are uncompetitive inhibitors and 2-phenylethanol is a mixed-type inhibitor. The inhibition constants have been determined and the inhibiting ability was: 2-phenylacetaldehyde > 2-phenylacetic acid > 2-phenylethanol, indicating that the functional group on the benzene ring group played an important role in the inhibition of the enzyme. In addition, 2-phenylacetic acid and 2-phenylethanol were found to have effective antibacterial activities, and 2-phenylacetic acid was more effective against Escherichia coli and Ralstonia solanacearum than 2-phenylethanol, but 2-phenylacetaldehyde lacked of antibacterial activity.