Epigallocatechin and epigallocatechin-3-gallate are not inhibitors of tyrosinase.

Inhibition of tyrosinase by gallic acid, epigallocatechin, and epigallocatechin-3-gallate has been recently described in several publications. However, oxidation of these compounds by this enzyme was demonstrated long time ago. Gallic acid also reduced tyrosinase-generated o-quinones. We have shown that epigallocatechin and epigallocatechin-3-gallate are also rapidly oxidized by o-quinones generated from catechols by tyrosinase or by treatment with sodium periodate. Smaller changes of absorbance at 475 nm during oxidation of l-dopa in the presence of gallic acid, epigallocatechin, and epigallocatechin-3-gallate result from reduction of dopaquinone by these compounds. This reaction prevents formation of dopachrome giving an effect of inhibition, which is only apparent. The actual reaction rates measured by oxygen consumption did not decrease in the presence of these compounds. The standard spectrophotometric assay cannot therefore be used to monitor tyrosinase activity with compounds possessing strong reducing properties, particularly flavonoids, because their influence on dopachrome formation does not result from inhibition of this enzyme. Such compounds should be considered antimelanogenic or antibrowning agents.