Abstract

Litsea oppositifolia Gibbs, an Indonesian plant with significant antioxidant properties, shows potential for combating UV-induced skin aging. Still, crucial scientific data regarding its characteristics and optimal extraction for inhibiting elastase and tyrosinase enzymes remain limited. Therefore, the present study aimed to conduct a microscopic characterization of the L. oppositifolia stem, compare the efficacy of conventional and modern extraction techniques, and evaluate the potential of the resulting ethanolic extracts as dual inhibitors of elastase and tyrosinase for anti-photoaging applications. Microscopic and Scanning Electron Microscopy analyses of the L. oppositifolia stem successfully identified key characteristic fragments, including sclereids, fibers, and calcium oxalate crystals. Among the four extraction methods evaluated, reflux provided the highest extraction yield (5.22 ± 0.10%). In contrast, maceration yielded the highest total flavonoid content (2.80 ± 0.42 mg equivalent/g extract), suggesting that high-temperature methods may degrade thermolabile compounds. Furthermore, the macerated extract demonstrated a dose-dependent but weak inhibitory effect against tyrosinase, achieving only 16.46 ± 1.00% inhibition at 600 µg/mL, which was substantially lower than the kojic acid positive control (IC50 = 5.55 µg/mL). Similarly, the ultrasound-assisted extraction showed modest, dose-dependent elastase inhibition, reaching 15.63 ± 0.08% at 60 µg/mL, significantly weaker than the quercetin positive control (IC50 = 4.88 µg/mL). These findings indicate that although L. oppositifolia exhibits relatively low anti-tyrosinase and anti-elastase activity, it still demonstrates potential as a natural candidate for anti-aging and skin pigmentation management, with maceration identified as the most effective extraction method.