Evaluation of anti-melanogenesis and free radical scavenging activities of five Artocarpus species for cosmeceutical applications

•heterophyllus peel and stem bark extracts possessed a stronger anti-melanogenesis activity than kojic acid and are non-cytotoxic.•The anti-melanogenesis potential of A. heterophyllus peel and stem bark extracts are independent of their radical scavenging activities.•elasticus peel extract exhibited pronounced radical scavenging activity with mild cytotoxicity. Cosmeceutical agents from natural origin which are non-invasive, high efficacious, and cost effective are demanding nowadays. This study aimed to explore the anti-melanogenesis, radical scavenging, and UV protective activities of fifteen ethanolic extracts from the leaf, peel, and stem bark of five Malayan Artocarpus species, namely A. altilis, A. heterophyllus, A. integer, A. elasticus, and A. rigidus for their application in skin lightening cosmeceutical. In our study, A. heterophyllus stem bark and peel extracts showed potent anti-melanogenesis activity in reducing melanin content to 23.62 ± 0.69% and 24.10 ± 3.96% at 50 μg/mL, respectively, and the effects were four folds better than kojic acid. The extracts also potently inhibited the cellular tyrosinase activity with 1.42 and 1.85 folds stronger than kojic acid at 50 μg/mL. Whilst, A. elasticus peel extract exhibited a remarkable radical scavenging activity on DPPH, ABTS cation, and superoxide anion. Altogether, our results suggest that A. heterophyllus stem bark and peel extracts possessed promising anti-melanogenesis potential for the skin lightening cosmeceuticals application while A. elasticus peel extract may be considered as a potent antioxidant to be used in cosmeceutical products.