Quasi-Drugs Developed in Japan for the Prevention or Treatment of Hyperpigmentary Disorders

International Journal of Molecular Sciences

Hideya Ando²  Mary S. Matsui¹ 

[1] Biological Research Division, The Estee Lauder Companies Inc., Melville, New York 11747, NY, USA; E-Mail:;Skin Aging and Photo-aging Research Center, Doshisha University, Kizugawa, Kyoto 619-0225, Japan; E-Mail:

关键词: melanin;    melanocyte;    pigmentation;    skin;   

DOI  :  10.3390/ijms11062566

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Excess production of melanin or its abnormal distribution, or both, can cause irregular hyperpigmentation of the skin, leading to melasma and age spots. To date, various quasi-drugs that prevent or improve hyperpigmentary disorders have been developed and officially approved by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare of Japan. Many of these inhibit the activity of tyrosinase, an enzyme required for melanin synthesis, for example, by competitive or non-competitive inhibition of its catalytic activity, by inhibiting its maturation, or by accelerating its degradation. In this review, we categorize the quasi-drugs developed in Japan to prevent or treat hyperpigmentary disorders, or both, and discuss perspectives for future development.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2010 by the authors; licensee Molecular Diversity Preservation International, Basel, Switzerland.